Hi Pilots, We’re Turtle Juice, a small indie studio based in the interior of Brazil. Being far from the industry hubs has its challenges, but it’s also our advantage; it drives us to innovate, work harder, and prove that great games can come from anywhere. As a tight-knit team of 23 developers we believe we’ve managed to achieve that with our newest game—Mechborn.

Mechborn is a roguelike deckbuilder inspired by classic ’90s mech anime and Greek mythology. Earth and its colonies are under siege by Kaiju, and humanity’s last hope lies with the Mechborn: elite pilots capable of surviving Mech-Synchronization. But there’s more to Mechborn than just the pilots and mech you take into battle. I want to briefly showcase the systems and mechanics that define every run, every decision and every moment of tension you’ll face each run.

Your Mech is your deck The core idea behind Mechborn is simple: your mech is your deck. Every mech is built from four parts: Head, Torso, Arms, and Legs. With each part adding cards to your starting deck.

This means deckbuilding begins before your first battle. Swapping out a part doesn’t just change stats, it fundamentally changes how your deck plays. On top of that, each mech comes in three distinct models: Original, Spartan, and Olympian—each with its own mechanical identity. Maybe you lean into mobility, heavy offense or focus on equipping a full matching set to gain a powerful HP bonus - the decision is up to you.

A new way to play cards: the conveyor belt One of the biggest departures from traditional deckbuilders is our Conveyor Belt combat system.

Instead of drawing a hand every turn, you start combat with seven cards laid out in your belt. When you play a card, a new one enters from the left, pushing the rest along. This transforms combat into a game of positioning and timing, not just card value.

Many cards care about where they sit on your belt. Some activate stronger effects when adjacent to specific card types. Others gain power the longer they remain unplayed. Support cards can "charge" upcoming attacks, while defensive tools may need to be positioned several turns in advance to be effective.

The result is a combat system where planning ahead matters just as much as reacting in the moment.

Pilots change everything Pilots add a second strategic layer on top of your deck. Each pilot comes with four unique skills that charge as you play cards. These aren’t passive bonuses, but rather powerful, active abilities that can completely alter a fight when used at the right moment.

Some pilots specialize in repositioning cards on the Conveyor Belt. Others manipulate costs, freeze enemies in their tracks or turn defensive setups into offensive opportunities. Certain Mech-Pilot combinations unlock playstyles that simply aren’t possible otherwise.

Choosing a pilot isn’t just flavor, it’s a commitment to how you want your run to unfold.

Adaptive exploration: no fixed routes Outside of combat, we wanted exploration to feel just as flexible and reactive. That’s where Adaptive Exploration comes in.

There are no fixed paths in Mechborn. You can move freely in any direction across each continent, choosing how aggressively you push forward or when to retreat and regroup. Encounters, events, vendors and factions all shift between runs, meaning the same route can play out very differently depending on your decisions.

You might rush to a vendor to upgrade key cards, hunt down an ancient research lab to unlock powerful Infusers or side with a faction to influence how future encounters evolve. Clearing territories zone by zone helps push back the Kaiju advance, but every move costs fuel. Run out, and you could find yourself stranded in hostile territory.

Exploration is a constant balance of risk, reward and long-term planning.

Designed for replayability Every system in Mechborn feeds into replayability. Dynamic maps. Multiple mechs and pilots. Hundreds of cards. Ever-changing encounters. No two runs are meant to feel the same and mastery comes from experimentation, not memorization.

The path ahead With Mechborn, we want players to experience the thrill of commanding god-forged mechs, experimenting with pilot abilities, and carving their own path through a Kaiju-ravaged world. From deckbuilding to combat, exploration to boss encounters, every run is a new challenge - one that rewards creativity, adaptability and strategic thinking.

We can’t wait for you to step into the cockpit, craft your ultimate mech-deck and see how far your skills can take you.

• Ernani Rocha, Lead Game Designer & Producer, Turtle Juice

MECHBORN will be available on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 in late 2026. Play the pre-alpha demo now on itch.io.