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 at its disposal. That wish has so far been unsuccessful (apart from some interesting ‘Zelda Maker’ replacements from the likes of Quest Master and Super Dungeon Maker), but it looks like another indie developer is stepping in to fill the ‘Metroid Maker’ void. .
Starlair is a chance to “Explore a vast universe full of player-made Metroidvanias,” according to the official Kickstarter description. To our eye, it’s ‘Metroid Maker’.
This is the first project from developer Shooty Bazooka and it certainly looks ambitious. You get the tools to create complex Metroidvania worlds with environment customization options, different enemy types, and every Samus-style power-up 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 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 completing each level earns you credits that can be spent on ship upgrades or player cosmetic options.
Here are the game details so far from Shooty Bazooka:
The universe is constantly expanding. This is also true in Starlair. Every time new planets (players) are created, the universe expands. New motherships will launch. The world is constantly growing.
But what is Starlair all about? It’s about a huge, endless adventure that’s almost entirely player-made. Each planet in the game is a player built world. It’s a side-scrolling Metroidvania that can take half an hour or a week to complete. As more people play, more worlds appear and can take a lifetime to complete.
You play as a bounty hunter. As the game opens, you’ve betrayed your employer by releasing a bounty, which then murders said employer’s wife – for revenge. Your former employer, accused of an exempt reward conspiracy, demands a life of servitude in exchange for what he lost.
You’re tasked with tracking down mysterious artifacts hidden inside “asylum planets,” which are the worlds you’ll be creating in Starlair. As you collect more artifacts, you’ll begin to discover what they are—and why your employer wants them so desperately. But – at some point, as you collect more of them, someone else will approach you with another offer.
You can immerse yourself in the story – or just fly through the space worlds. It’s up to you. It’s not cumbersome and it’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 wipes, most monsters killed, highest percentages, etc.
As we mentioned, Starlair is currently open for support through Kickstarter, which means it will only become a reality if it reaches its funding goal, i.e. £5,531 according to July 19.
If it reaches that goal, the developer said it plans to launch in early access on Steam in “early fall” with a full release. 1.0 release February 2025. You’ll be pleased to know that the Switch is included in the lineup of launch platforms (the developer has already posted a video of it running on the hardware), and interestingly, the “Switch 2,” which the developers hope will provide more power for a better resolution . Of course, all of this is pending an official announcement from Nintendo.
How about Starlair? Would you like to see it on Switch? Let us know in the comments.