🎥 Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to @DevWithArslaan on YouTube for gameplay previews and devlogs.
Welcome to the official site for Showdown of the Sticks, a fast-paced, pixel-art style stick figure fighting game.
Development status
This game is currently in active development.
There are no public releases yet, and no estimated release date at this time.
Stay tuned on YouTube or itch.io for updates.
Want to help shape the game? Apply to be a beta tester.
Features
- ⚔️ Fast-paced stick figure combat
- 🎨 Retro pixel-art aesthetic (artwork not finished)
- 🎮 Local multiplayer support
- 🌐 Online multiplayer support (in development)
- 🔫 Unique weapons and abilities (in development)
Characters
Crimson Reaper
- Color: Red stick figure
- Weapon: Grim-reaper style scythe or axe
- Theme: Grim Reaper / Ghostly / “Now I am become death” / Final Boss type stuff
Abilities:
- Soul Slash: Heavy melee scythe swing that deals high damage and marks enemies to take extra damage.
- Death’s Reach: Spectral scythe slash that hits enemies at a mid-range in a line.
- Phantom Step: Teleports a short distance, becoming briefly intangible and passing through enemies or obstacles.
- Grim Harvest: Summons ghostly hands that immobilize enemies and deal massive area damage after a delay.
Special Ability: Temporarily becomes a ghost/translucent and can fly through the map
Cobalt Phantom
- Color: Blue stick figure
- Theme: Ghostly / ethereal ninja vibe
Abilities:
- Teleportation: This one is self-explanatory.
- Quick dashes: Briefly go faster/also self explanatory.
- Smoke screens: Pretty much a smoke bomb/flashbang
- Strikes from the Shadows: Quickly teleport to an enemy, strike them, then teleport back
Special Ability: Briefly becomes intangible or invisible
Emerald Venom
- Color: Green stick figure
- Theme: Snake-themed powers
Abilities:
- Snake Whip: Whip-like strikes
- Venom Bite: Poison damage over time
- Poison of the Past: Summon snake spirits to bite or constrict opponents
Special Ability: Temporary speed boost and poison immunity
Golden Radiance
- Color: Yellow/gold stick figure
- Theme: Light / sun-inspired powers
Abilities:
- Solar Boom: Fast energy blasts
- Flashbang: Blinding flashes to stun enemies
- Flare Frenzy: Solar flares that deal area damage
Special Ability: Healing light that restores health over time or buffs attack speed
How to Play
Player 1 controls
- WASD to move
- F to attack
- Z, X, C, and V to use abilities
- E to use special ability
Player 2 controls (Local 2P/Local Multiplayer only)
- Arrow Keys to move
- L to attack
- U, I, O, and P to use abilities
- N to use special ability
Objective: To defeat your opponent by using your abilities to ramp up their knockback counter, then punch them out of the map.
When a player is hit, their knockback counter on the top of the screen increases. After 4 consecutive successful hits from the opponent (AKA a combo of 4), the knockback is applied to the player, although the counter does not reset. If a player dies (falling off the map), the game progresses to the next round, counting the other player as the winner of that round. A player can use their special ability against their opponent. Abilities will add to the knockback counter, although they will not apply the knockback until the goal of 4 consecutive successful hits is reached. Some abilities have the ability to kill the player depending on the knockback counter. If the knockback counter reaches 1000 or greater without being applied, the player automatically dies. There are 9 rounds in each match. The player that won the most rounds in that match will win the game.
Download
(Note: the itch.io project page currently does not contain any downloads, this game is still in development.)
You can download Showdown of the Sticks on itch.io and jump right into the action!
Roadmap
- ✅ Basic combat system
- ✅ Local multiplayer
- 🔄 Character abilities (in progress)
- ⏳ Online multiplayer (TBD)
- ⏳ Controller support (TBD)
- ⏳ New characters (in design)
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: When will the game be released?
A: The game is still in active development with no set release date yet. Stay updated via YouTube or itch.io.
Q: How can I join the beta testing?
A: You can apply to become a beta tester by filling out this form.
Q: What platforms will the game support?
A: The game currently supports Windows and macOS. Linux is not officially supported but should work via compatibility layers like Wine or Proton.
Q: Will the game support online multiplayer?
A: Yes! Online multiplayer is currently in development.
Q: Can I play with a controller?
A: Controller support will not be added in the near future. If this future is requested more, I may implement it.
Q: Will there be character customization?
A: Character customization is not planned at the moment, but new characters and abilities will be added over time.
Q: How many players can play locally?
A: Local multiplayer supports 2 players on the same machine.
Q: Is there cross-platform multiplayer?
A: Yes! Online multiplayer will support cross-platform for MacOS and Windows.
Q: Where can I report bugs or give feedback?
A: Beta testers will receive a feedback form. General feedback can be sent via the community channels linked on the site.