Let’s be real.. If I have to hear one more thing about the Pandemic, I think I am going to spontaneously combust.
Not only has it made basic things like purchasing toilet paper into a scavenger hunt, it also has stripped us of our ability to just… Exist as humans, and do human-stuff – like having fun with our friends.
While the last two years have taken away a lot, there is a silver lining… A new age of supporting and encouraging the rapid growth of upbeat, indie crossplay games.
The Rise of Indie Multiplayer Games
Just scrolling through Twitch, you will more than likely come across an eight-person party screaming “sussy baka!” while playing Among Us. Further down, another group yell at each other while playing Tricky Towers – having a great time with lots of laughs. Upon release, these games are a competitive whirlwind of exploring new controls and missions – all the while desperately trying to beat out your friends.. Friends located internationally – in Spain, Canada, New Zealand – that, without the rise of lockdowns, you may never have met simply based on geography. It is these upbeat, simple, but incredibly charming games that provide hours of endless entertainment and bring your group together, wherever you may be located.
These games grant you the ability to jump, kick, push, shove and even “kill” among your friends as chaotically as you would like, and KungFu Kickball holds its place among them. Here, there is the added benefit of teamplay – rather than one person versing the entire party, you can work together to pulverize the others, and earn well-deserved bragging rights.
KungFu Kickball (releasing on the 10th of February!) grants an incredibly fun, arcade-like game with very simple parameters – your job is to kick the ball to hit the bell. With animation reminiscent of a chaotic Shaolin Soccer, KungFu Kickball not only offers endless entertainment, but has character-specific perks that make things extra spicy… Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
Enter: KungFu Kickball
Playing as The Grandmaster, you are not necessarily as swift as the other competitors but boy, can the old man pack a punch.. The Grandmaster channels his Chi into the Tiger Punch, which happily mauls anything in its way. This character is ideal for slower, tankier players that want to teach their friends how it’s done.. Legacy style.
The King is quite similar to the Grandmaster, although on the spectrum of “slow” and “I’m fast as heck, boi”, he is faster than the Grandmaster but slightly less powerful. This is mostly attributed to the fact he refuses to remove the crown that weighs him down – but what is that saying again? “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”, right? The Monkey King also has an AOE spin with his quarterstaff that knocks over nearby opponents, so he is perfect for any player that wants to move deliberately and with power!
When working with martial arts, it is an unspoken rule to always include The Legend himself – Bruce Lee. In KFK lore, The Legend has been training by dodging falling rocks in volcanoes (as one does). Because of this, he is proven to be incredibly agile and fast – the perfect character for a player who wants to manoeuvre speedily around the arena… And, coolest of all, he wields nunchucks like an absolute pro. But what else would you expect from the Legend himself?
The Drunken Boxer, on the other hand, is as far from coordinated as you can get. This guy has no idea where he is, how he got here, or what day it is – but he is absolutely ready for a smackdown. The Drunken Boxer dribbles the ball closer to the ground (probably because he cannot see very far away in this state, heh). If anyone steps too close, he is able to shoot into the air in a chaotic whirlwind of drunken-ness that will knock opponents away. This character is perfect for players that want to keep the ball close and secure, or they just love the chaotic vibes. My personal favourite by far.
Now, if you really want to play a heavy hitter – that, or you are a fan of KungFu Panda – The Panda is a strong contender. Don’t take this fluffiness for weakness, once you hear the sound of her charging up, you best want to clear the way or find yourself knocked to the other side of the arena! (The move is literally titled “meteor-strike” after all). Panda is best suited for anyone that wants to play a strong defence or an aggressive forward. She is quite slow moving, though, so be wary around the more manoeuvrable players!
Not only does The Sho-Gun have the coolest hairstyle in the game – scratch that, the coolest ‘fit all-together – he has the longest reach out of anyone in the arena. Where other players are stretching to try and get possession of the ball, Sho-Gun is easily able to limber over them and yoink it from their grasp. And even if he somehow misses, his Chi manifests into a move titled “the Shine”, which will send the nearby opponents bursting back with incredible force. The Sho-Gun finds particular stride with ball-hogs, like the Drunken Master.
Now you see The Assassin, now you don’t… She is the speediest character in the game, easily able to outpace any others in the arena. Not only that, but she possesses the highest jump, meaning that she can leap into action swiftly and decisively before anyone else even blinks. Her Chi manifests into a burst of fiery propulsion, allowing her to dash in mid-air to get to the ball before an opponent. The Assassin is suited to rogue-types, who prefer swift, speedy characters.
Finally, The Monk. Don’t let his simplicity fool you, he is the OG KungFu Kickball champion, and has the ambition to back it up. He is – by far – the most well-rounded of all the playable characters, which makes him a perfect fit for anyone who switches between offence and defence, or even for newer players. Plus, he is “going to be the Grandmaster someday”, or so he thinks!
And there you have it folks… KungFu Kickball offers an exciting, easy to play atmosphere with the same competitive energy as the original Super Marios and the more modern Tilting Towers. With international servers, you and your friends can connect anywhere, anytime to jump in and cause some ruckus. And even if your friends aren’t interested, you can easily find more by jumping in and connecting to your local server!
KungFu Kickball will drop on February 10! Pre-Orders are open on Jan 27th to Feb 10th!
You can find a link to the Steam Page right here!
If you like this game, check out some more from our studio here.