Hold back to block — a primer in building defensive interactions
After a seventh entry completely revolving around offense and — more specifically — how to build a sound combo system, this week we tackle some principle of defense, from an implementation point of view. So, steel your reflexes, tap forward with the right rhythm and perform that Daigo Parry while giving your players some tools to thwart the opponent’s pressure!
LET’S GO, JUSTIN! — note that in this article I won’t explain how to implement a parry, as this topic deserves an article on its own due to its complexity and implications.
No blocking in this venue
Before we delve into the topic, a due premise: fighting games do not always NEED to have a block/guard/parry option. Games like Dive Kick and HYPERFIGHT show — if anything — that you can make a fun game without having to implement nothing more than attacks and movement options. However, most fighting games out there, even the simplest, are bound to have access to some sort of defensive option. The two examples above use movement and positioning as a way to avoid the opponent’s attacks, while more traditional games opt to implement a guard/block system — that is, a system that allows a player to avoid part or all the damage of an incoming attack by pressing a specific button.