Dealing Blows

Over 3 rounds, players will face off in this light strategy card fighting game. Determining their strategy for the fight, they will take a limited number of cards from their match strategy (deck) into each round. Revealing cards simultaneously one at a time each player will endeavour to land heavy hits on their opponent whilst blocking anticipated incoming hits. Bonuses can be gained by stringing together combos of cards, but is that what your opponent is trying to do or are they bluffing, hoping you will try to block while opening yourself up to taking extra damage from a different attack?

At the end of each round players return to their corners to be sponged down & discuss new tactics. Two cards used in the previous round are discarded from the game and a new hand built from the remaining cards in their deck before the fighters square off again. Get knocked to the canvas and you will need to roll the knockdown dice to see if you recover and regain your feet before the 10 count is reached. It gets progressively harder to stand after each knockdown, and hitting the canvas for a fourth time means you have lost on a TKO.

Easy to learn & quick to teach. New players will be off & fighting each other in no time, & the more they play the more they'll begin second guessing their opponent, acting out the moves, & talking in an 'announcer' voice.

I chose to go with a minimalist art style to embrace the fluidity of movement of fighters in a ring while also not drawing the eye away from the information around the card edges. In effect this art style helps the player's eyes flow across the card without distraction.

So will you be the heavyweight champion or are you nothing but a lightweight?

Anonymous Feedback from Play Testers at PaxAus Collaboratory 2019

"Clever use of theme - it was fun trying to build combinations"

"[I loved ] The bluff of play & trash talking my opponent before we both get knocked out."

"It's good for emulating the feel of combat, surprisingly accurate representation."

"Knocking out the other player felt awesome. It was push your luck & risk/reward & bluffing. Felt really good."

"Theme maps to mechanics very well. Easy & fun to play"

"The tension of getting back up was exciting & the more you went down the more exciting it was."

"The 10 roll count was entertaining, fun & nerve wracking"

"[I love the] Ease of teaching & play. Elements of bluffing & reading other players intent. Small form factor"

Brief Video Overview of "Dealing Blows"

Video Play Through of "Dealing Blows"