| Galaxian3: Project Dragoon | |
|---|---|
 North American promotional flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Namco |
| Publisher(s) | Namco |
| Designer(s) | Shigeki Toyama |
| Composer(s) | Shinji Hosoe Ayako Saso |
| Series | Galaxian |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, PlayStation |
| Release | Arcade
|
| Genre(s) | Rail shooter |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Namco Theater 6 |
Galaxian3: Project Dragoon[a][b] is a 3D rail shooter video game developed and published by Namco. It was originally a theme park attraction designed for the International Garden and Greenery Exposition (Expo '90) in Japan, and was later released as an arcade game in 1992. The game involves players controlling a starship named the Dragoon in its mission to destroy Cannon Seed, a superweapon set to destroy what is left of the human race.
An entry in the Galaxian series, Galaxian3 was conceived following Namco's success with motion-based arcade games in the late-1980s, such as Final Lap and Metal Hawk. The attraction version, housed in a massive circular room and supporting 28 players, was designed by company engineer Shigeki Toyama. He was tasked with making the biggest video game possible to prevent other companies from copying it, in addition to creating a game that showed off Namco's 3D technology. The attraction was moved to Namco's Wonder Eggs theme park in 1992, where it remained until its closure in 2000. Namco developed other smaller versions for other theme parks and its own video arcades in Japan and Taiwan. The game saw a home release for the PlayStation in 1996 in Japan and PAL regions titled Galaxian^3.
Galaxian3's demonstration at Expo '90 was received favorably, with showgoers showing interest and enthusiasm in the game's 3D flat-shaded graphics and technology. The arcade release was also praised for its technological features and impressiveness, while the PlayStation version saw mixed responses for its outdated gameplay and the appeal of the original having been lost. Galaxian3 has since gained a dedicated following among arcade game collectors for its scarcity, and has also been the focus of video game preservation efforts.
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