Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe

About

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe is a single player arcade sport game. It was developed by Agharta Studio and was released on December 6, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe" is a game where you play air hockey in an interstellar casino to earn parts for your spaceship. After defeating 13 opponents across 5 floors, you must face the casino owner to repair your ship and return home. The game features responsive controls, quests and missions, and a progress tracking system. It can be played with or without a VR headset.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 305 reviews

story11 positive mentions

grinding46 negative mentions

A nostalgic remake of the classic Shufflepuck Cafe, bringing back fond memories for fans of the original.
The game features a variety of characters with unique abilities, making each match feel fresh and engaging.
The graphics and sound design are polished, creating an enjoyable atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

The game can become repetitive and grindy, requiring players to face the same opponents multiple times to unlock content.
There is no multiplayer mode, which limits the potential for competitive play and social interaction.
Some players have experienced issues with save data and bugs, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
82%
5%
The game's story is set in a sci-fi universe where players must complete numerous missions to earn parts for their spaceship, featuring a variety of unique opponents with their own backstories. While the character biographies and lore add depth, many players find the mission structure repetitive and grindy, often reducing the narrative to a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling storyline. Overall, the game offers a wealth of missions and character interactions, but the lack of mission variety and the grind can detract from the overall experience.
- “There's even a backstory to unlock for each of the opponents you face, with their own little place in the sci-fi universe of Shufflepuck Cantina!”
- “The character biographies are well thought-out and consistent, and provide a backstory to the player to explain some of the feuds between characters the player will notice during the game.”
- “Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe delivers that backstory for you in very detailed biographies for each opponent, that you can buy with hard-earned in-game currency.”
- “At first, it looks like a nice air hockey arcade game with interesting characters and lore, but it eventually shows how grindy and artificial it is, with an insane amount of repetitive and empty missions.”
- “It's a fun game unless you actually want to progress in and eventually complete the story - in which case you're going to need a metric ton of the in-game 'credz' tokens to buy 19 'biography entries' for every single one of the 13 opponent characters.”
- “The graphics are good for such a small download, and so is the music, but the only thing that lets it down is the story - there isn't really one, just to earn the spaceship parts and leave.”
gameplay
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
52%
5%
The gameplay is generally described as smooth and engaging, with a simple yet addictive core mechanic centered around air hockey. While some players appreciate the variety of characters and special moves, others find the gameplay repetitive and grindy, lacking sufficient depth and updates. Overall, the game offers a fun experience with decent graphics and controls, but may not hold long-term interest due to its simplicity and limited variety.
- “The gameplay feels fluid and relatively fun.”
- “The core gameplay is the same, PC air hockey, and while it is extremely simple to play, it's anything but simple to beat the majority of your opponents.”
- “The gameplay is fun and engaging, but the story is exceedingly tiresome.”
- “The core gameplay has you shift a paddle left and right on a comparatively small table, and the dubious physics are only partially masked by using high-tech little anti-gravity pucks.”
- “Leveling up feels pointless; it doesn't change gameplay.”
- “Gameplay didn't feel quite right - the responsiveness of the puck and the collision detection both seemed off to me, and I got more frustrated at the game than at myself for losing points.”
graphics
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many players praising the vibrant and polished visuals that evoke a charming aesthetic reminiscent of the Star Wars universe. While some noted that the graphics are impressive for a casual game, others pointed out limitations in advanced settings and animations. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, enhancing the experience despite some criticisms regarding gameplay depth.
- “The graphics are amazing and the controls are perfect.”
- “The graphics and effects are pretty cool, reminding me of the Star Wars universe and the controls are easy.”
- “The visuals are great, and the feel of being in that specific cantina that was obviously a large inspiration for the aesthetic here is very well developed.”
- “This remake is a shameful disgrace, just wrapped in pretty graphics.”
- “But otherwise, being limited to a shufflepuck game, and lacking advanced graphics settings and no HD support over 1080p limits this game to a thumbs down.”
- “Graphics options are very, very poor as well, barely has anything.”
grinding
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the extensive missions and unlocks required. While some appreciate the challenge and the lore that comes with grinding, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel artificial and overly reliant on repetitive tasks. Overall, the game is seen as entertaining for those who enjoy air hockey, but the heavy emphasis on grinding may deter casual players.
- “At first it looks like a nice air hockey arcade game with interesting characters and lore, but it eventually shows how grindy and artificial it is, with an insane amount of repetitive and empty missions.”
- “The spaceship parts take credz (cash) to obtain, and those are collected by grinding, that is playing hundreds, thousands even, of boring, repetitive matches against inept opponents.”
- “I found it's a shame that the game is heavily grindy (and I mean heavily), to the point to make you uninstall the game sooner than you'd want to, especially considering the game is essentially just one big mini-game.”
music
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The music in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its nostalgic homage to the Star Wars cantina theme, but finding it repetitive and grating after extended play. While the soundtrack is described as enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, the lack of variety and volume control detracts from the overall experience, leading some to prefer playing their own music instead. Overall, the music enhances the game's charm but can become tiresome over time.
- “The graphics are really nice and the soundtrack is very good, too.”
- “Great gameplay and soundtrack, and it definitely stays true to its roots.”
- “A beautiful homage to a longtime favorite, with fantastic artwork, music, animation, and gameplay.”
- “The music is an attraction, but it quickly gets repetitive, with very few tracks.”
- “But the music gets old after a few hours, since you have a looping song per floor.”
- “Music and sound can only be turned off, there isn't even a volume slider!”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The atmosphere of Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe is praised for its engaging blend of sci-fi references and a vibrant, retro-inspired setting, reminiscent of classic games and iconic franchises like Star Wars. Players appreciate the entertaining music and graphics that complement the casual gaming experience, although some note that the gameplay can become monotonous over time. Overall, the game successfully captures a fun and immersive atmosphere, making it a recommended pick for fans of the genre.
- “Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe is a modern tribute to this old classic, in a less dark atmosphere but still full of sci-fi references from Star Wars to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.”
- “The graphics are nice and unobtrusive and work well with the atmosphere the developers tried to create: the game now takes place not in a cafe but a cantina on a desert planet - very reminiscent of a similar establishment in a certain wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
- “The atmosphere and music are entertaining.”
- “This reboot/sequel does a decent job of capturing the gameplay and atmosphere of the original.”
- “The graphics are nice and unobtrusive and working well with the atmosphere the developers tried to create: the game now takes place not in a cafe but a cantina on a desert planet - very reminiscent of a similar establishment in a certain wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
- “And, I'm happy with the atmosphere they've created here.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring funny characters and a comedic backstory that enhances the overall experience. Players find the humor engaging and suitable for short gaming sessions, although some critiques mention that certain gameplay elements, like the final boss, could have been better executed. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the game's charm and excitement.
- “Great game, funny and exciting, too bad no multiplayer.”
- “A fun and addicting game with a funny backstory and characters.”
- “Characters are much deeper than they seem at first glance; humor is present, ideal for small sessions of gaming.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users noting its rewarding gameplay and extensive content. However, some feel that the absence of multiplayer options limits its potential for added replay value and enjoyment.
- “Worth $5-10; lots of replay value!”
- “Good replayability, rewardingness, and a good universe.”
- “A polished, well-crafted air hockey style game with tons of content and high replayability.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting significant bugs, freezing issues when alt-tabbing, and compatibility problems with Oculus. While some minor physics glitches occur, they are generally seen as beneficial, but overall, the game's lack of updates since 2013 has left it in a disappointing state.
- “Buggy, unupdated game since 2013 and really just a sad mess.”
- “It was poorly done, and it freezes my computer when I alt-tab.”
- “The game does not work with the Oculus; I have followed the troubleshooting steps and other information to try and get it working.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The monetization aspect of the game reflects its origins as a free-to-play mobile title, with players noting a significant reliance on grinding for in-game currency to access content and upgrades. While there are no direct in-game purchases, the need for extensive currency accumulation has drawn criticism from users.
- “The game started life as an iOS title, and we can see where the in-app purchases would have been.”
- “Before you dive into the trenches of this game, be warned: this was originally a phone game that was free to play with in-app purchases.”
- “Most defining trait is the grinding, which many people have complained about; there's no in-game purchases inherited from its former app game nature, yet you will need tons of in-game currency to buy everything, from access to more challenging enemies to new mallets and their upgrades.”
- “The game started life as an iOS title and we can see where the in-app purchases would have been.”
- “Before you dive into the trenches of this game, be warned first, this was originally a phone game that was free to play with in-app purchases.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is criticized for lacking depth, as it undermines personality in character design and makes progression frustrating for players.
- “It completely undermines any personality in the character design and makes progression downright aggravating.”
- “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
- “I expected more depth, but the characters remain one-dimensional and their growth is barely noticeable.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Overall, users report a generally good price/performance ratio, with only occasional minor performance issues that do not significantly disrupt gameplay.
- “I encountered some very rare performance issues, but they were brief enough not to disrupt my gameplay.”
- “A rational question arising is the price/performance ratio.”
- “I encountered some rare performance issues, but they were brief enough not to disrupt my gameplay.”

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Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe
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12h Median play time

12h Average play time

3-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe is a arcade sport game.

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 12 hours playing Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe.

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe was released on December 6, 2013.

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe was developed by Agharta Studio.

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Shufflepuck Cantina Deluxe is a single player game.

Similar games include Kingdom Rush, Swords & Souls: Neverseen, Sky Force Anniversary, Battlevoid: Harbinger, Kingdom Rush and others.

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