of NebulasRay began in 1993 and lasted for 8 months. It was programmed for the Namco NB-1 arcade system, which lacked the ability to produce 3D graphics. As a workaround, the team used pre-rendering to convert 3D models into 2D sprites, thus creating the illusion of a 3D game. The idea was suggested by a staff member that thought it would make the game more realistic than what sprite-based games could accomplish. Namco created the models on Macintosh computers using the same rendering and texture-mapping techniques it used for Ridge Racer (1993) and Cyber Sled (1993). The soundtrack was composed by Masahiro Fukuzawa and Takayuki Ishikawa, who wanted its music to feel empowering and thrilling for players. NebulasRay was released in Japan in March 1994. In advertising material, Namco highlighted its pre-rendered graphics and two-player simultaneous play. It was released midway in the year in North America and was later demonstrated at the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) tradeshow in Illinois. Victor Entertainment released its soundtrack in July as the thirteenth volume in its Namco Game Sound Express series. Original NebulasRay arcade boards are now rare and collectible. Reception Critics applauded NebulasRay for its unique visual style. A reviewer for Electronic Gaming Monthly commended the quality of its sprite-layering techniques and for having some of the best graphics in a scrolling shooter yet: "If you have been waiting for a really great shooter, your collective prayers have been answered in spades!" A Consoles + writer was similarly impressed, and believed its creative use of 3D and fast-pacing would help keep the shooter genre alive. Staff for Micom BASIC and Shooting Maker were enthralled with the quality of its graphics and presentation. One found it to be as impressive as those in Ridge Racer (1993), while another said it made other shooters look dated in comparison. The gameplay was liked for its action and intensiveness. Micom BASIC in particular was fond of its pacing while Shooting Maker showed appreciation towards its innovation and sense of power while playing. The difficulty received criticism from Consoles + though it was seen as a minor setback. The magazine praised Namco for balancing impressive visuals with intense and enjoyable gameplay. Some felt it was too similar to other shooters, but its visual style helped remedy this. NebulasRay also received praise for its array of weapons, soundtrack, and cinematic atmosphere. Retro listed it as being one