Xelan Force

[xxx1993]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2-0W4PamIs

An 8-bit shmup for the Switch set to release in February 2024, at least that's what I think it says. Looks like Aleste, Crisis Force, Star Soldier, Salamander, and Recca all bundled up!

[hamfighterx]

Thanks for posting this, looks interesting! For other Pixel games, I only casually tried it out but found Horgihugh pretty fun. Seems like they care about putting some effort into STGs, and STG-adjacent games (Angelian Trigger, the anime girl Space Harrier-like). Curious to see if this turns out good.

[BulletMagnet]

Also Steam-bound, it would appear.

[AGermanArtist]

Another here for Horgihugh. It's not doing anything new for the genre and it's obviously aimed at casuals or novice players, but it's very pretty and fun, and it doesn't take itself too seriously.

[FunktionJCB]

The game is out now on Steam:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2690610/XELAN_FORCE/

[PerishedFraud ឵឵]

yummy aleste powerups

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Could Xelan Force be ported to run on a real Famicom/NES console? That'd be awesome if it can be done/pulled off.

It's a 133.14mb download altogether (when decompressed and expanded) on the Steam Deck and boots up without the need for a Proton loader app whatsoever.

No built-in scanline filters (would be nice to have them for completeness) -- no biggie, just add an external scanline generator setup between the docked Steam Deck, your favorite gaming monitor and you're good to go in that respective department.

Has both English and Japanese language support (selectable in the Settings screen) in addition of a Stage Select (that allows you to gain access to the higher stages once you clear them, of course).

A good arcade stick with two button support really does enhance XF's gameplay.

Caravan mode and main game are available at the game title screen. Caravan mode has a 180 second countdown timer when playing it. How high of a score can you get within the 3 minute timeframe?

Cool cutscenes that play throughout when in demo mode. Xelan Force does, genuinely, feel like an old-school FC/NES stg game released back in the late 1980s or early 1990s indeed. It'd be a matter of trying to shrink down/compress the XF game to be able to fit/run on a real FC/NES cartridge though (within it's current cart size limitations).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[-Fish-]

Really enjoying this one. Very Compilesque in format. 1st stg ive played in quite sometime that actually felt proper to an early PCE title. Would of sold like hotcakes in the late 80's.

[FunktionJCB]

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. It's a very solid little game!
Quite a lot of solid retro indie efforts these past few months.

For those that picked up the PC/Steam version:
-is there any way to quit the game with the controller (I've been using alt+F4, since I'm not finding one)?
-when I click to launch the game, Steam shows 2 launch options, with the same game name, and no info. Is this an error, and both options do the same (launch the game), or is there any differences between the two options?

thanks

[-Fish-]

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. It's a very solid little game!
Quite a lot of solid retro indie efforts these past few months.

For those that picked up the PC/Steam version:
-is there any way to quit the game with the controller (I've been using alt+F4, since I'm not finding one)?
-when I click to launch the game, Steam shows 2 launch options, with the same game name, and no info. Is this an error, and both options do the same (launch the game), or is there any differences between the two options?

thanks

I haven't found any difference in the 2 start options. I think its a goof up by the dev.