Ten years of pain in side-scrolling mobile fighting games: many followers, few pioneers

As a branch of horizontal action games, the evolution and development of horizontal fighting games over the years has been full of drama.

Many times, it is difficult for us to define the specific scope of the concept of side-scrolling fighting games, from the FC arcade era, to consoles, handheld consoles, to PC games, to the most popular mobile game platform at the moment, side-scrolling fighting games. Horizontal fighting games have never withdrawn from the stage of history. They have always been a protagonist on the stage of the game industry. However, in different periods, the gameplay and expression of horizontal fighting games have been constantly changing.

Leaving aside the past, today, the side-scrolling fighting game that is more understood and accepted by the majority of players is the side-scrolling level game represented by "Dungeon and Fighter", which was released in 2008. , the national server of "Dungeon & Fighter" was launched, making side-scrolling fighting games one of the most popular game types among players for a long time. Interestingly, it was also in this year that Android smartphones were launched. , mobile games began their vigorous and rapid development.

From PC to mobile, side-scrolling fighting for ten years

The early development of mobile games matched the popularity of Android smartphones. Therefore, it was not until 2011 that Android After the 2.0 system began to become popular, mobile users began to grow explosively year by year. According to the "Statistical Report on China's Internet Development", by June 2021, the number of mobile users in my country has reached 1.007 billion in ten years, and CNNIC data in the same year shows , the number of mobile game users in China has reached 516 million, which is equivalent to one mobile game player for every two mobile users.

Focusing again on horizontal fighting mobile games, how have horizontal fighting games performed on mobile platforms in the past ten years?

The answer is surprising. Unfortunately, we can only answer in eight words: there are many followers and few pioneers.

Looking back ten years ago, in 2012, when many game manufacturers were still exploring the layout of mobile platforms, Yinhan Games took the lead in launching the first horizontal version of the fighting mobile game in history: "Time and Space" "Hunter", the game provides players with a perfect horizontal version of the fighting game experience with its refreshing operating feel, gorgeous combat effects and exciting combat experience, and has therefore achieved a huge success that can be called a miracle.

After "Time Hunter" was launched, it quickly swept the world in a short period of time. In 2013, it was successively launched in Japan, South Korea, Europe, the United States, Russia and other countries and regions, and it also became one of the most popular mobile fighting games in the world. , setting a record of 1 million players online at the same time around the world. Today, the cumulative number of registered users has exceeded 250 million.

It can be said that the advent of "Time Hunter" ushered in the first year of horizontal fighting mobile games, and also allowed horizontal fighting mobile games to still occupy an important position in the fierce competition in the mobile game market after so many years. .

But as mentioned earlier in the article, the development of side-scrolling mobile fighting games has almost stagnated after "Time Hunter". Following "Time Hunter", domestic game manufacturers at the time A large number of side-scrolling fighting mobile games were either agents or developed. In 2014, "Wolf of the Moon" was deleted and closed beta ended, and disappeared instantly; "Sweeping Journey to the West" relied on the innovation of various combinations of basic skills to become a more successful side-scrolling game. version of fighting mobile games; there are also dozens of new games such as "Shadow Blade", "Blade of Time and Space" and "Blade of Blue Wings". Their results are the same and they all eventually disappeared in the long river of history.

Hard-core fighting experience is the original intention of horizontal fighting mobile games

In fact, the biggest difference between horizontal fighting mobile games and general action mobile games is that the former is more hard-core Action game experience, looking at the side-scrolling fighting games in the past ten years, only a few game products have achieved this, such as "Blade of the Three Kingdoms" and "Naruto", which are still performing well to this day.

So, in the current situation where there are many followers and few innovators, Yinhan Games has developed a new 3D side-scrolling mobile fighting game "Time Hunter 3" in an attempt to provide a new platform for today's side-scrolling mobile fighting games. Open up a new situation and re-stir the horizontal fighting mobile game market that has been like a stagnant pool of water.

As the orthodox sequel to "Time Hunters", "Time Hunters 3" can be said to be a perfect combination of emotion and innovation. The game's breakthrough from 2D to 3D has comprehensively improved the expressiveness of the game's graphics. 3D science fiction The exquisite wasteland-style scenes gave the author a refreshing visual experience, which is more in line with the aesthetic habits of current players.

In addition, we can see in the game the classic horizontal version of mobile fighting games such as moving bricks and brushing pictures, teaming up to attack bosses, and the core game experience of PVP fighting. Players can still feel the traditional horizontal version of fighting. The fun of mobile gaming.

If it were just the above features, "Time Hunter 3" is at best an upgraded replica of the previous game. Therefore, the game has made a lot of innovations and upgrades in all aspects of gameplay, further improving the hard-core fighting experience. , thanks to the blessing of the 3D engine, the action expressions of game characters and monsters have been greatly improved, and the feeling of blow and hit feedback are also more delicate, and the newly added combo settings, floating two-stage combo and ending Skill modules are all comprehensively enhancing players' fighting game experience.

This time, "Time Hunter 3" has become a mobile fighting game that can really pursue micro-management. It is no longer a false claim to clear difficult bosses without taking any damage. It is no longer a false claim to defeat three players in the ladder arena. A slogan, but a game achievement that players can actually achieve.

The importance of long-term operations to horizontal version of mobile fighting games

The game graphics and combat system of "Time Hunter 3" are already the ultimate in the current horizontal version of fighting mobile games, but Whether a side-scrolling fighting game can be successful depends on whether the game has the potential and determination to operate in the long term.

Generally speaking, the core gameplay of side-scrolling mobile fighting games is very fixed, so continuous new content updates are needed to provide players with a sense of freshness. Yinhan Games’ ten-year update of “Time Hunters” should be able to It proves that the content update speed of "Time Hunter 3" is beyond doubt.

Secondly, from the tests that have been conducted, it is not difficult to see that "Time Hunter 3" is very sincere in its long-term operation. The official has deliberately restored the free auction house system, allowing players to collect all the equipment, Chips, gem props, etc. are all freely traded in the auction house. This economic system, which is closely related to the PVE gameplay, will continue to inject game vitality into "Time Hunter 3".

Summary

Since the FC and arcade era, countless classic side-scrolling fighting games have cultivated countless fighting game enthusiasts, making side-scrolling fighting a game with a large number of fans. The game market segment for player fans is different from the current situation of mobile games where the game life cycle is generally short. A high-quality side-scrolling fighting game often has an extremely long game life cycle. The author does not know "Time Hunter 3" 》How far can it go? But based on the potential shown by the game at this stage, I believe it may usher in a new era of side-scrolling mobile fighting games!