Ever since the release of Super Mario Maker in 2015, we’ve secretly hoped that Nintendo would follow the same formula for every other franchise it has. That wish hasn’t been successful so far (aside from some interesting ‘Zelda Maker’ stand-ins from the likes of Quest Master and Super Dungeon Maker), but it looks like another indie developer is stepping up to fill the void of ‘Metroid Maker’ to fill .
Starry sky is, according to the official Kickstarter description, a chance to “explore a vast universe full of player-created Metroidvanias.” In our eyes it is ‘Metroid Maker’.
This is the first project from developer Shooty Bazooky, and it certainly looks ambitious. You’re given the tools to create intricate Metroidvania worlds, complete with environmental customization options, different enemy types, and all the Samus-style upgrades you can think of. These creations then become their own world for other players to encounter as they explore the galaxy – think No Man’s Sky, but player-made.
Sure, the main attraction is probably the Metroidvania building, but Starlair is as much about exploring these worlds as it is about creating them. There’s an artifact-collecting story mode to keep things interesting early on, and you earn credits by completing each level, which you can spend on ship upgrades or cosmetic player options.
Here are the details about the gameplay so far of Shooty Bazooky:
The universe is constantly expanding. This is true even for Starlair. Every time new planets are created (by the players), the universe will expand. New motherships will be launched. The world is always growing.
But what is Starlair about? It’s about a vast, endless adventure created almost entirely by the players. Every planet in the game is a world that a player has built. These are side-scrolling Metroidvanias that can take anywhere from half an hour to a week to complete. As more people play, more worlds will appear, and it can take a lifetime to complete them all.
You play as a bounty hunter. When the game begins, you have betrayed your employer by offering a bounty that in turn kills that employer’s wife – in revenge. Accused of conspiring with the released bounty, your former employer demands a life of servitude in exchange for what he has lost.
You’ve been tasked with tracking down mysterious artifacts hidden on the “asylum planets,” the worlds you’ll create in Starlair. As you collect more artifacts, you’ll begin to figure out what they are—and why your employer wants them so badly. But—at some point, as you collect more, someone else will approach you with a different offer.
You can immerse yourself in the story – or just fly around in play worlds in space. It is up to you. It’s not heavy-handed, and that’s intentional. Each world has a social area in the landing zone. Here you can chat with other players – share tips/secrets, or check the world leaderboard to see who has the fastest clear time, most clears, most monsters killed, highest percentages, etc.
As we mentioned, Starlair is currently open for backing via Kickstarter, meaning it will only become a reality if it reaches its funding goal of $20,000. €5,531 Through July 19.
If it achieves this goal, the developer has indicated that it aims to launch on Steam in early fall with a full version 1.0 release by February 2025. You’ll be happy to know that the Switch is included in the launch pad lineup (the developer has already released a video of it running on the hardware), as well as, interestingly, ‘Switch 2’, which the developer hopes will offer more power for a better resolution. All of that is, of course, pending an official announcement from Nintendo.
What do you think of Starlair? Do you want to see it on Switch? Let us know in the comments.