NebulasRay Arcade Classic Launches on Nintendo Switch and PS4 via Arcade Archives

Namco’s classic vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up, NebulasRay, is officially making its way to modern home consoles for the first time.

Announced during a recent Hamster Corp livestream, NebulasRay will join the popular Arcade Archives lineup, launching on both Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on May 15, 2024.

This release marks a significant milestone for fans, as the title has never previously been available outside of arcades. Originally debuting in arcades in 1994, NebulasRay was developed by Namco for their NB-1 arcade system.

The development team featured several notable names in Japanese game design, including future Tekken series director Masahiro Kimoto—whose later credits include Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament—as well as Yuji Yamamura, who would go on to work on the Soul Calibur series.

Additionally, the game benefitted from the expertise of 3D graphics pioneer Hiroshi Kuwabara, known for directing the CG intros of Soul Blade and Tekken 3 before moving to Square to work on Final Fantasy VIII.

The soundtrack and sound effects were created by Takayuki Ishikawa and Masahiro Fukuzawa, and included distinctive sampled voice elements. Despite hardware limitations, NebulasRay stood out visually by leveraging pre-rendered 3D sprites on the Namco NB-1 System, which itself could not display full 3D graphics.

This technique delivered a sense of depth and visual impact that echoed contemporary innovations seen in games like Donkey Kong Country and Seta's Twin Eagle II: The Rescue Mission, setting NebulasRay apart from other shoot 'em ups of its era. The storyline of NebulasRay places players in the cockpit of a prototype fighter, tasked with leading a resistance movement against the hostile Master Force in the distant Austral star system.

Players journey through six stages, battling waves of enemies and powerful bosses in an attempt to restore peace to the galaxy. The Arcade Archives version, curated by Hamster Corp, promises faithful emulation and accessibility features for modern players on both the Nintendo Switch and PS4 platforms.

The May 15 launch expands the Arcade Archives library, which has become a go-to source for preserving and celebrating classic arcade titles on contemporary hardware.

NebulasRay’s long-awaited home console debut is poised to reintroduce this cult favorite to a new generation of shoot 'em up enthusiasts and longtime Namco fans alike.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo PlayStation Switch PlayStation 4 Arcade Archives PS4 Namco