Rayxanber III (1992). Play online

Summary

Rayxanber III (sometimes just called Rayxanber III) pushes the horizontal scrolling shooter formula into a tightly‑tight sci‑fi stage run that feels ripped from classic R‑Type. Six relentless stages blur together under a constantly scrolling background, and each level culminates in a large boss that demands precise positioning.

The ship can snap between three colour‑coded weapon types, each granting a rotating pair of satellites that fire in the direction they face. A quick dash lets you weave through dense bullet curtains, while a new charge attack launches a duo of missiles that turn into homing missiles with a double‑tap. Dying drops you back to the last checkpoint but you never run out of continues, even though a hit reduces firepower and strips your current weapon.

Created by Data West’s Team 50, the game’s art was handled by Takeharu Igarashi and the synth‑rich score was composed by Yasuhito Saito, continuing his work from the previous entries. An English version was teased by Turbo Technologies at the 1992 Summer CES, but it never saw the light of day.

Critics at launch praised the graphics and sound but slammed the framerate and harsh difficulty. Modern retrospectives, however, often rank Rayxanber III among the PC Engine’s finest shooters, lauding its balanced design and polished visuals.

Storyline

Rayxanber III drops you into a sci‑fi showdown against the Zoul Empire. You pilot the ES3 Donner Kyle, a sleek fighter crafted for deep‑space combat. After Earth's carrier is annihilated by the alien forces, the ES3 is dispatched to the Zoul homeworld for revenge. The mission is simple: breach the hostile planet’s defenses, destroy key installations, and cripple the empire’s war machine. Every level pushes you farther into enemy territory, demanding precise shooting and quick reflexes.