I can't sleep because I'm obsessing over this stupid card game idea, so I'm hoping dumping it here will either interest people or at least allow me to sleep.

It would be a card game emulating classic fighting video games. Two players would fight each other using a specific character with their own moves. Moves would have a frames cost (foreswing, attack, backswing), a range/movement component, and a damage and stun value if it lands.

Both players would have a card representing their character and where they facing on a 4x10 grid. Lower row is crouch, middle row is standing up, upper rows are midair, as well as two pawns on a time scale that would advance according to the frame cost of the played moves. The player behind on the time scale would have right of play until their pawn overtakes their opponent's.

Attacks can be evaded by moving to a spot safe from the attack (jump, backstep) or parried with a specific move. Some moves can go through parry like throws. If an attack lands, the character hit loses the attack value in hit points and their pawn advances on the time scale according to the stun value, which may enable the attacking player to play more attacks.

Moves are held in a hand of cards hidden to the other player. Some basic moves may be always available face up like Step forward, Step back, Jump, Getting up, Crouch, High Parry and Low Parry. Hand is replenished anytime a move is played from the hand, whether it lands or not.

Moves may have pre-conditions, like being mid-air, crouching, facing away from opponent that would prevent them to be played at all if they are not met. If a move played is found invalid, it is discarded without costing frames.

Moves may make your character move no matter what, and make the other character move if it lands. Moves may have additional effect, like knock down.

I've toyed with the idea of players purchasing moves with controller inputs but it sounds redundant with the frame cost system.

What do you think?

#boardgames #gamedesign #cardgames