Shmup fans, your attention please! Success Corp and Red Art Studios have announced that Psyvariar 3, the next entry in Success' classic arcade series, is coming to Switch 1 and Switch 2 when it releases in early 2026.
Psyvariar was originally introduced to gamers all the way back in the year 2000, with its cunningly-named sequel, Psyvariar 2, dropping in 2003. This, of course, isn't the first time we'll be getting some Psyvariar action on Switch either, with 2019's Psyvariar Delta earning a very nice 8/10 from us when it launched some six years ago.
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The key ingredient to this particular space shooter, and you really need a key ingredient to stand out in this genre, is the 'buzz' mechanic which sees you rewarded, in an RPG-upgrade style, for flying close to enemy fire and generally just being a bit of a dangerous maniac, whilst also avoiding the usual bullet hell blasts of incoming artillery. Exciting!
This new entry will see the story continue on from the events of Psyvariar 2; here's some further details for you from the official press release:
Features
Seven Playable Characters with unique shot types, buzz & bomb mechanics, and scoring systems.
Guest character: Cotton from the Cotton series is fully playable with her own ship and abilities
Refined Buzz System that rewards skillful bullet grazing with score boosts and shield chains
Signature Roll Mechanic updated for modern controllers all the while preserving the original Arcade “wiggle” input for extra advantage and fluid movement
Neutrino & Shield System that give access to shields, speed boosts, and enhanced weapons by buzzing and shooting
Strategic Bomb Variations that include short and long types with varying effects depending on the character in use
Multiple Game Modes: Arcade, Arrange, Mission (49 short challenges), Caravan, Endless, and Practice
Dynamic Difficulty Selection that unlocks harder routes and exclusive boss encounters based on performance
Seven Distinct Areas and Bosses with varied attack patterns depending on the difficulty
Arcade-Perfect Intensity that preserves the intense, high risk/high reward action the series is known for
Neo retro 3D aesthetics inspired by early Psyvariar
Psyvariar 3 releases sometime in early 2026, and there will be a variety of physical editions alongside the digital version for fans to get busy nabbing. Of course, we'll have more info on all of that as and when we get it.
Looking forward to Psyvariar 3? Let us know!