"R-Type" was celebrated by critics for its graphics and addictive gameplay, although it would receive criticism for its high difficulty level. It is commonly cited as one of the best shoot 'em up video games, as well as one of the greatest video games of all time. Its success would prompt the creation of several sequel and spin-off games, alongside home ports and releases for digital distribution services. A remake of the game was released as "R-Type DX" for the Game Boy Color in 2000, while a 3D remake, "R-Type Dimensions", was released for the Xbox 360 in 2009 and later to the PlayStation 3 in 2014, for Microsoft Windows, the Nintendo Switch and the PlayStation 4 in 2018, and for iOS in 2019.