Subscribe to Nintendo Life on

Curse of the Sea Rats, the "first Metroidvania starring rats", has been announced for Nintendo Switch. The game has a tentative release window of 2021.

The game is an exploration-focused side-scroller with RPG elements, which focuses on a group of heroes who are transformed into rats by a pirate witch. Players are tasked with helping them rescue the Admiral’s son and breaking the magic spell once and for all.

You can check out some pre-alpha footage of the game in the trailer above (as you can likely tell from the 2021 release window, plenty more hard work will be going into the game behind the scenes before launch), and we've also got a handy feature list for you below:

Features

- Packing all of the best features you've come to know from the Metroidvania genre into a single game starring rats!

- Investigate 11 different scenarios in a non-linear quest set in the coast of Ireland in 1777.

- 4 playable characters, local multiplayer mode, jam packed with weapons and special abilities to upgrade.

- Beautiful hand-drawn animation with 2.5D graphics: 2D models crafted on a 3D game environment.

- Story cut-scenes and NPC interactions fully voice acted by a professional cast.

- Rich twisting plot set in a breathtaking lush-color fantasy style.

- Suitable for every audience: from the casual to the hardcore gamer.

- Try completing 100% of the quest or speedrun to the end of the game.

- New DLC’s and free updates planned to engage our fans.

The game comes from Spanish indie developer Petoons Studio, and we don't know about you, but we think this one has potential. Interestingly, plans are already underway to release an animated series, comic books, and toys alongside the game.

What do you think? One to keep an eye on over the next year-and-a-bit? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.