Psyvariar 3 Announced [BananaBytes Software]

[EmperorIng]

Success is teaming up with French(!) developer(?) Red Art Games to make Psyvariar 3! Please God, make it stop!
EDIT: Success has licensed out the development of Psyvariar 3 to BananaBytes, whom you might know as the developers of Sophstar. I do not know what RedArts is doing... graphics? Distribution?

EDIT: The game is now available on steam and console!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4019130/Psyvariar_3/

https://psyvariar.success-corp.co.jp/3rd/
https://www.gematsu.com/2025/09/psyvari ... tch-and-pc

Original OP:

Spoiler

Seems like they are settling on a Sonic Wings Reunion aesthetic. Hey Success, I hope you aren't releasing this one in five months too! I don't want you to ruin this like you did Reunion.
Maybe try to make it at least look as nice as Psyvariar 2 if you're making a fully-fledged sequel?

Where are the devs who worked on the excellent Delta port? I hope they are attached somehow. But in this "era" of Success I don't think so.

[StarLightMoonLight]

This is probably going to be shit like Reunion... But Cotton is going to be in it!
https://x.com/okunari/status/1971032171734499694
Success knows how to sucker me so I'll probably end up buying it, all I can do is hope that these guys learned from their mistakes and make an actual decent sequel to Psyvariar.

[Shatterhand]

I hope this article and the logos below some clarification that this was *not* made by the Reunion guys.


https://www.gematsu.com/2025/09/psyvari ... tch-and-pc

Where are the devs who worked on the excellent Delta port? I hope they are attached somehow. But in this "era" of Success I don't think so.

Delta was made City Connection. Success actually had no involvement on that , they didn't even publish that remake.

[qmish]

Ok, this is weird/wild. On the other hand, I'd say there is no big point in game if ORE808 isn't involved. Any info on that?

Without him being producer or something, I'd say it will be more a fan game that gets official treatment by publisher, basically.

p.s.

Designed with deep reverence for the franchise by lovers of the genre, Psyvariar 3 is the result of the collaboration between Banana Bytes (Sophstar), Red Art Games and Red Art Studios, with the blessing of IP holder SUCCESS

Huh?

[Lemnear]

I smell "Reunion" when I see it like this... even if they're not the same ones.
But I know that there is someone who worked on Sophstar on the forum, I hope they know what they are doing, and that they don't give that dull effect that plagued SW:Reunion.
Like metallic effects on the ships, 4K textures, beautiful explosions, increased polygon count etc.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

WASi303 is none other than Tetsuro Sato himself, the Success music creator of the previous Psyvariar games (he also did the BGM tunes for the PSX game of Success' Savein also):

Psyvariar Medium Unit -- released in March of 2000 as a Taito G-Card running on the Taito G-Net arcade motherboard

Psyvariar Revision -- released in September of 2000 as a Taito G-Card for the Taito G-Net arcade motherboard

Psyvariar 2: The Will to Fabricate -- released on the Sega Naomi arcade platform & ported to the Sega Dreamcast as a Sega DC GD-Rom disc release

Psyvariar Delta -- did get an Exa-Arcadia game center release later on

----------

This newly Psyvariar 3 sequel, if it does involve ORE808 himself, then it'd be a true bona-fide Psyvariar sequel indeed.

The real question is: Will Psyvariar 3 get the Exa-Arcadia treatment as well?

Psyvariar 3 will be released on Steam (but will it run properly on a Steam Deck with tate?).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[qmish]

ORE808 is none other than Tetsuro Sato himself, the Success music creator of the previous Psyvariar games (he also did the BGM tunes for the PSX game of Success' Savein also):

Don't you mean Takashi Egawano? Meanwhile Tetsuro Sato is WASi303.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

WASi303 is none other than Tetsuro Sato himself, the Success music creator of the previous Psyvariar games (he also did the BGM tunes for the PSX game of Success' Savein also):

Don't you mean Takashi Egawano? Meanwhile Tetsuro Sato is WASi303.

Yeah, my bad, it would be cool to have WASi303 contribute his stylized Psyvariar BGM themes for this upcoming Psyvariar 3 sequel indeed (as it won't be the same without his on-going Psyvariar musical contributions). ORE808 did some BGM tunes for the first Psy-MU game as listed in the staff credits -- check it out.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[qmish]

Glad to see WASi303 participates here btw https://store.steampowered.com/app/3804 ... ic_Encore/

[xEbb1993x]

This game is gonna have those stupid "reach a certain level to reach the true final stages and bosses" conditions, won't it? Because that was one of my biggest pet peeves with the other Psyvariar games...

[M.Knight]

Thankfully, the Steam page description clarifies that Psy 3 will indeed have the actually really cool idea of forcing you to play the game well and master its mechanics to experience everything

Dynamic Difficulty Selection that unlocks harder routes and exclusive boss encounters based on performance

Just gotta hope they don't pull a Delta and put all the best music in the weaker stages or something.

[xEbb1993x]

This game better have a shooting type and not buzzing only!

[grendelrt]

Graphically that doesn't look too far of delta. Other than gameplay obviously , the important part is can they match that fantastic music in the prev games

[EmperorIng]

So, the Sophstar team managed to get the greenlight on this? Huh, what a pull. I wonder how they managed that. Did they reach out to Success or the other way around?

Wasn't MR2151 one of the brains behind Psyvariar as well? Or only the music? I thought he was involved since the x68000 doujin Direct-X (terrible name to search lol), which aesthetically is Psyvariar 0 (same font!).

They better not rush them into shipping something before it's actually finished like they did the Chinese fiverr devs of Sonic Wings. They "announced" that game and shipped it less than a year later when it was still clearly in alpha. The ship design could use some tweaking, as several ships look too chunky and awkward (see: the naomi ship, as goofy as a joke NAOMI-cab-as-ship thing is). I would try looking to Psyvariar 2 for some inspiration in location/background/texture design, or if nothing else, Psyvariar Delta using very simplistic repeating backgrounds to good effect.

The recent 10-second teaser I saw did not seem to be showing off any rolling, or if it is there there was no animation. Of course that's a big no-no and something to change if so!

[qmish]

This game better have a shooting type and not buzzing only!

"Seven Playable Characters – Each with unique shot types, buzz & bomb mechanics, and scoring systems."

The recent 10-second teaser I saw did not seem to be showing off any rolling, or if it is there there was no animation.

"Signature Roll Mechanic – Updated for modern controllers all the while preserving the original Arcade “wiggle” input for extra advantage and fluid movement."

Graphically that doesn't look too far of delta.

"Neo Retro 3D Aesthetics – Inspired by early Psyvariar games."

So, eh... I want to believe? (c) Chemical Brothers

the important part is can they match that fantastic music in the prev games

I hope so! Though music from teaser seemed a bit bland to me.

[CStarFlare]

https://www.gematsu.com/wp-content/uplo ... 25_003.jpg
https://www.gematsu.com/wp-content/uplo ... 25_004.jpg

"Ginet" and "Naomi", lol. Maybe we'll get an Exa pilot as well?

[xEbb1993x]

I’ll be honest. I already struggled with the first two games. The shooting type in the second game was literally the only reason why I was able to beat it.

[To Far Away Times]

I am fairly mixed on the Psyvariar series. I don’t really care for the main mechanics and some of the bullet patterns have wildly high difficulty spikes then it goes back to being easy.

But…
Psyvariar Delta, as a package with a base game and essentially two very good Black Labels is very cool. It’s better than the arrange mode stuff you see in CAVE ports.

If only we could get that treatment for other games.

[Kiken]

I can't imagine WASi303 not being involved with this game in some way, shape or form.

SUCCESS, can we get a Sanvein sequel next? Just fill it with moe-blobs, I don't even care.

[kid aphex]

What an abortion.

Psyvariar 2 is God-tier... this is such an embarrassing decline.

[maximo310]

Wasn't MR2151 one of the brains behind Psyvariar as well? Or only the music? I thought he was involved since the x68000 doujin Direct-X (terrible name to search lol), which aesthetically is Psyvariar 0 (same font!).

Yes, he's credited for enemy programming in Psyvariar Medium Unit/Revision, but i wouldn't be surprised if he also assisted with the main programming given how quite a lot of design elements from Direct-X made it into the game ( like the UI/ color palette, stage pacing etc).

Hopefully, Banana Bytes/Success has their work cut out for them in the next several months & can polish up the look & animations. One thing I did appreciate in the gameplay footage I've seen, is that they brought back the old stage branching system of Medium Unit/Revision. Defenitely prefer it over 2's implementation ( where it locks you into a specific stage variant based on your previous stage level/ mech form & doesn't give you any feedback in game).

[DenimDemon]

Well after watching a bit of gameplay on X...looks fine. Looking forward to it.

[Udderdude]

Can't wait to waggle my joystick once more ..

[Darkseed_5150]

Not a fan of the ship designs reminiscent of part 1.

Imo, Psyvariar 2's mechs and the way they control are a big part of its appeal.

[xEbb1993x]

What made the first game so difficult was the lack of a shooting type fighter that allowed me to level up more easily. Only the second game had one.

[qmish]

Well after watching a bit of gameplay on X...looks fine. Looking forward to it.

can't use twitter... do they have bluesky mirror?

[Necronom]

Not a fan of the ship designs reminiscent of part 1.

Imo, Psyvariar 2's mechs and the way they control are a big part of its appeal.

Absolutely! While I'm thrilled that there at least is a next installment I'm kinda disappointed that it's not a real continuation. The dance-like movement of the mechsuits accompanied by the fitting soundtrack is a thing of beauty that should have been developed further.

[MJR]

While I would like to be excited every time a new shmup comes out, these graphics leave me puzzled. I wouldn't say it looks like it was made by a trainee, because I believe some trainees could do better.

[EmperorIng]

Trying to gather info to slowly update the OP.

I don't know if this works for everyone (meaning those without a xwitter account), but there was some footage of the first stage of Psyvariar 3 taken at TGS:

Videos
or
https://vxtwitter.com/create_sht/status ... 02/video/1
https://vxtwitter.com/create_sht/status ... 02/video/2

Player seems to indicate that to him the level-up effect was a little too subtle making it harder to buzz properly, so he hopes this is changed to make it more noticeable.

Apparently according to attendees, Wasi303 (and Ore808 or MR2151) will not be doing the music, but someone else (though who I do not know).

boghog (developer of Gunvein) brought up a good point on bluesky (does anyone use this??) that making good levels/stage design in Psyvariar requires one be good at those games and their core mechanics to understand how to lay them out. I hope the dev team has been practicing like mad
Shmups wiki has a lot of replays stored up of people pushing the games super far:
https://shmups.wiki/library/Psyvariar/Video_Index
https://shmups.wiki/library/Psyvariar_2/Video_Index

[PC Engine Fan X!]

WASi303's take on the Psyvariar series is what made it have it's unique BGM tunes worth listening to, especially Psy-MU, Psy-R & Psy 2. Whoever is doing the BGMs for this upcoming Psy-3 better capture the essence of the overall Psyvariar music, otherwise it's not a Psyvariar game without the contributions from the original Psyvariar team.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~