Battle Theater (2016)

Battle Theater is a 2016 2D platform fighter developed by Inora for the V2. Unlike most fighters, the game revolves around filling a Ratings Meter through good performance and lack of getting hurt. The game was inspired by Trifecta: Multiverse Fighters and the audience battle system of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

It's also a reboot of a previous fighting game of the same name. Reception has been (TBA).

Gameplay[]

The game plays very similarly to Smash, being a 2D platform fighter where players control their characters, attack, and use simple special moves and taunts. However, the main difference is how progression is made. Players must attack well and avoid getting hit to fill a Ratings Meter. What the exact goal is varies, but the Ratings Meter should always be kept up. This means that everything you do counts, and taunts can be used to increase it. The game also has an active audience that will interact with the characters in different ways.

Besides the Ratings Meter, there are various props that can be collected to use with different effects, and players can customize a Trophy shelf. When Trophies are equipped, they'll have a special effect on the user. One special prop-type are accolades. There are different kinds of accolades, but each will unlock one of the user's Star Power moves, a Final Smash-esque attack/action.

Modes[]

Story Mode: All the World's a Stage[]

A 2D beat em' up mode that is a rip-off of the Subspace Emissary because I'm a talentless hack. Players battle through levels with 1-4 players while discovering secrets, solving puzzles, and platforming.

Champions from across the universe are invited to a giant city known as Star City, where they are given the chance to win the Star Rod, which will grant their greatest wishes. However, they'll have to deal with various challenges across the city first, including a mysterious villain and the legendary Battle Theater.

Main Modes[]

Battle Theater: Self-explanatory. It can be local, online, with yourself and some dumbass computers, or anything else you could dream of. The goal can be customized from a race to fill up the goal or a test of survival to not let it deplete, or to modes that give the game health bars/damage meters. Props can be turned on or off, and handicaps can be given.

Arcade: An arcade-styled mode that has a special border around it. After dropping a few coins into the slot, you'll embark on a quest to defeat opponents with various randomized conditions to battle Master Hand in the end. You can put more coins in if you die. Scrub.

Shop: If you've earned some coins in your battles, use them to buy stuff.

The Vault: Set everything to your liking, listen to some music, view your snapshots and badges, take a look at some trophies, and customize your shelf.

Tournament: A mode that allows you to create custom tournaments for competitive play.

Pit of 100 Trials: Brave the various trials of this underground dungeon that will test your skill in fighting, platforming, and puzzle-solving in 100 floors that are always changing. At the bottom, you'll battle Bonetail. After every 10 floors, you'll earn a reward, but dying removes your progress. Good luck.

Minigames[]

Metal Madness: Take down as many metal clones as you can in this metal fight before your Ratings Meter depletes. As you advance, you'll earn prizes.
Smash n' Dash: Race to the end of the stage while using your attacks to slow down enemies or send them backwards.
Trivia Brawl: Answer trivia against the opponent about a selected category to earn prizes. As you go, you'll earn more, but it comes at the price of an entry fee.
Sandbag: Wreck sandbag. Just wreck that piece of shit.
Trophyball: Play a game of pinball on a randomized table, using coins to unlock pinballs. Earn points and break capsules to collect some trophies.