'Manairons', the new video game in Catalan inspired by Pyrenean legends

3Cat doubles down on video games in Catalan with the release of a title for all current platforms: it's Manairons, a three-dimensional action and platformer game that brings these fantastic beings from popular culture to life. The project was carried out alongside JanduSoft, a Barcelona-based studio with extensive experience that, in addition to developing, also publishes video games. Founded in 2011 by José Antonio Andujar, the studio has dozens of published titles, some with international recognition.

But what exactly are manairons, which give the game its name? Manairons – or minairons, menairons, or other variants depending on the region – are relatives of the large family of sprites, diminutive in size and native to Catalan popular imagination. "What shall we do? What shall we say?" exclaim the curious sprites when invoked, and it is then that they need to be given a very specific task or they can become mischievous.

The plot and objective of ‘Manairons’

The protagonist of the adventure, Nai, is a manairó who awakens after centuries locked inside a canut, an ancient and powerful magical artifact. His liberation, thanks to a fairy, is linked to a very specific task: to stop the process of forced industrialization that threatens the town of Vilamont. The one responsible for the chaos is Llorenç, an ambitious and very ill-tempered landowner, who has used the power of other manairons to fill the town with machines and factories.

Traditional shops have closed their doors, residents live in fear, and the little sprites work tirelessly under the orders of the town's new master. The narrative conflict resonates with very current issues, such as the rise of gentrification or the incursion of artificial intelligence, which have inspired the developers when building the story.

Puzzles and flute-based combat

Regarding gameplay, the proposal combines platforming, exploration, and puzzles with mechanics based on musical rhythm. The protagonist's magic flute is a central tool in the adventure: it allows controlling other manairons, solving enigmas, and overcoming combat, including some encounters against immense final bosses. In fact, the world is designed on a gigantic scale and the player constantly feels like a small sprite, in very vertical environments full of secrets.

The game arrives translated into Catalan, as happens more and more often with titles developed in Catalonia, but in a more exceptional case it also features full voice acting in our language. Furthermore, the soundtrack is by Victormame, a Catalan musician known, among other things, for being the keyboardist of Doctor Prats.

3Cat's commitment to video games in Catalan

CCMA has had a historical connection with video games, whether with titles like the mythical Espai8 or with long-running programs like Generació digital, and even the youngest podcast Tres vides, where recently discussed Manairons. More recently, the 2024 video game Crims: casos oberts, developed by Cubus Games from Igualada for mobile platforms, stands out, as well as the upcoming Dracamar, which 3Cat is co-producing with Petoons Studio, and which was also shown at BCN Game Fest and SAGA.

Manairons is now available on PlayStation 5 and PC (via Steam), as of this Thursday on Xbox Series X|S, and soon on Nintendo Switch. It also has a demo version so players can experience the adventure without barriers. With this proposal, the new game from 3Cat and JanduSoft turns Catalan mythology into an interactive experience designed for all audiences.