Skullgirls is a fast-paced 2D

2D computer graphics

2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...

 fighting game

Fighting game

Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...

 being developed by Reverge Labs. Currently slated for a 2012 release for the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

 (PlayStation Network) and Xbox 360

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

 (Xbox Live Arcade), it is being published by Autumn Games

Autumn Games

Autumn Games is a New York-based video game publisher. The company was founded by Alex Collmer and Jason Donnell in 2007, with institutional sponsorship from Communications Equity Associates and Autumn Entertainment Partners....

.

Development

Skullgirls began its life as two separate projects. Tournament fighter Mike "Mike Z" Zaimont had begun working on a fighting game engine, while Alex Ahad had begun working on a world, story and characters for a fighting game. Some years later, mutual friends introduced them to one another, and their two personal projects were merged into Skullgirls.

Zaimont, a tournament level fighting game enthusiast has teamed up with Richard Wyckoff and Emil Dotchevski, the founders of Reverge Labs, to bring Skullgirls to home consoles.

Plot

Set in Canopy Kingdom, characters are fighting for the opportunity to control the mysterious Skull Heart, an artifact with the ability to grant wishes, albeit at a substantial cost. The Skullgirl is a monster that haunts humanity: the result of those with an impure soul attempting to use the Heart.

Gameplay

Skullgirls is a 2D fighting game. The developers have stated on numerous occasions that their primary goal is to make Skullgirls great at the competitive level by addressing problems such as design and balance issues that other games in the genre suffer from.

Infinite Detection

One of the most important design decisions in Skullgirls is a unique infinite detection system. This decision was made in order to make sure to maintain balance with each character. If the game detects that a player is performing a loop, the game will change the color of the hit sparks, and the opposing player can end the loop with a single button press. However, as long as the player is not performing a loop in their combo, they can continue to combo as long as they are able.

Ratio System Tag Battles

Before the beginning of the match, players are able to choose a "ratio" of characters. Players are able to choose from playing as one, two, or three characters. Single characters do more damage and have more HP, but lose the strategic advantages of character assists and the ability to regenerate health while offscreen. Teams with two or more characters have less HP and do less damage, but are able to take advantage of assists and different playstyles.

Custom Assists

Skullgirls will feature an element that will be a first for fighting games. Players will be allowed to choose any one of a playable character's attacks to use as an an assist by simple input of the attack's motion in a game menu. Each character also has their own preset assists to choose from. Players can choose any attack type with exception of super moves. These include: throws, normal attacks, dashes, and any special move.

Easier Inputs for more complex motions

In order to shift the game’s focus from executing difficult moves to fighting strategically, the game features simplified inputs.

For example, if a character has any moves that require to move the joystick in a 360° motion, the game will be able to recognize the motion, even if the input was not placed as fast as is required as in other similar fighting games. This makes executing these moves easier for the majority of unexperienced players, and allows them to potentially try out new characters that were beyond their skill level in other titles. This simplicity also prevents the character from jumping while performing the 360° motion, which is a common occurrence for many players.

Super Meter

Skullgirls allows players to build meter in the usual manner of hitting the opponent, as well as whiffing attacks. However, unlike other games in which any missed normal move results in gained meter, the player must be moving towards the opponent. If the player is moving backwards and attacking, meter will not be gained. Additionally, this only works if the player has less than one bar; in order to gain more than one bar players must connect with the opponent.

High/Low Unblockables

High/low unblockables are a common, extremely useful tactic in other tag style fighting games. In Skullgirls, however, after a character blocks a high or low hit, they are protected for a period of time from being hit by a low attack or an overhead, respectively. The protection window is small enough as to not have an effect on regular gameplay, but allows players who correctly guess the correct attack to defend themselves from what would otherwise be an unblockable attack.

Netcode

Skullgirls uses GGPO

GGPO

GGPO is middleware designed to help create a near-lagless online experience for various emulated arcade games and fighting games...

 (Good Game, Peace Out) netcode. It is one of the first dedicated console titles to be using the code.

Soundtrack

Reverge Labs has announced that the game's music will consist of original compositions by Michiru Yamane

Michiru Yamane

is a Japanese video game composer and musician. She is known primarily for her work on the Castlevania series and other Konami games, including Suikoden. Her debut composition was Twinbee...

, who is perhaps most well known for her work on Konami

Konami

is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...

's Castlevania series.

Characters

• Filia

Voiced by: Christine Marie Cabanos

An amnesiac with a powerful parasite named Samson in place of her hair.

• Cerebella

Voiced by: Cristina Vee

A member of the famous Cirque des Cartes, she wields Vice-Versa, an incredibly strong set of arms she wears as a hat.

• Peacock

Voiced by: Sarah Williams

A slave rescued by Dr. Avian of the Anti-Skullgirl labs, her arsenal takes on the appearance of 20's-era cartoons thanks to the child's damaged mind.

• Parasoul

Voiced by: Erin Fitzgerald

Erin Fitzgerald

Erin Fitzgerald is a Canadian-American voice actress. She was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is bilingual, speaking both English and French fluently...

The princess of the Canopy Kingdom, wielding a napalm ball-throwing umbrella and commanding the Kingdom's military.

• Ms. Fortune

Voiced by: Kimlinh Tran

A feline feral, Nadia Fortune is the last surviving member of the Fishbone Gang, a notorious band of otherwise Dagonian thieves. Her encounter with a mysterious artifact gave her miraculous regenerative abilities, which she uses in battle.

• Painwheel

A schoolgirl altered by the Anti-Skullgirls labs. She attacks by shooting painful spines out of her body, and can fly using a giant saw blade on her back.

• Valentine

A ninja nurse who co-created Painwheel and now serves the current Skullgirl.

Further characters

An announcement has not been made in regards to the number of characters to be in the final release, although the website currently has eight character slots available. Many other characters have been shown in other forms of media, male as well as female.

External links

• Official website
• Developer website