This is an early prototype for a fighting game I'm working on. The final game is unlikely to be a PICO-8 title, but prototyping in PICO-8 is fast and responsive, so I'm using it to work out the mechanics. I'm opening this cart up to the public in order to get feedback on how it plays (see below for details).

Basics

Each fighter has two or three meters, depending on the stage:

• <W>ill [in red]. Your will to fight. If this runs out, you're done!
• <B>reath [in yellow]. Used to take action and lost when getting hit. If you're out of breath after a hit you'll be stunned for a bit, so be careful!
• <G>uard [in blue]. Appears in Stage 4+. Used to block punches completely. Doesn't recharge, but you get some back after a successful dodge.

Controls

Z: Punch
X: Brace for pain (hold it down)

If you're low on breath, punching won't do as much damage.
Bracing costs breath as you hold it, but getting hit while bracing halves incoming damage.

Controls (Stage 2+)

X+< or X+>: Dodge

Dodging takes a small step left or right, which can completely dodge an incoming attacks and keep other enemies away at the same time. After a dodge, each successive dodge in a short time (while your helmet is gray) costs more and more breath, so keep an eye on it.

On Stage 3+, watch out for hooks! A hook is a punch that comes in from the side, and if you dodge in the same direction as the hook, it'll still hit you!

Controls (Stage 4+)

X: Guard (hold it down)
Z: Counter (situational)

Guard takes the place of Brace from Stage 4 onward. Guarding costs some of the new guard meter, and getting hit while guarding takes a chunk of it away. However, guarding doesn't cost any breath (in fact, it continues to recharge during guard) and any blocked attack does no damage at all! Guard recharges slowly, but dodging an incoming attack restores a good chunk of the guard meter as well.

If you punch right after guarding an attack, you'll perform a counter instead of a punch. Counters do the same amount of damage, as a punch, but they're much faster.

Controls (Stage 6+)

Z+^ or Z+v: Jab
Z (hold): Charged Punch

Jabs are quick punches that don't do much damage and are trivial to guard but are great at knocking the wind out of your opponent if they connect. Because they're fast, several can be strung together into a quick combo.

If you hold down the punch button now, you'll start flashing pink and you'll charge up a big punch. The longer you charge the more damage it'll do! Getting hit will reset your charge though, so take care!

Notes

Stages 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 should be winnable; Stages 1, 3, and 5 should not. In Stage 3, try to get the boss down to 3/4 health, and in Stage 5 try to get the boss below half health. Stage 7 can be considered a win if you can get the boss down to one quarter health. Good luck!

Now that the game is mostly content complete (I might try to get perfect guarding to work, we'll see) I'm looking for feedback on how the game plays. In particular, here are some questions I'd love answers to:

• Are the mechanics comprehensible?
• How do the various stages feel to play?
• How is the difficulty? Are some stages too easy or way too hard?
• What about strategy and balance? Are there certain moves that don't work or seem way too good?
• Did you have fun with it?

Thank You For Playing!