Pat Kethum‘s Datasoft had been collaborating with Japan’s Nihon Bussan‘s video game brand, Nichibutsu, converting its 1981 arcade game Moon Shuttle to home computers in 1983. The following year, Datasoft programmer Scott Spanburg was assigned to Mancopter, another Nichibutsu concept. Evidence suggests that the idea was developed within Nichibutsu but never materialized as an arcade game and the concept was handed over to Datasoft for a home computer version.

Spanburg, together with artist Kelly Day and composer John a. Fitzpatrick followed through with the concept and crafted a small enjoyable game with smooth parallax scrolling.
Mancopter was released for the commodore 64 in 1984. No attempts were made to convert it to other contemporary systems.

Mancopter was published for the Commodore 64 in 1984 by Datasoft.
No ports for other systems were made

Race your mancopter to the finish line in the great mancopter race. Avoid crashing into the computer-controlled competition, obstacles, or the ocean.
By rapidly pressing the fire button you maintain or gain altitude. Crash with fish in your mancopter and you’re saved by a whale and can continue, no fish and you become shark food and the game is over.
The catchy looping music by John A. Fitzpatrick sounded great, for the first 30 minutes then the repetitiveness might get to you