Smack Studio

About

Smack Studio is a single player and multiplayer casual platformer game. It was developed by ThirdPixel Interactive and was released on July 31, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

Smack Studio is a sandbox platform fighting game with built-in creation tools for characters and stages.

+13

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 590 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The character creation tool is incredibly versatile and user-friendly, allowing for both simple and complex character designs.
Gameplay is smooth and reminiscent of classic platform fighters like Super Smash Bros, providing a fun experience for players.
The community is active and supportive, with a growing roster of user-generated characters available through the Steam Workshop.

The game suffers from bugs and crashes, particularly with certain graphics cards, which can hinder the user experience.
Controls can feel unresponsive or poorly mapped, especially when using a controller, leading to frustration during gameplay.
The game currently lacks additional modes and content, making it feel somewhat barebones compared to other platform fighters.

gameplay
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
7%
The gameplay is generally well-received, offering smooth mechanics reminiscent of classic platform fighters like Super Smash Bros. and Rivals of Aether, making it accessible for beginners. However, some players note that the controls can feel off and the game lacks depth and content compared to its peers, with a few bugs and customization issues. Overall, it combines fun gameplay with a robust character editor, appealing to both casual players and those interested in game development.
- “Gameplay is smooth, janky at times, but smooth to the point that makes it better than everything besides Rivals and Smash itself (in my opinion). Give it a play and see for yourself that I don't lie!”
- “Smack Studio delivers on exactly what it promises: a tight platform fighter with a good foundation of mechanics (including some new ones) that shines the brightest in its character creation.”
- “The gameplay itself is very fun, playing like a more accessible Melee, in a way.”
- “I hope I'm a complete idiot and have somehow overlooked certain mechanics/tools that would've taken care of the issues mentioned above, and if that's the case, please enlighten me.”
- “It's not exactly a great game; the content is extremely sparse and the combat mechanics are much simpler compared to other games in the genre.”
- “It's a bit buggy, needs a lot more options for customizing gameplay (player indicators sometimes cover your own character), and the workshop has a few broken characters, but it is a ton of fun.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
75%
8%
The graphics of the game feature a vibrant 3D environment that enhances the character creation experience, though it can be demanding on lower-end systems, leading to performance issues like frame rate drops. While the pixel art style is praised for its charm and detail, some users have reported rendering errors on high-end graphics cards, although these issues have largely been addressed in recent updates. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant improvement, but there is a call for more customizable graphics options to accommodate a wider range of hardware.
- “The attention to detail is remarkable, and the art style is both charming and distinctive.”
- “The pixel art visuals on a 3D background are beautiful, reminiscent of Octopath Traveler.”
- “Been following this game since the alpha and the largest improvement has been the visuals.”
- “Id really like to give this program a good review but instead found out a couple hours too late that 3080 ti and above have a consistent 3D rendering graphics error giving the appearance of black outlines where there shouldn't be and missing pixels. Very unfortunate.”
- “Well, the editor doesn't actually work on certain graphics cards; it's something that's getting worked on, but up until it actually gets fixed, I cannot recommend this knowing that its biggest and best aspect is basically impossible to use in some systems.”
- “Cool game but when it loads up the FPS is good but when I'm in the create a fighter it drops and I'm on the lowest graphic settings.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally considered to be quite buggy, with issues such as player indicators obscuring characters and broken workshop content. Despite these stability concerns, many users find the character creation and multiplayer aspects enjoyable, indicating that while the game has significant stability issues, it still offers fun gameplay experiences. Additional documentation and customization options are also recommended to enhance user experience.
- “It's a bit buggy, needs a lot more options for customizing gameplay (player indicators sometimes cover your own character) and the workshop has a few broken characters.”
- “Very buggy, and needs a lot more documentation or tutorials for advanced use cases.”
- “Game is somewhat buggy, (as to be expected).”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
38%
The reviews indicate a consensus that the game lacks a significant story, with multiple users noting the absence of a narrative.
- “No story.”
- “No story.”
- “No story.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players consistently express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a "second life." While some appreciate the character creator, they find the process of refining sprite sheets tedious, especially in the game's early access state.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game boasts significant replayability due to its custom character options, a solid starting roster, and the anticipated stage creator feature. Players appreciate the extensive character workshop, which enhances the game's longevity and enjoyment beyond its initial cost. Overall, it is recognized as a fun and well-crafted platform fighter with ample replay value.
- “These custom characters add much replay value to the game.”
- “It's a fun, well-made platform fighter, with tons of replay value, and a good starting roster.”
- “The promise of a stage creator, and the vast multitudes of characters on the workshop already proves this game will have replay value far outlasting the cost of the game.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is primarily driven by social media advertising, particularly on platforms like TikTok, which effectively highlights its unique feature of pixel animation with bones. Users express satisfaction with this distinctive animation style, suggesting that the marketing successfully attracted their interest.
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music and sound design in the game are highly praised, with many users highlighting their quality as a standout feature. However, there is a strong desire for a background music editor to allow players to customize their character's battle themes.
- “Decent gameplay, amazing sound design and music.”
- “Just please add a background music editor; I'd like to be able to make my own character with her own battle theme!”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game features a strong emotional connection through its community-driven content, the primary appeal lies in its editor and the value offered by the Steam Workshop, making it a worthwhile purchase even for those who may not engage with the editing tools.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, with multiple users noting that it does not run smoothly.
- “This game is not greatly optimized.”
- “This game is not greatly optimized.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in Smack Studio is highly praised for its unique blend of platformer fighting and creative character design, allowing players to engage deeply with their characters and customize them to their liking. This aspect enhances the overall gameplay experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Smack Studio is a gem of a game that blends platformer fighting with the creative joy of character design.”