Delivery Game 'Mangrove Express' Opens Steam Page, Features Physics-Based Boat Controls
Mangrove Express expands Sonic Powered's Dig Up Indie project into a physics-based delivery adventure, contrasting with the studio's established simulation series.
Reporting from 2 sources: Automaton, Denfaminicogamer.
Sonic Powered and its internal indie project Dig Up Indie opened the Steam store page for 'Mangrove Express' on June 25. The game is a delivery adventure set in a tropical floating city where players control a robot piloting a boat. The boat's movement uses physics-based controls: players adjust forward momentum and turning by moving a motor handle with the mouse, drifting and regaining posture to navigate waterways. Routes to destinations are not fixed, allowing exploration of settlements along the watersides. Obstacles include narrow passages, other boats, and ramps that require jumping. Upon arrival, players throw packages to customers. The release date and price are undecided. The Steam page currently lists English language support only. Sonic Powered is known for the 'Tetsudo Nippon!' railway simulation series and 'I am an Air Traffic Controller' series. Dig Up Indie previously released the action puzzle game 'ReverseRoom' and the roguelike 'WARHEAD CIRCUS.' 'Mangrove Express' is the next title from that project, developed for PC.
The game is developed by Dig Up Indie, an internal project at Sonic Powered that seeks out unique indie game concepts. Sonic Powered is best known for its long-running simulation series such as 'Tetsudo Nippon!' and 'I am an Air Traffic Controller.' Dig Up Indie has previously released the action puzzle game 'ReverseRoom' and the missile avoidance roguelike 'WARHEAD CIRCUS.' 'Mangrove Express' continues that line of unconventional titles.
In the game, players operate a boat by directly manipulating a motor handle with the mouse, requiring careful adjustment of forward momentum and turning timing. The physics-based handling means the boat drifts and must be constantly corrected, especially when navigating narrow waterways, obstacles, and other boats. Ramps allow the boat to jump over barriers. The delivery system involves throwing packages to customers upon arrival, adding a layer of precision to the task.
The Steam store page currently lists English language support only. Sonic Powered has not yet announced whether Japanese or other languages will be added. The release date and price remain undecided. 'Mangrove Express' is in development for PC via Steam.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.