Xevious 3D/G finally escapes the arcade as Hamster lines up its first proper home release

Hamster's Arcade Archives brings Namco's 1996 early-3D arcade shooter Xevious 3D/G to Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, marking 500 consecutive weeks of arcade preservation.

Hamster's relentless archaeological dig through Namco's arcade catalogue has uncovered another particularly interesting fossil. Arcade Archives 2 Xevious 3D/G has been announced for release on September 24 for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The 1996 Namco shooter was part of the company's early polygonal era and reimagined the flat, scrolling world of Xevious using 3D graphics, changing camera angles, additional weapons and new enemies across seven areas.

There was a PlayStation conversion as part of Xevious 3D/G+, but this new Arcade Archives edition represents the first home release of the original arcade version itself. Hamster is also using it as something of a victory lap: the release marks five years of Namco titles appearing in Arcade Archives, the 100th Namco game in the programme and an extraordinary 500 consecutive weeks of Arcade Archives releases. That last number deserves a small round of applause and perhaps a cup of tea for whoever manages Hamster's release calendar.

Xevious 3D/G will support one or two players and launches in Japan for ¥1,800. For preservation fans, however, the important part is simpler: another piece of Namco's awkward early-3D arcade catalogue is becoming legally available without requiring an original cabinet and several square metres of spare floor.