Feels like Smash Bros in the ~D.i.c.k~ Tracy universe. This game gives the best sense of scrambling for a weapon to even the odds. The physics system allows for intricate fight sequences and deaths to happen by surprise. The Challenge mode is great and I would love more. The controls on a game pad take some getting used to. The aiming with weapons and thrown objects feels off. I hope they get the controls honed in with these updates. I could see this being one of the best couch coop/competitive games out there, though I have spent little time with it and plan to in the future. Overall this game is a hidden gem that needs more attention, thanks to the developers for coming back to this and updating it.

Edit: After playing the game for a while versus bots, some features that would make the offline play better would be; More customizable character slots, the ability to choose characters as bots, keeping track of the wins/losses of bots, and the ability to name teams. If all of this were to be added the offline play would be significantly better.

Here is the game that inspired twelve year old me to come up with the gamertag "Blackshot". A game that I have fond memories of, dating much earlier than the Steam release, making friends and little rivalries, learning what it feels like to found and lead a clan, create maps and become a recognizable figure in an online community, all of which leading me to hold on to this sort of silly and perhaps childish username to this day (although I have been contemplating a "rebrand" for a while now).

If I have played this game for 40 hours since it released here, then I must have easily played a total of 400 hours during its long Beta, Alpha and Pre-Alpha days since late 2012 (in my case). At least that's what my sentiment tells me cause that's how much of an impression this game made on me. But what is it with this game, then?

Superfighters Deluxe (SFD) at its surface is a casual party brawler. A versus fighting fest in the vein of Duck Game, Stick Fight and Gang Beasts, best enjoyed with a group of friends. However there's way more to SFD.

For the most part, SFD is a casual experience thanks to certain randomization features (objects, player spawns, item spawns and in part, the physics). The amount of levels and items alone provide for a deep and replayable game. However, there's a sizable amount of skill at play too. There is fun tech to learn and hone that reward experienced players with advantages over lesser opponents, dopamine inducing skirmishes and opportunities for skill expression unlike in any of the usual "party games". That is why the game enjoys a small but dedicated playerbase with veterans who have been playing the game for several years.

Unlike other casual games, you'll not just be playing with friends. Actually, you don't need friends in the first place to enjoy this. Just hop on a server and see how you fare against other players.

So at the regular price that SFD goes for? The game is honestly a steal if this is the kind of game you can see yourself enjoying.


As for me, I have quit the game a long time ago because the skillful and "competitive" side of the game used to be more pronounced (not by design) before the developers implemented features, such as the ability to grab, ability to throw equipable items and others, like the street sweepers. And quitting this game left a kind of vacancy in me which eventually brought me to fighting games, first starting with the platform fighter Brawlhalla, then moving on to Tekken. That did the trick for me, although I still miss SFD every now and then, with or without its priorities set for the chaotic combat that it always truly shined at.

Crashes when changing video options, crashes when alt-tabbing, crashes when loading maps. A bit disappointing considering the flash game was amazing back in the day. I'll keep an eye out for stability updates and try the game again in the future.