A vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up developed and published by Namco, Xevious 3D/G debuted in Japanese arcades in April 1996 before receiving an expanded PlayStation port, titled Xevious 3D/G+, the following year. The game continues the classic Xevious lineage, casting players in control of a combat aircraft engaged against waves of aerial and ground-based enemies. True to its title, the game introduces three-dimensional elements into the traditionally 2D franchise formula, updating the visual presentation while retaining the dual-attack system — airborne targets are engaged with a forward blaster while surface installations are destroyed with bombs — that defined the original series. The arcade release remained exclusive to Japan, making the PlayStation version the primary means by which the game reached a wider audience.
