Steel Empire making the jump to Switch

Steel Empire, which landed on 3DS nearly a decade ago, is now seeing a release on Switch. Mebius has announced that it’s preparing a port of the side-scrolling shoot ’em up game for 2023.

Steel Empire actually saw its initial launch on the SEGA Genesis in 1992. It later ended up on the Game Boy Advance, 3DS, and then Steam. The Switch version should be based on the PC release, which was an updated version of the 3DS remake.

Learn more about Steel Empire in the following overview:

Steel Empire is a steampunk shoot ’em up game featuring a frantic combat filled with powerful enemies and insane obstacles. Enjoy a beautiful world and retro game-play as you dodge and shoot your way through classical stages. Choose one of four difficulty settings according to your set of skills and fight the evil empire! See how well you did using the Replay Mode and show your worth by getting all achievements.

Choose to fly one of two classes of fighter aircraft: the Etopirica (ET-02R), a small and a fast plane, or the Zappellon, a slower but more resistant zeppelin. You fly in only one direction, but you can fire from behind as well as ahead. Levels are divided into a few stages to complete, each with their own boss before moving onto the next level. After a level is complete, you can change your craft, watch a replay, continue the game in your current craft, or save your progress.

During the game there is a certain number of lives and continues at your disposal. Once the health bar is depleted, a life is lost with a play continuing normally. If all lives are used, you can hit a continue, which will restart at either the beginning or midpoint of a stage depending on how far you were. When all continues are expended, the game is over.

To increase your firepower, collect powerups such as experience points, health, bombs or additional lives.

Key Features

• Complete remake truthful to the original game, based on 3DS version with improved graphics and controls.
• Side-scrolling shoot ’em up game, originally released on Sega Genesis and later on Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 3DS.
• Seven complex stages full of adrenaline-pumping action and boss fights.
• Collect special power-ups and increase your firepower with a level-up system (up to 20 levels).
• Full controller support.
• The classic is back!

Fans can keep track of Steel Empire on the official website here. The Switch version will be shown off at Konami’s booth at TGS 2022 next month.