- v1.2.6 Update Notice - 1 October 2026
XeGrader plus has been updated to v1.2.6. The changes since v1.2.2 are as follows:Revamped the notice screen in the demo versionAdded achievement unlock processing to the demo versionReplaced almost all Arcade sound dataAdjusted the final boss’s omnidirectional attackReduced memory usage, improved performance, and fixed bugsIn particular, we had received feedback from players of the demo version saying they were not sure what to do. By adding achievements, players can now read their descriptions for hints about what actions will unlock secrets. We hope this helps more people discover what makes XeGrader plus fun.
- The way to select the DLC has changed - 12 September 2026
Until now, switching the DLC game mode was done in OPTIONS, but we received requests for an easier way to switch and play. There were also requests to switch more freely between HUMAN and ELF in Arcade mode. As of v1.2.0, a CHARACTER SELECT screen has been added after the difficulty selection, and the DLC is switched there. Also, the name MSX2 has been changed to V9938. This change was made out of consideration for not using a trademark held by another party. We appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your continued support.
- v1.2.2 Update Notice - 12 September 2026
XeGrader plus has been updated to version v1.2.2. Processing felt a little sluggish, so we went all in and gave it a thorough speed-up. We have confirmed that it runs comfortably on the machines listed below. Intel-NUC6CAYHIntel Celeron J3455 @ 2.30GHzIntel HD Graphics 500SO-DIMM 8GB DELL-NotePC Vostro 350011th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 @ 3.00GHzIntel UHD Graphics 128MBSO-DIMM 16GB* The launch option "--rendering-driver opengl3" needs to be set. File backup has also been strengthened, along with a few bug fixes. Thank you for your continued support.
- XeGrader plus MIDWEEK DEAL - 31 August 2026
XeGrader plus is on MIDWEEK DEAL for five days starting today. On Steam the base game is 28% off, and the DLC and the Complete Bundle are 32% off. The offer ends on September 4.Precise shooting is only half of it: the gimmicks and puzzles hidden in each stage are the real key to clearing them. Pixel art by Skipmore, music by Tadahiro Nitta. A demo is available and the game is Steam Deck compatible. The MSX2 Mode and Origin (PC-8001mkII) Mode DLC are also included in the sale. If you like retro shooters with a bit of exploration, now is a good time to take a look.
- v1.2.0 Update Notes - 22 August 2026
XeGrader plus has been updated to version v1.2.0. As previously requested by our users, you can now switch the player at the start of a game. In addition, the game modes added by the DLC can now also be selected as needed when starting a game.
- Demo Updated: Playable Character Changed to an Elf - 21 August 2026
The demo has been updated. Until now, the demo featured the lower-performance human protagonist, but starting with this update, a slightly more capable female elf has been introduced as the playable character in the demo. This character has faster movement and attack speeds than the human. The game's speed also changes depending on the game mode. PRACTICE is almost too slow, AVERAGE runs at normal speed, and EXPERT runs at high speed.We are also planning to update the full game soon. In the next version, switching characters will be easier. Stay tuned.Enjoy the game with the faster-moving elf.
- v1.1.0 Update Now Available – New Retro Mode Added - 8 August 2026
XeGrader plus has been updated to v1.1.0. This update introduces the new Retro mode, which recreates the experience of XeGrader as it appeared on the NEC PC-6001mkII, a Japanese retro computer. For an overview of Retro mode and its features, please watch the video below. To access Retro mode, ownership of both the Origin mode DLC and the MSX2 mode DLC is required. To make it easier to obtain all available content, we have also prepared a bundle that includes the base game and all DLC in a single package. Players who already own both DLCs will automatically gain access to Retro mode after updating to v1.1.0. No additional purchase is required. In addition, the “XeGrader plus Complete Bundle,” which combines the base game with all DLC, goes on sale today at 12% off compared to buying each item separately. If you have not yet purchased the DLCs, we encourage you to consider this option.
- v1.0.8 Update - 24 July 2026
XeGrader plus has been updated to v1.0.8. While this is a minor version update, many internal systems have been significantly revised. ChangesSignificantly reduced memory usageAdded new launch optionsChanged the Windows rendering driver to Direct3D 12Updated the behavior of the POD itemFixed numerous bugs New Launch Options--vsync=on--vsync=offEnables or disables vertical synchronization. The default is --vsync=on. --rendering-driver d3d12--rendering-driver vulkanSelects the rendering driver. The default is d3d12. With these changes, the issue where the player and enemy sprites could appear slightly shifted horizontally during gameplay appears to have been resolved. I have not been able to reproduce this issue in my own environment, so I have not been able to verify the fix directly. Please keep this in mind.Also, due to the changes to the POD item's behavior, EXPERT difficulty may now…
- v1.0.7 Update Announcement - 17 July 2026
There were reports in the thread about the game stuttering during play, so I investigated the issue. To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what was causing it, but I made changes to a part that I thought might be related. These changes affect nearly every scene. I’ve tested everything to make sure it works, but since this is a large-scale change, there may be something I overlooked. Also, in response to a request, I’ve added an option that allows STAGE SELECT right from launch up to the highest stage registered in the high score ranking — but only in PRACTICE mode. Please add the following to the Steam launch options: --enable-select-stage Thank you for your support.
- How to Reset Your Local Rankings - 12 July 2026
Due to an issue in the v1.0.3 clear bonus calculation, we have removed leaderboard entries recorded after completing the game with TOP SPEED ON enabled. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. If inconsistencies occur between the online leaderboard and your local rankings, you can reset only your local rankings by launching the game with the command-line option --purge-local-ranking.Once you have confirmed that your local rankings have been reset successfully, please remove this command-line option. If left enabled, your local rankings will be reset every time the game starts.Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
- v1.0.4 Update - 11 July 2026
Fixed an issue where the leaderboard demo would not start. Fixed an issue that could cause abnormally high scores when TOP SPEED was enabled.
- v1.0.3 Update - 10 July 2026
Version 1.0.3 includes two major updates along with several bug fixes.Major UpdatesThe Leaderboard has completed testing and is now the official version.The score calculation at the end of the game has been significantly rebalanced.After testing with over 100 registered users, we discovered an issue with the Friends ranking display and have fixed it. In addition, your own ranking is now always shown, whether you're viewing the Global or Friends leaderboard.We've also made major adjustments to the score bonus awarded when clearing the game. In particular, the bonus for finding all Secrets has been increased substantially. As a result, it's now possible to score over 2 million points even on PRACTICE difficulty. Naturally, even higher scores can now be achieved on AVERAGE and EXPERT.Development of XeGrader plus is still ongoing, and we'll continue improving the game. We hope these changes…
- Emergency Update v1.0.2 Released - 7 July 2026
Unfortunately, a mistake in the v1.0.1 fix introduced another bug that caused the player to take damage immediately upon climbing a ladder, even during normal movement. We sincerely apologize for releasing this update without sufficient testing.
- Emergency update v1.0.1 released. - 6 July 2026
We've found a bug that can unlock the "All Fairies Gathered" achievement even when not all fairies have actually been collected. We believe quite a few players may have already unlocked this achievement because of this bug. Unfortunately, once a Steam achievement has been unlocked, it cannot be removed. We apologize for the confusion. We'd also like to explain the behavior that allows players to pass through walls while invincible. This is actually intentional. In the Level 17 scrolling stage, it prevents a situation where the player loses their armor from being crushed by a wall and then immediately takes additional damage before having a chance to recover. However, when this behavior occurs in unintended places, such as the CLIFF stage, it can cause the player to become embedded in terrain and get stuck. To avoid that problem, the game will now immediately deal damage when invincibili…
- Reflecting and using DLC - 6 July 2026
Regarding the DLC integration, please confirm two things.Whether it appears under DLC in Properties, and whether "Installed" is checked.After confirming the DLC checkbox, whether restarting the Steam client makes it take effect.This DLC is not a standalone app. It is used by switching modes from OPTION in the main XeGrader plus application. Once the DLC is applied, a medal will appear in OPTION.To play in DLC mode, switch to MSX2 or Origin from the "Video & Audio" item.
- Advanced Tips: Command-Line Launch Options - 5 July 2026
XeGrader plus supports a small set of command-line launch options for players who want to customize their experience. How to set them: Right-click XeGrader plus in your Steam library, select Properties, and enter the option in the Launch Options field under the General tab. Available options--game-speed-slow — Slows the overall game pace, lowering the difficulty.--music-mode — Launches the game directly in Music Mode.--play-psg — Replaces the in-game music with PSG-style sound. (The Origin DLC, if owned, is unaffected.)-- — Boots the game in a specified language. Example: --fr for French. About language codes The in-game menu offers a selection of 24 languages, but the launch option exposes all 30 supported language entries: en (English) | fr (Français) de (Deutsch) | nl (Nederlands) es (Español) | pt (Português) it (Italiano) | sv (Svenska) fi (Suomi) | da (Dansk) pl (Polski) | cs (Češ…
- Music Mode Features the PSG Versions - 15 June 2026
The music of XeGrader plus was entirely entrusted to Tadahiro Nitta (known for the Xak series). I (Naito) gave no instructions regarding the sound — I only described the atmosphere of each stage. Every proposal Nitta made was adopted as-is. In effect, the sound of this game was directed by Nitta himself. Nitta has a somewhat unusual approach to composition. He first writes each track on PSG, locking in its rhythm and mood. Then, as the finishing step, he creates the FM version. This means that every track in the game has a PSG "prototype" — the original form behind the FM version. These PSG versions are what you'll find in Music Mode. In-game (Arcade Mode), you'll hear the FM+PCM versions. The polished FM rendition, and the PSG skeleton from the moment each track was born — please enjoy comparing the two faces of every song. The FM versions can be heard right now in the demo (LV01–06 pl…
- XeGrader plus runs great on Steam Deck! (Tested by the developer) - 11 June 2026
While we are still waiting for Valve's official Deck Verification process, we want to let you know that XeGrader plus has been fully tested and debugged by the developer on an actual Steam Deck. Here is what you can expect: Native Linux / SteamOS build — no Proton requiredFull controller support: every menu and all content can be accessed with the default controller configurationButton glyphs match Steam Deck / Xbox-style button namesText input (such as score name entry) is handled by a built-in virtual keyboard that works with both the controller and the touchscreenRuns at 1280x800 with a playable framerate using the default settingsAll text is designed to be legible on the Deck's screenIn short: you can pick up your Deck and just play, from the first boot to the end of the game. If you run into any issues on Steam Deck, please let us know in the community forum — we own a Deck and wil…
- Trial Version Update - 1 June 2026
This will likely be the last update for the trial version. Here is a brief overview of the new features added in this update. Launch OptionsYou can now specify behavior directly by entering commands starting with -- as launch parameters. Specifically, this applies to language switching — for example, entering --ja will force the application to launch in Japanese mode. We felt this would be more convenient for certain environments where specifying the language this way is preferable.Additional Language SupportThe game now officially supports 24 languages. We have no plans to change this going forward. However, unofficially and internally, translation data for 30 languages is included. Due to UI space constraints and the fact that the additional languages are all AI-translated, we want to emphasize that these additions are strictly unofficial.Stage Transition EffectsWe have added brief tr…
- Post-Demo Release Update Notes - 19 May 2026
Thank you so much to everyone who has played the demo since its release on May 15th — we truly appreciate the overwhelming response. Development of the full version is ongoing and has now reached beta completion. Since the release, we have made several improvements and specification changes. Armor Re-equip:The armor obtained in LV05 was designed to be re-equipped at the start of a new stage if it had been lost. Based on feedback from players that the game was still too difficult, we have updated PRACTICE mode to re-equip the armor every time you restart. This is our response to requests for a more forgiving experience in practice mode. LV06 Freeze Bug:Although it was only a single report, we received a bug report where the boss would reappear immediately after being defeated, and defeating it again would cause CPU usage to spike to 100%. Unfortunately, we were unable to reproduce the is…
