Stickman Smash

Near the end, I focused more on polish instead of just adding features. I worked on things like hit effects, screen shake, cleaner UI, better map flow, and fixing bugs with attacks and freezing. These small details matter a lot because they make the game feel smoother and more satisfying. The game still has room to grow, but it now feels much closer to the platform fighter idea I wanted from the start.

I added different modes so the game feels more complete. Story Mode lets the player fight through opponents with progression, while Quick Smash lets players jump into a match faster. I also wanted the menus to be clear, so players understand what each mode does right away. This helped the game feel less like a test project and more like an actual playable game.

Because the game uses stickman characters, animation is really important. If the characters move stiffly, the whole game feels unfinished. I worked on improving running, jumping, attacking, and knockout animations so the characters feel more alive. Even small details like better attack swings and launch reactions made the game feel much more polished.

I worked on making abilities feel unique across different characters. I didn’t want every character to just have the same attack with a different color, so I focused on different weapons, ranges, and effects. Some abilities are better for launching opponents, while others help with spacing or pressure. This helped make characters feel more personal and gave the game more replay value.

A big part of the game is the character roster. I wanted each stickman fighter to feel different, not just look different. Some characters are faster, some hit harder, and some rely more on range or special abilities. I tried to make the roster feel large while still keeping each character readable during gameplay. This gives players more reasons to try different fighters.

The map used to feel too flat, so I added floating platform stages to make fights more interesting. Now players can jump between platforms, escape pressure, and attack from different positions. I wanted the maps to feel inspired by games like Super Smash Bros, but still fit the stickman style. Adding vertical movement made the game feel less repetitive and gave players more ways to outplay each other.

I added a stock system so matches feel more like a real platform fighter. Each player has a limited number of lives, and they lose one when they get launched outside the blast zone. This made the game feel more complete because there is now a clear win condition. I also worked on respawning so characters come back safely after being knocked out instead of the match feeling broken or sudden.

One of the biggest changes I made was switching from normal health bars to a percentage system. Instead of just losing health, players build up damage percentage and get launched farther when they are hit. This made the game feel way more exciting because matches can turn around quickly if someone lands a strong hit. It also made positioning more important, since being near the edge at high percent is dangerous.

I started this project because I wanted to make a stickman fighting game that felt fast and fun right away. At first, I was only thinking about simple attacks and movement, but then I decided to make it more like a platform fighter where positioning matters. I wanted the game to feel simple to understand, but still exciting once the match starts. The main goal became making a game where players can pick a character, fight on floating maps, and try to knock opponents off the stage.