When Bandai Namco announced that Tekken 8 would be launching in 2024, many likely figured that the eighth installment of the King of Iron Fist Tournament would probably be the best fighting game of that year. However, I’m here to put forth a different option, one that’s softer, fluffier and sillier than you’d expect from a fighting game. It’s called Pillow Champ, and it’s set to launch in Spring 2024 on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch and Netflix Games. Check out the teaser trailer at the top of the page if you’re interested.
Developed by indie team Frosty Pop Games, Pillow Champ is exactly what it sounds like: a Street Fighter 2 inspired fighting game that replaces traditional fisticuffs with smacking each with pillows. The game will include a roster of 8 characters, each with their own background and signature style, along with a range of modes that include a full career mode that offers upgradeable skills. Pretty deep for a game that could easily have been a joke.
If that’s not enough, Pillow Champ offers a narrative penned by Strange Scaffold helm and accomplished video game writer Xalavier Nelson Jr., who’s best known for his work on games like El Paso, Elsewhere and Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator. Not only will the gameplay have solid influences, but the story is going to be great too.
Perhaps most importantly though, especially for those who play fighting games on the regular, is that Pillow Champ will be launching with rollback netcode as standard, meaning the online play promises to be rock solid. Given how many big name fighting games still launch with terrible netcode, it’s great to see an indie title like Pillow Champ take netcode seriously by implementing rollback.
While it is too early to definitively say that Pillow Champ will be the best fighting game of 2024, all signs point to this indie brawler being incredibly entertaining when it launches next year on PC, Switch and Netflix Games.
READ MORE:Â 17 Best Switch Fighting Games You Should Play
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
