Limited Run Games has announced a physical Collector's Edition re-release of R-Type DX for the Game Boy Color, bringing the late-1990s handheld compilation back into circulation with new packaging and a dedicated soundtrack release.
R-Type DX originally released in 1999 and bundled color-enhanced versions of the Game Boy ports of R-Type and R-Type II; the original Game Boy editions were developed by Irem and first released for the handheld in 1991.
What Limited Run is offering
Limited Run's Collector's Edition will include both the original and color-enhanced modes of the included games, plus an additional R-Type DX mode unique to the compilation.
Each cartridge in the run will be individually numbered and packaged with a full-color instruction manual.
The physical release is presented with new box art by animator and illustrator Paul "Otaking" Johnson.
Paul "Otaking" Johnson's involvement
Johnson, known for detailed sci-fi animation and fan shorts, produced a widely circulated R-Type short in 2016 that recreated the R-9 ship, the first stage, and the Dobkeratops boss with a CRT-era aesthetic.
That short drew attention for its accuracy and nostalgic flair; Limited Run's use of Johnson's artwork on the Collector's Edition ties the physical product to his established visual interpretation of the series' designs.
Soundtrack and pricing
Alongside the cartridge release, Limited Run will open pre-orders for a 33-track original soundtrack available on CD and colored vinyl.
The CD edition is priced at €25, while the vinyl edition is listed at €36.
Limited Run's pre-order announcement notes that shipping costs are not included in those prices, and international tax and any potential customs duties are reportedly pre-paid.
Pre-order and ship dates
Pre-orders for the R-Type DX Collector's Edition and the soundtrack will go live on Tuesday, September 15 at 09:00 PT / 12:00 ET / 17:00 BST via the Limited Run store.
The company expects the items to ship in spring 2027.
Legacy context
R-Type as a franchise is best known for its challenging side-scrolling shoot-'em-up gameplay and arcade origins in the late 1980s.
The Game Boy and Game Boy Color ports remain notable among collectors for their faithfulness to the source material and for bringing arcade-style shmup action to Nintendo's handheld hardware.
Limited Run's reissue reintroduces the 1999 R-Type DX compilation to collectors and retro enthusiasts with numbered physical cartridges and collector-focused extras.
R-Type DX originally released in 1999 and bundled color-enhanced versions of the Game Boy ports of R-Type and R-Type II; the original Game Boy editions were developed by Irem and first released for the handheld in 1991.
What Limited Run is offering
Limited Run's Collector's Edition will include both the original and color-enhanced modes of the included games, plus an additional R-Type DX mode unique to the compilation.
Each cartridge in the run will be individually numbered and packaged with a full-color instruction manual.
The physical release is presented with new box art by animator and illustrator Paul "Otaking" Johnson.
Paul "Otaking" Johnson's involvement
Johnson, known for detailed sci-fi animation and fan shorts, produced a widely circulated R-Type short in 2016 that recreated the R-9 ship, the first stage, and the Dobkeratops boss with a CRT-era aesthetic.
That short drew attention for its accuracy and nostalgic flair; Limited Run's use of Johnson's artwork on the Collector's Edition ties the physical product to his established visual interpretation of the series' designs.
Soundtrack and pricing
Alongside the cartridge release, Limited Run will open pre-orders for a 33-track original soundtrack available on CD and colored vinyl.
The CD edition is priced at €25, while the vinyl edition is listed at €36.
Limited Run's pre-order announcement notes that shipping costs are not included in those prices, and international tax and any potential customs duties are reportedly pre-paid.
Pre-order and ship dates
Pre-orders for the R-Type DX Collector's Edition and the soundtrack will go live on Tuesday, September 15 at 09:00 PT / 12:00 ET / 17:00 BST via the Limited Run store.
The company expects the items to ship in spring 2027.
Legacy context
R-Type as a franchise is best known for its challenging side-scrolling shoot-'em-up gameplay and arcade origins in the late 1980s.
The Game Boy and Game Boy Color ports remain notable among collectors for their faithfulness to the source material and for bringing arcade-style shmup action to Nintendo's handheld hardware.
Limited Run's reissue reintroduces the 1999 R-Type DX compilation to collectors and retro enthusiasts with numbered physical cartridges and collector-focused extras.
