In a quiet mountain range, on forgotten training grounds, two warriors stand, ready to compete in a pure test of ability. 
No tricks or gimmicks,
just their brawns, brains, and faithful swords.

Bushi brawler is a minimal 2d platform fighter made in the Pico-8 fantasy console, inspired primarily by Super Smash Land and FOOTSIES.

Made alone by someone who plays barely any fighting games, platform or not, for the Samurai Game Jam.
Subject to be updated some day with added characters and better physics, attacks, and AI. After a long overview of the code and core physics systems,  i've come to the realisation i would need to start from scratch to make this game be what it could be. So, that "some day" is gonna be a while off until further notice.

There's also a lexaloffle BBS page for this game.

FEATURES:

• a 2 player and a vs CPU mode
• 1 character type, 1 stage
• no health, just increasing knockback. hit your opponent off the edge screen to win!
• 1 attack button, 6 attacks: an upwards, a neutral, and a downwards attack each when grounded or airborne
• customisable time limit (including none), stocks (lives), starting knockback percentage, and screen shake
• barely any music, mostly just the swooshing of swords and thumping of running.

CONTROLS:

player 1:

• left and right arrow keys to move
• Z/N to jump
• X/M to attack
• up and down arrow keys to aim

player 2:

• S/F to move
• tab to jump
• Q to attack
• E/D to aim

aiming down lets you drop through platforms.

ATTACKS:

• upward grounded: an upwards slash that flings your opponent upwards. long build-up.
• neutral grounded (also when running): a simple sword strike. long recovery.
• downwards grounded: leg sweep. fast, long range, weak, mostly horizontal knockback. short invincibility.
• upwards aerial: a mid-air jump that follows into a downwards slice until you hit the ground.
• neutral aerial: a simple sword spin.
• downwards aerial: a downwards sword thrust. bounces you up upon hitting an enemy.

CREDITS:

• BigManJD's grasslands tileset

• Grape Soda font, used for the title

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

• the lazy devs discord server, for being a cool and encouraging lot
• Achie, for making me aware of this game jam
• my brother, for helping with game testing