Manticore: Galaxy On Fire Will Swoop Onto Switch On 22nd March

Looks interesting...

Once again, no gameplay, come on

I watched some gameplay on YouTube and it looks respectable. I'll keep an eye on it.

@Bunkerneath well, you Could look up some gameplay on your own! don't expect people to do everything for you

I hate this game, GOF 1 and 2 were the best space sims for mobile, and then they ruined the series with Manticore, that became ftp full of timers and micro-transactions, and on top of all this, the space exploration was gone, the trading was gone, the micro-management of the equipment and of the cargo was gone.
It was so bad I can’t even know how to describe it.
I’m just curious what they’re going to do with the Switch version, but I’m pretty sure it won’t get better.
If you want to know what Galaxy On Fire is then play GOF2.

Which one is it? A premium version of Galaxy on Fire 3: Manticore, or the port of Galaxy on Fire: Manticore Rising?

I enjoy the series, but I need more info on this spinoff. If it features cockpit mode, and some sandbox action of the main series, I'm in.

@link12684 If I was ADVERTISING something, I would at least expect so see the something you are selling. It's like having a car advert without showing the car.

@Bunkerneath that comparison doesn't make sense. It would make sense if you said "it's like they showed the car, but they didn't show the car running." and my response would be, "you can do your research about it because what you are looking for would be somewhere online. Google it." Not every trailer needs or has to have gameplay, and that's perfectly fine, for me at least because I can search in somewhere else. Welcome to the age of the internet, it's a great place.

"Publisher Deep Silver and German developer Deep Silver"

I'm guessing you meant Fishlabs for the developer.

I hope the leave the timers and micro transactions out of this...

I am a huge (HUGE!) fan of Everspace so I hope Manticore performs respectfully on the Switch because I still hope to one day be able to play Everspace on the Switch.

@Shiryu we're getting Starlink. You're booked on! Team!

@cfgk24 Yep, you can surely count me on that one.

Is it a port or a spinoff? Sound intriguing, but without a proper trailer with gameplay, who knows....

The gameplay of GoF: Mandalore Rising looks intriguing enough, but I don’t know if it’s the same game....

@Shiryu I've played some of the GOF games and I own Everspace too so I have to agree with that entirely. Everspace made things very interesting, and yet the GOF games (I did 1 and 2) on mobile came in at 1GB+ downloads and they were packed with so much solid game play and customizing on buying ship/ship parts it gave it this really nice Wing Commander feel to it.

Hey guys,

I’m the Lead Designer on Manticore: Galaxy On Fire and as you can imagine, this is a pretty big day for us here at Deep Silver Fishlabs. I’m a lifelong Nintendo fan and Day One Switch owner (like with every other Nintendo console/handheld), so seeing our game right between Kirby and Donkey Kong in the Nintendo eShop is nothing short of mindblowing to me/us. Of course we’re even more excited to see what the press and especially you guys think when the game becomes available for purchase on March 22nd.

As I saw a couple of questions come up here and elsewhere, I thought I’d jump into the comment section with my own 2 cents. Manticore: Galaxy On Fire is a purpose-built game for the Nintendo Switch that aims to deliver the best space dog-fighting experience possible on this platform.

To give you a better picture on what you can expect, here’s a list of the highlights from my side:

1.) Full premium experience without any sign of micro transactions, focusing on the narrative driven story campaign
2.) Challenging missions laid out across a story campaign that’s divided into 3 Acts
3.) Exclusive new Game content added with Act 3: 6 additional locations, 5 story missions and 3 “distraction” missions
4.) Completely reworked upgrade system that’s tied to your story progression
5.) 1080p/60 fps docked, 720p/60fps handheld mode, which looks and plays rad
6.) More open game structure, meaning you can jump from one location to another via wormholes, access the galaxy map during gameplay, fly to the Manticore (your mothership) to change equipment etc.
7.) Seamless transition to exploration mode after you’ve beaten a mission in that location
8.) Intuitive User Interface purpose built for the Nintendo Switch including in-game HUD, navigation in the hangar, galaxy map, mission overview, player profile etc.
9.) Reworked controls that work naturally with the Joy-Cons/Pro Controller
10.) Utilisation of Switch-specific features like HD rumble and accelerometer
11.) 3 different difficulty levels selectable in the main menu and anytime during gameplay
12.) Capture and share cool screenshots via the Switch’s capture function
13.) Additional options like active/passive auto alignment of your ship and aim assist

We hope this makes you even more excited for the game and we’d like to thank you for the feedback and support so far.

A gameplay trailer will be released soon that will reveal more of the awesomeness that lies ahead for sci-fi action fans on the Nintendo Switch.
We cannot wait till everyone gets their hands on it on March 22nd.

Sincerely,
P.

Thus actually looks pretty cool. Good idea to get it out a while before starlink too because I reckon that's gonna be one of Ubi's main games at E3 this year and I think they'll push it hard.

Anyway I'm uo for both but I'm glad this one is coming so soon!

I was about to write that I have zero interest in yet another mobile port to the Switch but then I read the post from @Defeated_Hero. For me, when devs take the time to interact with the community, especially by chiming in with the rest of us plebs in the comment section, it inspires confidence in their work. In the time it took to read that one comment I went from a hard pass to now being quite interested in this title.

@JHDK Very happy to hear that. It was really a matter of the heart to deliver the best experience possible on Switch. Looking forward to your and everyone else's thoughts, if you decide to buy it. I'm visiting this site (several times) every day to keep up with Nintendo-related news, so you can be certain I'll read 'em

@tanookisuit You sad the magic word! Wing Commander! Now I want this even more.

@Defeated_Hero Very happy to finally see a game of this type on the Switch, looking forward to it despite staying away from the trilogy on STEAM mostly due to very little free time to play stuff on PC.

It looks really good, gameplay videos look fun, I'm really interested it is already in my wishlist

I absolutely loved Galaxy on Fire 2, can’t say much about Manticore as Fish labs / Deep Silver went with the ftp route and I don’t really do ftp games.
@Defeated_Hero, your first post has gone a long way in getting me back interested in Manticore again, looking forward to seeing this get released at the end of March. On a separate note, if Manticore sells well, will Deep Silver Fish Labs think about bringing the first two Galaxy on Fire Games to the Switch?

@Farmboy74 Sorry, I'm not really in a position to answer that, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. Please understand

@Defeated_Hero, fair enough I appreciate the answer, thanks for the reply.

I hadn't heard of this series before, but it looks pretty neat. Gameplay reminds me of StarFox a little. I'll probably pick it up.

@Defeated_Hero sounds like you put the GOF2 back in GOF3?
that might actually make it worth getting.

I really liked the free roaming of GOF2, and its absence in GOF3(combined with barely functioning controls) made me lose interest very quickly.

@Shiryu I’m sorry but you should stick with Everspace.
And btw it’s one of my favourite titles I downloaded on XOne last year.
I’m still waiting for the dlc and the big update though, I’ve finished the campaign but still collecting DNA... It’s so good, in fact I get back to it from time to time😁

@Savino yes, GOF2 was nearly perfect, the FREELANCER for mobiles❤️

@Judas_Krimson I have it on PC since early access, the Encounters Expansion added amazing content to the game. I do believe I never made past Sector 5 mostly because I usually try to do something stupid instead of actual progressing across the sectors. It's all on YouTube of course.

@Shiryu can’t wait to play the expansion when it comes out on XOne!

@Judas_Krimson Stay away from my videos then, it really is utterly brilliant the extra stuff you will find.

@Defeated_Hero Bless you for turning up here to chime in with all these welcome details. Huge fan of both GoF 2 and your(?) earlier engagements on the TouchArcade forums. Manticore coming to Switch is a dream come true as the FTP version left me heart broken as it did for many other TouchArcade gamers. Obviously I understand this from a business perspective in today’s mobile space, which is why I’ll pay the premium price on Switch in a heart beat if it fairs well. I mean... Reworked with passion for Switch. Physical controls. Solid performance. On the go or on TV. Seriously, I’m praying will all my might this game will be the answer to bringing back (some of) the magic feeling I got when first experiencing GoF 2 on my iPad 2 back in the day. In case it’s still not clear: coming back to Kirby and Donkey mentioned in your post... this could be a tie for me with Kirby. That’s how bad I want a new premium rich GoF experience. One closing question to my post: if the game does fair well on Switch, will there be any chance of future support? (Be it in the form patches for some time to come or perhaps new content?) Cheers and looking forward to the gameplay video. Best of luck to you and the team!

@Shiryu In a way it has some parallels to Wing Commander Prophecy/Privateer as you have this kind of open space to it a little, still pretty linear, but you can get many ships and use a market system of in game earnings to upgrade or trade out parts to make it better as you inch along to nicer stuff.

@Defeated_Hero so stoked for this i played GOF 1 and 2 on iOS and Manticore after those. Manticore was my favorite because of the controls and story. To finally get a premium version is a dream come true thank you!

@tanookisuit I'm already sold.

I'm not trying to sell it. I am not even 100% I'd buy it but it is likely. I've played GOF1 and the full GOF2 (without the paid DLC) but nothing since. They were the best games of that style I could find on an android device. That's why I brought it up as it felt the most like the older franchise.

@Shiryu of course I don’t want to ruin the surprise myself, but thank you!!!!

@Defeated_Hero thanks, you actually answered all the questions I had about the game that no one else in this comment thread, or the article for that matter, could seem to answer. My main question being how you guys were planning on taking a completely freemium modeled game and port it over to a system as a full premium game with no micro transactions. Your comment answered that and a lot more as well, though. I honestly wasn't that keen on the freemium model for the mobile version of Manticore, but if you guys have truly reworked it the way you stated, then I will have to seriously consider picking this one up this time around on the Switch. I'll wait and see how the reviews go probably, but as long as they go well, then I'll have to try it out!

Hi guys! We've just released our first gameplay trailer to give you a better idea what the game looks and plays like (also we reworked the eShop site a little bit). Really hope you enjoy it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO3JiCG8RX8

@Defeated_Hero Thankyou 1080p 60fps. 😊

@Defeated_Hero Why did Manticore's release date change from tomorrow to TBD on the eShop all of a sudden? I was looking forward to checking it out.

@JHDK Hi! We posted a message about the last minute delay on the Switch's news channel and a couple of sites picked it up as well. If you haven't read it yet, here it is:

"Dear fans and players, Deep Silver is sorry to inform you that the release of Manticore – Galaxy On Fire on the Nintendo eShop has been delayed. Right now, we’re working hard to bring the best-possible sci-fi gaming experience to your Nintendo Switch.

We will be updating you with more details as well as the new release date in the coming days. If you pre-ordered the game, please note that your purchase is still valid and you will be able to access the game as soon as it’s released.

Thank you for your continued patience and support."

I can't give you a lot more details at this point, but you can probably imagine it's a very unfortunate situation for everyone involved, as we were just excited as you to see reviews, discussions and especially you guys getting your hands on it today. We didn't make that decision lightly, but it had to be done due to an unexpected issue that basically occured at the very last minute and despite our best efforts couldn't be fixed in time. We're working very closely with Nintendo to keep you updated and people who pre-ordered will receive a separate message by Nintendo soon. We will announce a new release date in just a few days and while it's not 100% set in stone yet, you can be sure it's not going to take months but only a few weeks till the game (finally) launches.

Again, thanks for your understanding, we appreciate it a lot.

@Defeated_Hero Thanks for the response. While it's a bummer to have the game delayed so close to launch, I would probably be even more upset if you released an unplayable, WWE 2K18 type game so I guess it's better to wait a little longer for a game that runs properly.

Of course now I'm very interested in what exactly the "unexpected issue" was but I understand if you are not in a position to elaborate.

Anyway, thanks again for the fast response.

@Defeated_Hero sorry to hear about the delayed release. On the other hand, this has given me time to finish another game, and then I can set aside the budget for Manticore. Will Manticore have multiplayer?