Tuesday Grudge Match: Gradius vs. R-Type

[Kroogah]

In the mid-80's, Konami and Irem respectively granted us 2 horizontally scrolling shmups that test the patience of us even today.
Tell us what controller smasher is your favorite, and why.

[rpepper9]

100% for R-Type! WOW............. oh wait I am the first person to have voted.

[blissfulnoise]

This is going to be a wuss out, but R-Type games tend to be too darn difficult (read: cheap) in some places. Gradius never put me in a spot that I couldn't reasonably escape from.

Plus, Gradius has one of the best power up systems ever put in a video game.

Finally: Options > Bits any day of the week.

[le geek]

R Type for me! Both are similar, but some how R-Type is just... COOLER.

I suck at both tho...

Cheers,
Ben

[CasualCoreGamer]

Both are a pain in the ass (yet I love 'em), but R-Type is aesthetically cooler.

[Lady Jaye]

Gradius for its power-up system... but I have to admit that, if there was a "it's a tie" option in the list, that's what I would have chosen.

Oh, and +1 point in favor of Gradius because I have its (somewhat) ancestor in handheld format: Scramble.

[bargora]

Looking at my avatar, you'd think the choice is clear. But R-Type is pretty f'n ausum, too. So I will choose not to choose!

Besides, there are numerous titles in each series.

Gradius (1985)
R-Type (1987)

Gradius II (1988)
R-Type II (1989)
Gradius III (1989)

R-Type Leo (1992)
R-Type III: The Third Lightning (1993)

Gradius Gaiden (1997)
Gradius IV (1998)
R-Type Delta (1998)

Gradius V (2004)
R-Type Final (2003)

And I haven't even played Gradius V or R-Type Final, or even seen R-Type Leo.

[ubersaurus]

I hated Gradius 1, but I loved R-Type 1. This choice is clear.

God, the gradius powerup system was friggin lame.

[Sotenga]

I have to go with Gradius, simply because it was the one I played first, and it would be the stepping stone for my favorite shmup series ever. EVER. Don't get me wrong, though, because I really love R-Type as well. I had to give my nod to Gradius, though, simply because R-Type has extracted an unnatural pissload of rage from me. By the time I finally beat it (which took about four friggin' hours), I had no more emotion. They're both great games, though, but I just find that the simplicity of Gradius gives it more replay value for me.

[Gapporin]

Gradius for me. R-Type is just way too hard to be enjoyed by a mere mortal like myself. Although, that's not really saying much, since I can't even get past the first level in Gradius.

[GobopopRevisited]

Gradius, better music. Otherwise they are on equal playing fields! Now, had Darius been in there...

[Kid Fenris]

Looking at my avatar, you'd think the choice is clear. But R-Type is pretty f'n ausum, too. So I will choose not to choose!

Bah! We all know that you're a scheming, sweaty-browed Gradius acolyte, sir. Deceive us no further!

I'm going with R-Type. The original holds up surprising well, in both visual style and level design, and though it's brutally hard, the game keeps me coming back. I usually don't bother one-crediting shooters, but I wouldn't mind doing it for R-Type. It's that much fun.

Gradius broke some new ground as shooters go, but I never liked the power-up system. The "speed-up" option was a needless complication, especially when your ship requires two such boosts before it can maneuver and dodge effectively. The stage design doesn't really impress me, either.

[Kid Ice]

I'm surprised by the responses that R-Type is too hard. I could never get anywhere in Gradius.

R-Type here. That orb thing is rad.

[dreamcaster]

I find the Gradius games to be much more frustrating and less rewarding than the R-Type games.

The original R-Type beat the pants of the original Gradius. However, Gradius did get a lot better very quickly. But R-Type's the one I spent my childhood playing.

I'm very fond of R-Type, Super R-Type, R-Type III, R-Type Delta and R-Type Final.

[MegaDrive20XX]

R-type > Gradius

[DDCecil]

Gradius > R-Type (Only because it spawned Parodius, THE greatest horizontal shooter series)

Though I like both games/series.

[Crush Crawfish]

Gotta go with Gradius. I love 'em both, but I like gradius just a bit more. Not that I can actually get anywhere in either one. :/

[Lemmy Kilmister]

R-type > Gradius

Just do the old swith-a-rue.

Gradius > R-type.

Ahhhhhhhh.. much better.

[classicvidgamer]

I'm a huge fan of shoot 'em ups and love both of these series dearly.

But if I have to choose I'll give it to GRADIUS.

Just barely though. I like the power up system. I have both R-Type 3 and Gradius Galaxies for my GBA SP and I have played GG a heck of a lot more than R-Type. (Though when I first got my Turbografx I couldn't stop playing R-Type!)

[Gamereviewgod]

Never cared for the power-up system in Gradius. I'll go R-Type. great bosses.