’90s shmup ESP Ra.De. hits PS4 and Switch later this year

A great year to go pew pew

It’s been a crazy week for news if you’re a fan of classic arcade shmups. The cutesy Cotton is getting re-made, The Strikers series is getting a new entry, and now M2 has announced that Cave shooter ESP Ra. De. will be coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan later this year.

Speaking in an interview with Denfaminico Gamer, M2 revealed that the frantic 1998 bullet-hell title would be the first title in the “M2 ShotTriggers” series to be released on the Nintendo platform (all previous re-releases have been available on PS4, with a mere couple also appearing on Xbox One). This will also be the first time ESP Ra. De. will have been made available outside of arcades.

ESP Ra. De. lets players step into the extra-sensory shoes of one of three heroes, before taking to the skies to blast down an alien invasion, all set against the futuristic setting of… umm… 2018. Like any good shmup, ESP Ra. De. is typified by its blazing colour, pulse-punding action and beat-heavy soundtrack.

M2 ShotTriggers ESP Ra. De. is expected to launch in Japan later this year for PS4 and Nintendo Switch. There is no word of a western release, but given that this will be a physical and digital launch, dedicated fans will be able to get their mitts on this little piece of shmup history.