Developing Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess

Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess has been one of those ideas that has been brewing for quite some time. Nick (Developer) and Gabe (Artist) have been working on Megacopter in their spare time over the last few years.

It has been a passion project, and while both have been attached to other development projects, Megacopter: Blades of the Goddess has been their driving passion, and the glue that has kept the two together over the last seven years.
 
Since they started doodling in notebooks, creating concept art, and beginning the process of coding the game, they have both got married, settled down, and started their own families. The one thing that has been constant over the last few years is that together, they would work on Megacopter whenever they had the chance.
 
The game was first unveiled at PAX South, 2016 in the XSplit booth. It was here that Nick, a solo dev, showcased to the world the original concept behind the game.

The game was raw at this point, but there was definitely something special about it. The twin-stick Desert Strike-like gameplay captivating those who watched, and from here the legacy of the Megacopter was founded.
 
A lot has changed since those days. Visual improvements are probably the most notable. Clarity was a big concern. The early build shown at PAX made it difficult to see where the Megacopter was due to the dulled colors, the UI could be confusing, and the fire rate of weapons was something that felt slow and less fluid.
 
Pizza Bear Games learned from this, and Nick and Gabe together overhauled a lot of the functionality they already had, and streamlined the gaming improvements. The Megacopter itself, while similar to what was shown at PAX, was made to stand out more. The movement of the Megacopter became a lot more fluid, and the weapons themselves were improved.

Years later, in 2023, the game had progressed considerably. The Megacopter moved a lot quicker around the screen, the UI had started to take shape, and the missions had mostly been developed. The game moved from just the one Biome, to 4. Taking the megacopter from an Urban Sprawl, to Deserts, Oceans and even deep forests contaminated by the Reptoids ‘Hot Cheez’.
 
The story was mostly set, with Jack and the Megacopter teaming up to take down the evil Jeff, a charismatic Reptoid who’s evil plans to take over the Tri-state area with Hot Cheez had begun to take effect.

See Jeff is a businessman, his plans to create pizza as cheap as possible, and hook the unsuspecting public on his chemical cheese was well in effect. To make production cost as little as possible, Jeff is capturing the homeless and forcing them to work on making Hot Cheez. Despicable behavior Jeff….absolutely despicable.
 
In early 2024 things had finally begun to take shape. More tweaks to the missions, new weapons and abilities added, and a final UI were all added in preparation to the launch of Megacopter come June 21. Funny thing about that. As the date was set, the announcement of the Elden Ring DLC announcement was made, and we all jokingly mentioned that it would come out on the same day…
 
Yet still the Megacopter moves forward. Unphased by bigger fish. An Demo is coming soon, and the launch date is still June 21. Want to learn more, or get to know when the game goes live? Make sure to Wishlist us on Steam (Link).
 
Megacopter, Blades of the Goddess is a 2D Desert Strike inspired twin-stick shoot-em-up, placing the players in the shoes of Jack Copter, a pilot with the habit of slaughtering his enemies.

Teamed up with the Goddess inhabiting Megacopter, players control the Megacopter through perilous missions to save the Tri-county area from the reptilian onslaught.

Players can expect heart pounding, shoot-em-up action and a story that introduces you to Jeff, the Reptoids leader who plans to take over the world through the power of the ‘Hot Cheez’ pizza.
 
Game Features:

• 4 Unique Biomes each with multiple stages, where you will pilot the Megacopter through perilous deserts, small towns and hobo villages/
• Epic Battles against hordes of Reptoids, each with their own powerful weaponry.
• Story filled to the brim with character, introducing allies and foes alike, each with their own personality.
• Fully customizable layout where you can choose which weapons and powers to take to the battlefield. Find the right set up and you’ll be melting Reptoid scum in no time.
• Music penned by Ogresound brings that 80’s synthwave feel, capturing the feeling of classic TV show Airwolf, and games like Desert Strike, which serve as the inspiration for the game.

 
Megacopter, Blades of the Goddess will launch on PC through Steam June 21st, 2024. Make sure to keep an eye on the social media channels and official Steam store for more information and announcements.