Rendering Ranger: R2 originally was meant to release in all territories on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but when the time came, it was already late in the console’s lifecycle. The PlayStation was already out at the time Rendering Ranger was due for release and only a Japanese publisher was willing to distribute it, and with only a small print run.
Rendering Ranger inevitably became rare and obscure, but not so obscure that ROM sites and emulation enthusiasts took notice. It found a second life online as gamers rediscovered this mysterious Contra-like from the designer of the Turrican games. It became a legendary title to those who played it and stood out for its impressive visuals for a 16-bit game.
Thanks to the retro resurgence, old games that were missed can get a second chance. Was the 90s game industry wrong for denying us this 16-bit technical marvel? Find out in our Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] review!
Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]
Developer: Rainbow Arts, Limited Run Games
Publisher: Ziggurat Interactive, Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: Windows PC, Super Famicom (as Rendering Ranger: R2), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Price: $9.99
Rendering Ranger: R² is originally a 16-bit game from a time when action games rarely bothered with a story. Not that it needs one and that most gamers will be able to figure out the story anyway. All you need to know is that there’s an alien invasion and that the hero is pissed off enough that he will fire his weapons infinitely until everything that moves is dead.
If you require more depth to the story for a game like this, check the manual in the extras. There might be something more to it, but nobody will care because players are going to be in the same mindset as the hero: the urge to get out there and raise hell.
The Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System had several great run-and-gun action games like Contra III, Super Turrican, Cybernator, and the Mega Man X games. Rendering Ranger: R² fits in that canon amazingly and is superior to a few of them in some cases. It’s got fast action, branching levels, and shoot-em-up sequences that resemble Salamander.
The 4:3 aspect ratio is tight, and players are given barely enough time to react to threats. This is ultimately to the game’s benefit and ratchets the tension, forcing players to never stop firing their guns. You’re not meant to make a mad dash. It’s important to gradually move forward and stopping to handle any foes that try to blindside the hero or catching collectibles.
The gameplay is fast, and the controls are tight. The ranger can aim in eight directions, duck, and has a impressively high jump. Making it through stages is an adrenaline rush of endorphins pumping through your veins as the screen explodes with chunky, pixelated effects.
The ranger has a few shooting modes that power up depending on the colored jewels picked up. The level of destruction with some of these weapons is legendary and resembles something out of R-Type. The bomb attacks vary depending on which gun is being used, and each one is thoughtfully balanced for different situations.
In the shoot-em-up stages, the bomb attacks change, and the difficulty is significantly increased. As tight and fluid as Rendering Ranger: R² can be, the hit-detection and reaction disappoint and leads to some cheap hit. There’s not reaction when getting shot or hit by foes, only merciful temporary invincibility. There needed to be some knockback and audible cue to give the impression of impact.
It’s a shame that the feedback for getting hit is pathetic because the feedback for shooting and blowing up foes is awesome. The ranger’s guns have satisfying and crunchy blasting sounds and the staticky explosions are classic. Things are at their worst in the shoot-em-up stages where the ship is surrounded by obstacles. You won’t even realize you’re getting hit in most cases due to the sloppy hit detection and feedback.
Rendering Ranger: R²‘s most notable feature is its visuals. The graphics were a response to the rising trend in prerendered sprites popularized by Donkey Kong Country and made 16-bit games look a generation ahead of what was thought possible. For a while, it worked, and several Super Nintendo titles could pass as CD-quality games.
Rendering Ranger: R² took the prerendered aesthetic as far as it possibly can on the SNES hardware, going so far as to include “Render” in its title. The Targa version is included in Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind], but the differences are minor. The biggest changes are a few graphical differences.
Pushing for impressive visuals and intense action helped Rendering Ranger: R² age well. This is a stylish-looking game that has grit to it and still feels great to play decades later. There are some sequences that showcase huge moving sprites that give an impression of a detailed 3D model with lots of frames of animation from multiple angles. The effect is marvelous and has an undeniable charm.
This is an awesome-looking shooter that’s superior to many of the most beloved examples on the SNES. As great as Contra III is, nobody likes the top-down levels. Rendering Ranger: R² mixes things up with the gripping ship stages, a far superior alternative. The only drawback is the lack of co-op.
This [Rewind] edition comes with the same usual features seen in the other Limited Run Games rereleases, but with a much fairer price. Like always, players can save state and rewind to undo mistakes. Given Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]‘s intensity, most gamers will need to rewind if they ever want to see the end. The iffy hit detection is offset by the rewind, so this is a rare case where the feature isn’t a guaranteed victory.
Not everything is perfect. Some graphical flaws from the original persist in this emulation. Aggressive sprite flickering makes the presentation a bit rough.
Other staple features included are scans of the original manual and a newly translated version for gamers to finally know the story. There’s an additional few pages included in the English version that explores the making of the game and a brief essay on the designer.
Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] is a very light and straightforward port of a Super Famicom game, but its low price makes it very fair and desirable. This is normally a cart that goes for around $800, and now it’s roughly the cost of two big cups of coffee, making it a wonderful way to play it. If Contra: Operation Galuga got you down, then jump into Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] for the superior run-and-gun experience.
Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] was reviewed on Nintendo Switch using a code provided by Ziggurat Interactive. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind] is now available for PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
