Smack Studio
- July 31, 2024
- ThirdPixel Interactive
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Smack Studio is a sandbox fighting game currently in Early Access, featuring Kickstarter-funded creation tools to transform 2D sprites into 3D animations. Battle it out with up to 8 players in offline mode or 4 players online, with fast-paced gameplay, smooth game feel, and high combo potential. Play against friends or CPU players, and export your animations for use in your own projects."
Reviews
- The character creator is incredibly versatile and easy to use, allowing both beginners and experienced users to create unique fighters with depth.
- The gameplay is smooth and reminiscent of classic platform fighters like Super Smash Bros, providing a fun experience for players.
- The community support and ongoing updates from the developers show a commitment to improving the game and expanding its features.
- The game currently lacks a variety of game modes and stages, which can make it feel limited in content.
- There are technical issues and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly with the character editor and sprite importing.
- The learning curve for advanced character creation can be steep, and the lack of comprehensive tutorials may frustrate new users.
- gameplay22 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as smooth and enjoyable, reminiscent of classic platform fighters like Super Smash Bros. and Rivals of Aether, though some players find the mechanics simpler and controls less refined. While the character editor and customization options are praised, there are mentions of bugs and a need for more gameplay features. Overall, it offers a fun experience, especially for beginners, but may require some adjustment to fully appreciate its mechanics.
“The gameplay itself is very fun, playing like a more accessible Melee, in a way.”
“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 core mechanics feel as good as Super Smash Bros. Melee, Rivals of Aether, or Nick All-Stars Brawl (all, in my opinion, excellent platform fighting games with variances in control).”
“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.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with a vibrant and charming pixel art style set against a 3D background that many players find visually appealing. However, users have reported performance issues, particularly on higher-end graphics cards, and a lack of options for lower-end systems, which can hinder the experience. While the character creator is praised for its depth and functionality, the mandatory 3D environment can be taxing on computers, leading to frame rate drops and rendering errors.
“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.”
“The editor is meant to accommodate the 3D movements of characters, and 3D is made mandatory, meaning there's this huge 3D room that always has bright colors cycling by default (even if I change this, my in-editor preferences are never saved permanently) and it's killing my computer, even on the lowest graphics settings.”
“I'd really like to give this program a good review but instead found out a couple of 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 on some systems.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits notable stability issues, with users reporting various bugs that affect gameplay and character customization. While these bugs can detract from the experience, many players still find the game enjoyable and appreciate its character creation features. Overall, the game requires further refinement and documentation to enhance stability and usability.
“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).”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a story, with multiple users noting the absence of any narrative elements.
“No story.”
“No story.”
“No story.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players express that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, likening it to needing a "second life" to manage the demands. While the character creator is praised, the process of refining sprite sheets adds to the tedium, especially in the early access phase.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The character creator that's inside of the game is actually good, but does require you to clean it up after making sprite sheets, which makes it tedious.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's strong replayability, driven by customizable characters, a solid starting roster, and the inclusion of a stage creator. The extensive character options available through the workshop further enhance the game's longevity, suggesting that players will find value well beyond the initial purchase.
“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.”
“These custom characters add much replay value to the game.”
“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.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy for the game effectively utilizes social media advertising, particularly on platforms like TikTok, to showcase its unique pixel animation feature, which has garnered positive attention from users.
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its amazing sound design, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. However, players express a desire for a background music editor to create personalized battle themes for their characters.
“Decent gameplay, amazing sound design and music, but most importantly, the character editor.”
“Just please add a background music editor; I'd like to be able to make my own character with her own battle theme!”
“Just please add a background music editor; I'd like to be able to create my own character with her own battle theme!”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making battles less engaging.”
“I wish there were more original tracks; the current soundtrack is forgettable.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game's editor is highlighted as its main attraction, players find that the emotional engagement and value of the game extend beyond this feature, making it a worthwhile purchase even for those who may not use the editor, thanks to the vibrant Steam community workshop.
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues that detract from the overall experience.
“This game is not well optimized.”
“The optimization in this game leaves much to be desired.”
“I experienced significant performance issues due to poor optimization.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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.
“Smack Studio is a gem of a game that blends platformer fighting with the creative joy of character design.”
