Stickman Battle

A round in practice

Stickman Battle puts stick figures on arenas that include traps, so the ground is as dangerous as the opponent. You can play alone, in local two-player mode on a single computer, or online. Weapons range from axes and guns to candy, which keeps the tone light even though the goal is to knock the other fighter out.

Each fighter has a move set with a jump, a skill and a super. Player one moves with WASD, holds W to jump, uses E for a skill and Space for a super. Player two moves with the arrow keys, holds Up to jump, uses Shift for a skill and Enter for a super. The two sets sit on opposite sides of the keyboard, which is how the local mode fits two people on one computer.

Before your first fight, spend a moment with the skill and super buttons, because they decide how a match feels. A skill is a regular move on its own key, while a super is a separate, bigger move on another key, so each fighter has more than just movement and a jump. The arenas are built with traps, and weapons such as axes, guns and candy change what each hit looks like, which means the same fight can play out very differently depending on what is nearby.

Keys, clicks and touches

Moves worth learning

• Learn where the traps are before you chase an opponent; luring someone onto one is often cheaper than hitting them.
• Hold the jump rather than tapping it; Poki lists it as a hold on both control sets.
• Save your super for the moment it can land rather than using it as soon as it is available.
• In local two-player mode, agree on which half of the keyboard each person takes before starting, so arms do not collide.
• If you play alone first, use that time to memorise both key sets, so that you can switch seats with a friend without relearning anything.

Who gets on with it

Friends sharing one computer who want a short fight, and solo players who like simple fighting with silly weapons. The keyboard layout is the main requirement for two-player mode. It is a natural choice for two people sharing a keyboard who want something quick and silly, and for solo players who enjoy simple fighting without a long tutorial. The online option suits players who prefer a changing opponent. It is less suited to anyone who dislikes keyboard-heavy play, since the super and skill buttons add up, or who wants a game with a strong story.

What may annoy

• It shows cartoon fighting between stick figures, and weapons include guns, so it is better for teens and up.
• Poki shows ads between sessions.
• Two-player mode on one keyboard can be cramped, and the online mode depends on who else is available.
• The keyboard sets take effort to learn, and holding a key to jump rather than tapping it can catch new players out. Local play puts two people on one keyboard, which can be uncomfortable for longer sessions. Poki also describes the game as fighting with guns among the weapons; the cartoon style softens it, but it is still a fighting game, and the ads between sessions apply here too.

Questions

Next to it on the table

• MurderAnother Action game with cartoon violence, though a quiet stealth game rather than a fight.
• Marble Run 3DAlso lets you play against others, but as a race instead of a fight.