R-Type III: The Third Lightning

R-Type III: The Third Lightning is a horizontal scrolling shoot-em-up developed by Irem and published for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993 in Japan, with North American and European releases following in 1994. It is the third main entry in Irem's R-Type series, which began in arcades in 1987 and became one of the defining franchises of the genre.

The game puts the player in control of the R-9 spacecraft against the series' recurring antagonist, the Bydo Empire. Where it distinguishes itself from its predecessors is in the Force system: players can now choose from three different Force pod variants at the start of the game, each with its own weapon loadout and behavior, adding a layer of strategic commitment before a stage even begins. The Wave Cannon and the tight formation of power-up management that defined earlier entries are still present, but the Force selection gives experienced players a reason to replay.

Visually, R-Type III made strong use of the SNES's Mode 7 capabilities, particularly in its later stages, and the game's design pushed the hardware in ways that showed Irem was treating the console port as a serious platform rather than a downgrade from arcade hardware. The difficulty is high by any measure, consistent with the series' identity as a game that asks for patience and repetition over reflex alone.

The game was not ported widely beyond the SNES during its original run and spent years as a cartridge-only title with no legal digital availability, making it a recurring subject in preservation discussions. It was eventually included in the R-Type Dimensions EX compilation. ININ Games later produced a remake, the quality of which drew public criticism from the game's original director.