MICHIGAN, US, MARCH 19th 2025 - Pixeljam has today announced that its heart-pounding synthwave shmup-like, GRID RANGER, is available now in its final 1.0 form on Steam and Itch.io.
GRID RANGER is a short, 3D shmup-like with laser sharp aesthetics and a retro-futuristic soundtrack. A ‘synthwave track brought to life’, the game lays out three neon-edged levels, with escalating intensity and a powerful ‘Guardian’ boss to punctuate each.
The game, which has been in Early Access since November 2024, will also launch with a brand new Infinite Mode: an increasingly challenging level with no end, set to brand new music. The 1.0 release will also feature two difficulty modes, a new Autofire toggle, and a slew of other improvements after its time in EA.
Watch the new launch trailer here.
“GRID RANGER is an intense but very tightly scoped game,” said Pixeljam co-founder and lead designer Miles Tilmann, “But it’s a great example of what’s possible with our new V99 Engine”.
“Though a few experimental multicolor models existed, the vast majority of vector displays were monochrome, and development of the technology ceased entirely in the 1980s,” adds John Davies, co-creator of the engine. He continues: “V99 imagines a world where vector display technology was developed further, allowing for complex, dazzling multicolor graphics with high update speeds.”
Pixeljam’s Utopia Must Fall, which released into Early Access in September, also takes advantage of the V99 Engine’s unique rendering style, bringing together base-defence and arcade-shooter sensibilities for a unique hybrid of retro-visuals and modern design.
You can download the GRID RANGER press kit - including the new launch trailer - from here.
For press enquiries or more information, please contact Miles Tilmann
PIXELJAM GAMES
Pixeljam has been exploring the possibilities of the low-resolution style for almost 20 years, across 30 game releases including Dino Run, Potatoman Seeks The Troof, Last Horizon and Gamma Bros.
PANTALOON PHANTOM PUBLISHING
Pantaloon Phantom Publishing is a white-labelled publishing service for developers looking to self-publish their games. Pantaloon, a publisher of bold and bizarre games, also helps indie game studios bring their games to market whilst remaining fully independent.