The Kickstarter campaign for Spanky “Bat-a-Swing” has officially begun. The debut game from the Italian studio Green Flamingo will try to find player support through the Kickstarter campaign, while the demo version is already available on Steam.
This is a 3D action platformer with emphasized rhythmic elements, an electro swing soundtrack, and a visual style inspired by animated cartoons from the 1930s. The game follows Spanky, a resourceful bat who stands up to the new mayor Metrognome, the ruler of the city of Metronopolis.
Metrognome has placed the city under his rhythmic control, and Spanky must navigate through various districts and reach the Metrotower to stop the musical chaos. Along the way, players will face platforming challenges, rhythm-based battles, hidden secrets, and collectible items.
Metronopolis consists of several recognizable areas. Morguetone is a graveyard district filled with ghosts, Blue Vines brings a jungle-inspired environment with exotic animals, while Nova Nubla represents a technologically advanced and luxurious part of the city that hides its own secrets. Each level presents unique obstacles, new rhythms, and mechanics like echolocation and air currents.
Boss battles are designed as musical performances with multiple phases. Among the opponents are DJ Cobwebb, a spider who runs his own club in a mausoleum, Maestro Bonobotti, an opera monkey and politician of questionable intellect, and Owlivia, the secretary who is the only one able to keep Metrognome under control.
The demo version available on Steam includes the first four levels, set in the graveyard district, as well as an introductory battle against DJ Cobwebb. The game features an original electro swing soundtrack, hand-animated visuals, global leaderboards for scores and completion times, hidden vinyl records, and a music player for listening to unlocked songs.
Spanky “Bat-a-Swing” is currently available for testing through the demo on Steam, while the full version is announced for PC, Nintendo, and Xbox. Players can add it to their wishlist on Steam and support it through the Kickstarter campaign.
