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Press release:
Dundee, Scotland – January 17th, 2024.
4J Studios, acclaimed for its console adaptations of Minecraft and various Bethesda Studios titles, is revved up and ready to go for the release of its first proprietary title, “Manic Mechanics“, on PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on March 7, 2024.

First released on Nintendo Switch in July 2023, Manic Mechanics is an accelerated, mechanically-minded addition to the chaotic couch co-op canon.

Building on community feedback from the Nintendo Switch release, 4J Studios has added a host of new features and content to this laugh-out-loud party game – most notably the incorporation of a ‘Versus’ mode to complement the local and online co-op gameplay. In addition to this (potentially friendship-ending) competitive mode, the all-formats release also includes a whole-new neighbourhood, new characters and entertaining twists to some of the most popular levels.

In Manic Mechanics, up to four players pull on their overalls and head to the auto-obsessed Octane Isle, looking to make a name for themselves as travelling mechanics. Players challenge the Master Mechanics who rule the island to prove their crew is worthy of joining the mechanics guild.

It’s a race against the clock to repair as many cars (trucks, choppers, tractors, mini-subs and UFOs…) as possible. The faster the mechanics work, the more chaos is unleashed; intricate mechanical processes are hindered by fuel spills, exploding tyres, short-circuiting robots, stampeding cows and even alien abductions, with hilariously chaotic consequences.

“When Manic Mechanics first arrived on Switch, we were mostly asked two questions… ‘Is it going to be on other platforms?’ and ‘Can you add a competitive mode?’ I’m delighted that I can now answer ‘Yes!’ to both,” says 4J Studios’ Chairman, Chris van der Kuyl.

“The new features the team have added have made an amazing game even better and I’m delighted that it will now be available to the widest possible audience.”

Manic Mechanics will be available on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store and Steam from March 7, 2024. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch version will be enhanced with new game modes and extra content that same day, with existing players receiving a free update.

With 30-plus levels to be experienced across Octane Isle’s six neighbourhoods, this won’t be an easy ride. So, grab your toolbelt, round up your friends and see if you have what it takes to become a Manic Mechanic.

About 4J Studios
4J Studios is a video game developer/publisher founded in Scotland in 2005 by Paddy Burns and Chris van der Kuyl, with offices in East Linton and Dundee. Best known for developing Minecraft for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo games consoles, 4J Studios’ experienced core team of designers, technology and game programmers is now on a mission to create ‘Games for Everyone’, bringing incredible new IPs to players across the world. The studio’s first self-published game, Manic Mechanics, is the product of the team’s commitment to innovation, creativity, and technical excellence, and marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the 4J Studios story. Follow that story at www.4jstudios.com.