PiXEL has announced vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up Xelan Force AE, or Xelan Force Advanced Edition, for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC (Steam). It will launch both physically and digitally in 2026 in Japan. The physical edition will also include the 8-bit-style Xelan Force.
Here is an overview of the game, via PiXEL:
Xelan Force is the 8-bit-style vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up originally released in 2024.
“An 8-bit console game released in the 80s reborn for arcades in the 90s with a new look!”
And thus, the curtain lifts on a new chapter of Xelan Force, bringing this “what if” scenario to life.
With a 320×224 resolution, all pixel art has been newly redrawn, the number of animation patterns greatly increased, and the atmosphere of the era faithfully recreated using raster-like effects rather than smooth scaling and rotation via vectors.
Many new characters also appear.
Composer Yasuhiro Inazawa, who also worked on Xelan Force, returns for Xelan Force AE to bring out the full charm of FM sound.
Watch the announcement teaser trailer below.