Starblade

Starblade is a 1991 rail shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. Controlling the starfighter FX-01 "GeoSword" from a first-person perspective, the player is tasked with eliminating the Unknown Intelligent Mechanized Species (UIMS) before they wipe out Earth. Gameplay involves controlling a crosshair with a flight yoke stick and destroying enemies and their projectiles before they inflict damage on the player.

Starblade was directed by Hajime Nakatani. A successor to Namco's Galaxian3: Project Dragoon theme park attraction, it began as a prototype for a single-player version of that game; however, poor feedback from playtesters led to it becoming an original project. The team drew inspiration from Hollywood science fiction films, particularly Star Wars, and wanted the game to have a more cinematic presentation with cutscenes and an orchestral soundtrack. Namco's early experimentation with 3D games, such as Winning Run and Solvalou, made development of the game an easy task. The arcade cabinet featured a concave mirror to give off a sense of depth.

The arcade version of Starblade received critical acclaim, being praised for its 3D graphics and cinematic presentation. It is cited as important and influential on 3D video games, serving as inspiration for games such as Star Fox, Panzer Dragoon, and Rez. Home conversions were released for the 3DO and Sega CD, with a PlayStation remake named Starblade Alpha being released a year later. These versions were less well-received, being criticized for their low replay value and lack of extra content from the arcade release. An arcade sequel, Starblade: Operation Blue Planet, was in development in 2001 and later cancelled.