Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] Review
Rendering Ranger: R² is a 16-bit classic that deserves your attention.
Rendering Ranger: R²[Rewind]. Credit: Ziggurat Interactive / Limited Run Games / Rainbow Arts
Manfred Trenz of Rainbow Arts originally designed Rendering Ranger: R² as a sidescrolling shoot-em-up (SHMUP). It took many years to develop, exacerbated by delays needed to meet publisher demands that required adding run-and-gun gameplay and replacing hand-drawn graphics with pre-rendered 3D in the style of Donkey Kong Country. By the time the game was finished, the publisher lost interest, claiming that with the emergence and popularity of 3D game consoles, there was no longer a market for games like these. A different publisher, Virgin Interactive, eventually stepped in and released Rendering Ranger: R² as a Japanese exclusive in late 1995. Only 10,000 copies were produced, making it one of the rarest games for the Super Famicom. It’s no wonder I never heard of the game as a kid, during the Super Nintendo’s heyday.
Rendering Ranger: R²[Rewind]. Credit: Ziggurat Interactive / Limited Run Games / Rainbow Arts
Being unfamiliar, I didn’t pay much attention to Rendering Ranger: R² in later years when I got into emulation, but I took notice when I heard that Ziggurat Interactive and Limited Run Games acquired the rights for a worldwide release. Now that I know the game’s story and I’ve had a chance to play it, I can say that its burial is a tragedy because the game is a masterpiece in pushing the 16-bit console hardware, thanks to Trenz’s wizardry. It deserves to have been recognized at the time of its original release.
Rendering Ranger: R² combines two completely different styles of gameplay. Its nine stages are split more or less evenly between run-and-gun gameplay like Contra and side-scrolling SHMUP in the style of R-Type. The game excels at both things; while the gameplay isn’t original, it’s well executed, and the mix provides a refreshing variety. The scale is impressive, particularly in later levels, which are massive and technically intricate. Some of the SHMUP gameplay floored me with the number of moving sprites onscreen and the blazing speed of the background animation.
Rendering Ranger: R²[Rewind]. Credit: Ziggurat Interactive / Limited Run Games / Rainbow Arts
The graphics can be a little muddy, especially in the run-and-gun levels. I died several times near the beginning because I couldn’t tell that there were pits I could fall into. The SHMUP levels have a bit more color and contrast. I wish I could see what the original hand-drawn graphics looked like before the revision to pre-rendered 3D.
Rendering Ranger: R²[Rewind]. Credit: Ziggurat Interactive / Limited Run Games / Rainbow Arts
Rendering Ranger: R² is a hard game. Even on Easy mode, I couldn’t make it past the fourth level without using the rewind feature included in this release. The last few levels are particularly brutal with multi-boss gauntlets and SHMUP level designs that require memorization of precise hairpin movements at high speeds to avoid crashing. The Options screen allows you to start with up to seven lives, but there are no continues. I didn’t try the game’s password system.
Rendering Ranger: R²[Rewind]. Credit: Ziggurat Interactive / Limited Run Games / Rainbow Arts
As far as retro game releases go, [Rewind] is bare bones. There’s a rewind feature and a single save state. Graphics options include a CRT filter, aspect ratio stretch modes, and borders. A Museum gallery includes scans of the game’s box and manual. The best part of the museum is that the manual has pages devoted to insightful biographies of developer Manfred Trenz and the game's history, but I feel that these short essays are more hidden than they should be.
Despite the no-frills release, I’m thankful that Ziggurat Interactive spotlighted Rendering Ranger: R². It’s a game deserving of recognition that shouldn’t have fallen through the cracks between console generations.
Rendering Ranger: R² is available now on PC (Steam), PlayStation 4/5, and Nintendo Switch. Physical editions are available from Limited Run.
Overall Score: 7/10
Played on: Steam Deck
