Divekick
- August 20, 2013
- One True Game Studios
- 4h median play time
The simplistic Divekick makes the insular fighting game genre accessible and fun to mainstream audiences.
"Divekick" is a comedy fighting game that uses only two buttons for jumping and kicking, with no complex directional movements. The game focuses on fundamental fighting skills like mind games, spacing, and timing, providing a unique experience in the genre. With local multi-player, split screen, and a good story, it will make you laugh and master the art of simplicity in a fun and engaging way.
Reviews
- Divekick simplifies the fighting game genre to its core mechanics, making it accessible and fun for both newcomers and veterans.
- The game features a humorous take on fighting games with unique characters and entertaining voice lines, providing a lighthearted experience.
- Matches are quick and intense, with one-hit KOs that keep players engaged and encourage strategic thinking.
- The online multiplayer community is largely inactive, making it difficult to find matches against other players.
- The game lacks depth in single-player content, with a shallow story mode and limited training options.
- Some players may find the humor and references to the fighting game community off-putting or confusing if they are not familiar with the genre.
- humor111 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- -2 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its absurdity and clever parodies of the fighting game genre, making it particularly enjoyable in casual multiplayer settings. Players appreciate the hilarious character designs, witty dialogue, and numerous references to the fighting game community, although some find the humor can feel forced or niche. Overall, the game is seen as a fun, lighthearted experience that excels in delivering laughs, especially when played with friends.
“Characters are hilarious and the story is simple but fun.”
“The enjoyment of this game is all in the humor of it - set up tournaments between you and your friends to see who has more mastery over both of the buttons you can press.”
“Divekick is hilarious the first time you play through it.”
“Divekick appears to be a big joke on the fighting game community, but unless you are super into tournament competitive play, the jokes are completely absent and unfunny.”
“The humor in this game falls flat; it feels forced and lacks genuine wit.”
“I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off.”
- gameplay110 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Divekick is characterized by its incredibly simple two-button mechanics, which make it accessible yet surprisingly deep, focusing on spacing, timing, and mind games rather than complex combos. While it offers a fun and tactical experience, especially in local multiplayer settings, some players find it repetitive over time and note issues with menu navigation and character balance. Overall, it serves as a unique and humorous take on the fighting genre, appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike.
“The gameplay is pretty much self-explanatory, and therein lies the genius of Divekick.”
“Despite having very simple gameplay mechanics, the game is surprisingly deep and varied, and being just a two-button fighter, anyone can get into it easily.”
“It's basically a fighting game broken down to its core mechanics - spacing, timing, building and using meter, and mind games - with a system that only uses two buttons: dive (into the air) and kick.”
“Terrible game menu, gameplay is not engaging, it is a waste of money do not buy this game if you enjoy fighter games.”
“Unfortunately it's a joke that doesn't hold up, the premise is fantastic, remove the barrier for entry (complex button inputs and mechanic understanding) and make a fighting game entirely about the meta game, the understanding of your opponent, trying to predict their moves and then setting up traps for them to spring, this is incredibly satisfying or it would if about half the roster weren't rather broken and somewhat unbalanced.”
“It may not keep your attention for long periods of time due to its somewhat repetitive gameplay, but any time friends are over you can't really go wrong with a few rounds.”
- story41 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as shallow and lighthearted, with humorous character backstories that often parody fighting game culture. While some players appreciate the comedic elements and find the story mode entertaining, many agree that it lacks depth and can feel repetitive, with a focus on multiplayer gameplay overshadowing the single-player experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as a fun but minor component of the game, primarily serving as a backdrop for the fighting mechanics.
“A story so much deeper than diving and kicking makes it my favorite game in existence.”
“Funny story, and just a lot of depth for a 2-button game I really enjoy!”
“The story part of the game has graphic novel parts that add life to all the fighters and they all tie in together.”
“The story mode is shallow enough that you'll quickly get tired of it, and there's just nothing else here to spend your time on.”
“Single player has a nonsensical story and rather easy opponents.”
“The story mode for each character is pretty short and the cutscenes could stand to be better, but story is never a big part of fighting games anyway.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simplistic yet colorful art style that some players find reminiscent of adult cartoons, offering a fun and engaging aesthetic. However, there are notable criticisms regarding clipping issues, pixelation, and a lack of polish, leading to mixed opinions on the overall visual quality. While some appreciate the resolution and framerate, others feel the graphics are subpar and detract from the experience, suggesting that the gameplay is ultimately more important than the visuals.
“This work of grand art offers an amazing set of visuals along with stunning and balanced gameplay, perfect for casual play, down to professional esports playing.”
“For what the game is, the graphics are simplistic but quite detailed.”
“Right from the get-go, you're visually assaulted by the graphical quality.”
“Despite a clear and clean art style, there are a lot of clipping issues within matches, making it unclear what's hittable and what's dead space.”
“The artwork and animation quality are pretty poor, as is the music; no great tunes here.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the hype soundtrack and great voice acting, while others find it either boring or unnoticeable due to the focus on gameplay and announcer commentary. Overall, while there are moments of standout tracks, many players feel the music is not a significant aspect of the experience.
“The arenas are characteristic and provide a good space for combat, the art direction lends itself to the comedic tone of the game, and the sound design is a good fit, with great voice acting and a hype soundtrack.”
“Best online lobby music.”
“Really cool soundtrack too.”
“The music is just plain boring and better turned off.”
“The music is decent, but you aren't really paying attention to it because the announcer is #1.”
“the art work and animation quality are pretty poor as is the music, no great tunes here but obviously these aren't as important as the gameplay.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the character designs as lacking depth and being overly simplistic or fetishistic. While a few found humor in the character names and designs, this novelty quickly wore off, leaving many feeling that the overall character development was underwhelming.
“The character designs are very polished, showcasing nice artwork that enhances the overall experience.”
“Some of the character designs are humorous, and their names add a fun twist, even if it only lasts for a short time.”
“The character development is engaging, with a variety of designs that contribute to the game's unique charm.”
“The character designs leave much to be desired.”
“Very simple character design; some gags are too 'inside baseball.' Some gamers will hate the very simple gameplay.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a quick and accessible experience with significant replayability, making it more engaging than many recent fighting games. However, some users note a lack of depth that may limit long-term replay value.
“Simple enough to get going in 1 minute with lots of replayability.”
“Great replay value!”
“Overall though, I’d say there’s probably not a whole lot of depth or replayability with Divekick.”
“And yet it's infinitely more playable than most fighting games I've played in the past few years.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game leaves a lasting emotional impact, resonating deeply with players even years later, and is praised for its heartwarming adventure that brings families together through humor and memorable moments.
“Eight years on, I can still recall how profoundly that game gripped me, and I am not an overly emotional person.”
“It's a heartwarming adventure that is sure to unite the entire family with laughs.”
Critic Reviews
Divekick
The simplistic Divekick makes the insular fighting game genre accessible and fun to mainstream audiences.
70%A unique game for casuals that won't make the EVO highlight reel
An ambitious re-imagining of the fighting genre, Divekick's innovative simplicity is also its greatest weakness as it lacks the depth required for a modern marketplace. Good for those five minutes waiting in line, but don’t expect it to occupy a six-hour bus ride.
55%Divekick review
60%