2D Smashers is a chaotic, online multiplayer platform fighter all about smashing your friends off the stage with a bat. It's fun, fast, and just the right amount of ridiculous.
Originally based on my co-founder Mike's earlier project, Frog Smashers (co-developed with Ruan Rothmann), expanded into a full-on online multiplayer party brawler. With five new tribes, each with their own unique moves and personality, and lots of customization options.
Released in 2021 on WebGL and later on PC, 2D Smashers featured a robust online networking thanks to Photon PUN integration, making it easy to jump into matches with friends no matter where they were. The silly tone and pick-up-and-play gameplay helped the project catch on quickly and led to the successful launch of Nifty League.
Inspired by Samurai Gunn, Lethal League, and the Smash Bros. series, 2D Smashers embraces the joy of short rounds, dramatic KOs, and laughing while you get launched across the screen.
My role
I was the lead developer and network engineer on 2D Smashers, working closely with Mike to expand the game's core mechanics, as well as leading the technical direction of the project. I am specifically proud of the online multiplayer, which was a hard problem to solve in such a fast-paced "hand-to-hand" fighting game.
Furthuer development
As the CTO of Nifty League, I led the 2D Smashers team to grow to about 12 game developers, artists, designers and backend engineers. During 2022 and 2023, the game expanded to include more game modes, mini-games and Web3 features, including NFTL rewards and a rental system that allowed players to rent their characters for a fee. 2D Smashers was ultimately sunsetted in 2024 and replaced with the cross-platform 3D Nifty Smashers!