Nidhogg

Nidhogg is a great little game that perfectly captures the appealing, addictive qualities of simple PvP arcade games. The pixel art is reminiscent of a retro computer game, providing a nostalgic feel as you splash the floor with your opponent’s innards. The controls are easy to grasp, but there are many interactions that you can find yourself doing. From finding ways to disarm your opponent of their sword to using off angles to score a sneaky kill, there is rarely a dull moment no matter what position you’re put in. The duels can be dramatic yet concise, as when a player is slain they are quickly respawned to take another shot at reclaiming the right of way. The objective to reach the edge of the arena is novel yet compelling, as your strategy dynamically changes from playing on the offensive and defensive. The 5 maps available provide different layouts of obstacles that make for a good amount of variety between each round. Whether you play the singleplayer mode and challenge yourself to beat your own record time or play a game of cat and mouse with a friend through split screen or online, it’s effortless to jump in and start having some dumb fun. I experienced lag spikes while playing with a friend through online play, so split-screen play is preferable whenever possible for multiplayer. TLDR: If I found Nidhogg at an arcade, I would totally play it, and then invite all my friend like it’s Mortal Kombat II.