![R² - Rendering Ranger [Model SHVC-AVCJ-JPN] screenshot](images/game/62012_2.png "R² - Rendering Ranger [Model SHVC-AVCJ-JPN]")
R²レンダリング・レンジャー © 1995 Virgin Interactive Ent., Inc.
(R² - Rendering Ranger)
Rendering Ranger: R² is an explosive, hyper-technical action game that represents a pinnacle of late-lifecycle 16-bit development. Players control a lone special forces soldier tasked with surviving a devastating alien invasion. The gameplay seamlessly jumps between intense, side-scrolling run-and-gun combat levels and fast-paced, horizontal scrolling shoot-'em-up spaceships stages.
Engineered with razor-sharp precision, the title enforces an unforgiving, old-school challenge. While players possess a multi-hit health bar and can scale their lives pool from three to seven, the software completely lacks continue options. Survival depends on collecting colored, floating weapon orbs to cycle between four customizable laser gun archetypes while tracking high scores across a ruined world.
GAME ID: SHVC-AVCJ-JPN
BARCODE: 4940062300181
Released on November 17, 1995 (Friday) exclusively in Japan.
The Mastermind Behind Turrican: The game was designed and primary-programmed by legendary German developer Manfred Trenz, famous for creating the iconic Turrican series. As a result, the engine shares a distinct European action-game design DNA, featuring massive, maze-like platform levels, incredibly fast projectile physics, and screen-filling boss encounters.
The Shift to Pre-Rendered Silicon Graphics: The software was originally titled Targa and featured hand-drawn pixel artwork. However, following the industry-shifting graphical success of Rare’s Donkey Kong Country in late 1994, Trenz completely re-engineered the asset base to use high-tech, pre-rendered 3D models. The title was subsequently rebranded to Rendering Ranger to actively emphasize this state-of-the-art visual style.
The Holy Grail of Super Famicom Collecting: Because it was finalized deep into the 16-bit console transition period, Western publishers passed on the software. Only Virgin Interactive's Japanese branch agreed to a highly restricted, domestic print run estimated at a mere 5,000 retail copies. This minuscule supply, paired with glowing critical acclaim, has made original cartridges one of the absolute rarest and most expensive Holy Grails in the entire retro collecting landscape.