Swarmoids

You are not the ship. You are the swarm. Steer a living flock of swarmoids through asteroid fields, enemy fleets and giant bosses.

In development Epic Games Store coming soon Steam coming soon Get launch news

A swarm for a spaceship

Swarmoids is a fast arcade shooter in the spirit of the classics, rebuilt around flocking. Your swarm follows the cursor, every swarmoid is a bullet waiting to be fired, and every swarmoid you lose is health. Shoot, fly back through your own shots to recover them, and keep the flock alive.

Your health is your ammo

Fire swarmoids at rocks and ships, then sweep them back up. Lose too many to a hit and the swarm thins out. Greed has a price.

Bosses every five levels

Shielded wardens, ramming hulls, rock mothers and a final Nemesis. Every boss has phases, weak points and a veteran version when it returns.

Asteroids with attitude

Sixteen kinds of rock plus enemy ships and environmental hazards. Powerups reshape your swarm, with slow-motion blasts and chain reactions.

Co-op, local and online

Share the screen with a friend, or fly together online. Both machines run the same simulation, so the fight stays in sync.

Swarms to unlock

Twenty-four swarms with their own stats and special moves, earned by clearing levels, finding achievements and celebrating holidays.

Visual cheats

Unlock an 8-bit look and a vector-arcade look by playing. They are just for fun and never touch the leaderboards.

Screenshots

Captured from the game. Click for full size.

The swarm faces the Warden boss as its shield breaks A glowing orange Overseer boss ring with the swarm below Fighting the Rammer in a red nebula A Beam Cruiser circled by energy rings The crystalline Rock Mother in a blue nebula Flying past a planet through a purple nebula Two swarms in local co-op Level cleared results card for two players The swarm select screen with four swarms

Pick your swarm

Each swarm flies differently. Bulwark is tough and starts with a shield. Dart is fast and can dash. Legion hits bosses hard and can teleport. Nemesis is earned by beating the level 30 boss. There are twenty more to earn, from Frostbite and Void to seasonal swarms that appear around holidays.

  • Swarms differ in size, speed, fire rate, damage taken and a special move (dash or teleport).
  • Unlock them by clearing levels, earning achievements, or playing during the right season.
  • Twenty-nine achievements, with Epic Games achievement support.

At a glance

Game
Swarmoids
Developer
Neo-Retro Games
Genre
Arcade shooter, action, co-op
Players
1 player, 2-player local and online co-op
Platform
Windows PC first
Input
Mouse and keyboard, or gamepad
Stores
Epic Games Store and Steam, coming soon
Status
In development
Contact
michael@neo-retro.com

FAQ

When does it come out?

There is no date yet. Swarmoids is in development. Follow the news by emailing us and we will tell you when the store pages go live.

Which platforms?

Windows PC first, on the Epic Games Store and Steam. Other platforms may follow after launch.

Does it support controllers?

Yes. Mouse and keyboard and gamepads are both supported, including in co-op.

Can I play with a friend?

Yes, on the same screen or online. Online play uses Epic Online Services.

Is there a demo or a playtest?

Small invite-only playtests happen now and then. Email us if you would like to be considered.

Can I stream or make videos of it?

Yes, please do. You may monetise videos and streams of Swarmoids. See the press page for images and logos.

What data does the game collect?

Very little. See the privacy policy for exactly what, in plain language.