Rainbow Arts' Rendering Ranger: R² is one of the rarest Super Famicom games in existence, but thanks to a partnership between Ziggurat Interactive and Limited Run Games, it's now heading to the Switch and will launch this Winter.
Although initially announced back in 2022, Ziggurat and Limited Run have been fairly quiet on the release since then, but fans can finally get their hands on either a digital version or physical edition later this year, bringing a swift end to the title's long-running scarcity. Originally released in Japan in 1995, only 10,000 copies were made and it quickly became one of the most sought-after console games of all time.
Officially dubbed Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind], the new release will come with a number of quality-of-life updates, including the ability to rewind, save states, and a nifty CRT filter to emulate the look of the original Super Famicom release.
Let's check out the official description:
The original Rendering Ranger: R² is celebrated for its technical accomplishments and distinctive visual aesthetic. The game pushed the boundaries of the Super Famicom's capabilities, utilizing pre-rendered graphics that were pioneering for its time. Its demanding gameplay and visually intricate design have endeared it to collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts, and the limited initial release elevated its status as a coveted classic, often called “the most expensive SNES game.”
Will you be looking to purchase Rendering Ranger: R² when it launches on Switch later this year? Let us know your thoughts with a comment.
Comments 13
They better not overprice this, I want to be able to buy this for $15 digitally before I could double dipped the physical edition.
I haven’t played this yet, but I’ve heard many SFC aficionados describe this as the best action game on the SNES that never left Japan. It’s clearly the word of mouth that caused such a port to happen because it certainly didn’t sell enough at launch.
If the price is right, I would buy.
Note: The right price is less than $15 for me.
Always happy to see retro games coming to Switch and even more so in this case since it's such a rare game (at least officially) and apparently really good, definitely interested in getting it myself at some point!
Hmm I might be tempted into ordering this lost gem, just like how I caved and picked up that GleyLancer/Gynoug double pack of rare Mega Drive games from LRG.
They know my weakness!
One of the most graphically impressive games on SNES, and even more so when you realise it is stock hardware doing this, no add-on chips, while also running in SlowROM, so artificially throttled to only 70% of the system's full CPU speed. And, just to clarify, it's pushing out stunning full-screen intense run 'n' gun and shmup action with lots of gun fire and enemies and explosions and other stuff going on, in full SNEs pre-rendered colour, with multiple layers of parallax, using lots of the system's cool effects like transparency and Mode 7 in places, etc, and it never drops a frame from 60fps even in the most intense action moments. This is what a stock SNES running in its most gimped configuration can do when simply used properly.
@TotalHenshin Well, the gameplay is good enough, but I'd say it's really the graphics and technical showcase of it all for a SNES game that makes it stand out the most.
R-TYPE MEETS TURRICAN?? LOOKS SLICK!!!
@RetroGames I would say all components contribute to the final package of a game. I only specified “action” because there are many who would say Bahumut Lagoon or some other JRPG instead.
Just curious, do you believe there’s a better Japan-only SFC action game? Always like to hear recommendations regarding SFC.
@TotalHenshin Good question. Probably not. So your statement likely isn't wrong in that regard. I was just making sure expectations were set appropriately. I mean, I think it's great for what it is, but hopefully people aren't going in expecting Contra III or Gunstar Heroes AAA level of action, as it's not quite on par with those games. It's maybe like a 7/10 imo, and just very graphically impressive for a 16-bit game and a technical feat on SNES.
@RetroGames I see where you’re coming from. Thanks for responding!
Jeeeeez this looks boss. My love and learning of Super Nintendo seems to never end with discovery after discovery of gems and rarities. Looking forward to this.
A Japan-exclusive that's a bona-fide classic? Nice!
Looks like a mixture of Turrican and R-Type, hmm maybe
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