TowerFall Ascension

 PC
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 164 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 164
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 164
  3. Negative: 39 out of 164

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  1. Quhunar
    Apr 20, 2014
    5
    Kept reading about a smash bros killer, i instantly bought the game, i like 8-bit style and indie games anyway so it seemed to be the perfect deal.
    Everything i love in smash bros is not in this game. I don't say it's a bad one but what the **** this game is more of a copy of "super mario war", the free game you can find online. Smash bros is a complex fighting game, this is an arcade    Kept reading about a smash bros killer, i instantly bought the game, i like 8-bit style and indie games anyway so it seemed to be the perfect deal.
    Everything i love in smash bros is not in this game. I don't say it's a bad one but what the **** this game is more of a copy of "super mario war", the free game you can find online. Smash bros is a complex fighting game, this is an arcade game in arena.
    I don't understand why this game is so hypped, i think it's because of the ouya having way less games than xbox live arcade for instance. On XBLA you can find a lot of crazy multiplayer games like 'hidden in play sight' or even fighting platefromer games better than towerFall in my opinion.

    With my friend we play every local multiplayer games we can find, and we spent more time on mario party than on this game so this is quite sad.
    Overall i think you should test this game or see videos before buying (not like me). The gameplay is really straight forward, the gameplay variations comes from the items, not from characters (they're just skins).

    i put 5/10 because i think this should be payed half price, and i don't think at all that this game deserve a 10/10. I would keep playing it for fun but never more than 30 minutes.

    One last thing : super smash is played in tournament. This game have a tournament ruling but it fools no one. I rather see sumotori dreams in tournament...    … Expand
  2. Conran
    Mar 4, 2015
    1
    Tedious is the best way to describe it. No online multiplayer. Gameplays a bit of a bore. If your looking for fun, single player BroForce or if your looking for multiplayer, literally anything with working online connectivity is better. Don't buy the hype.
  3. cimerians
    May 27, 2015
    5
    Fun couch multiplayer game with Joust like game play. Hit other things before they hit you. Repeat.
    Its fun and funny but ultimately too difficult and frustrating on later levels. In my case I didn't even bother with hardcore. Also there are not enough boards to justify an asking price of 10 bucks or more. If you want to torture yourself with a love/hate type game by all means try this    Fun couch multiplayer game with Joust like game play. Hit other things before they hit you. Repeat.
    Its fun and funny but ultimately too difficult and frustrating on later levels. In my case I didn't even bother with hardcore. Also there are not enough boards to justify an asking price of 10 bucks or more. If you want to torture yourself with a love/hate type game by all means try this out but for me its a solid 5 out of 10. A briefly fun but ultimately frustrating experience.    … Expand
  4. masoroso
    May 9, 2014
    9
    Great game for local multiplayer session. We have a lot of fun playing this game but you should at least be with two, preferably three or four. Lots of customazation possible which makes it very fun to play. Our sessions are mostly arounf 1 - 1.5 hrs and then it is time to do another game but you keep coming back every day.
  5. lucipher
    Mar 13, 2014
    6
    An excellent multiplayer brawler in the vein of Smash Brothers.

    However, it falls down because it does not have online multiplayer. If you have people who you can play with, at a games room at work, at school, or if you are a child, this is great.

    If you are an adult used to gaming with friends online, unfortunately this game is not for you.
  6. Suyooo
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    One of the greatest multiplayer games around. Not only are the controls amazing, and the gameplay quick and exciting, but the attention to detail is impressive - whether it's the animation of the characters or the fact every archer has his own set of sound effects, giving them each their personal "voice".
  7. MiloIgnis
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    An incredibly great game. My friend bought it for Ouya, then we both bought it when it came out on PC. It is one of the best mutliplayer games I have ever played, wonderful for groups in a way reminicent of Smash Bros. The co-op is an amazing additon, great for practice and challenging yourself; or to fight through back to back with a friend. The polish in this game is astounding, and justAn incredibly great game. My friend bought it for Ouya, then we both bought it when it came out on PC. It is one of the best mutliplayer games I have ever played, wonderful for groups in a way reminicent of Smash Bros. The co-op is an amazing additon, great for practice and challenging yourself; or to fight through back to back with a friend. The polish in this game is astounding, and just brilliant all around. I literally have to stop writing this review to keep playing!… Expand
  8. nniinnii
    Mar 16, 2014
    10
    Good game. Perfect to play together with 2-4 friends on 1 PC. Is very fun and challenging. But mabye you will be a little hurt after one game session.
  9. DRiVER_helsinki
    Mar 16, 2014
    0
    Oh well... points down because it does not have online multiplayer, which would make it hold the interest solvingly longer. If you have people who you can play with, at a games room at work, at school, or if you are a child, this is ok , IF you're not hardcore gamer kid or CS kid. .If you are an adult used to gaming with friends online, dont buy.
  10. Diaboliquin
    Jan 3, 2015
    9
    Great game to play in the room with friends, rate it zero only because not include online multiplayer is stupid. The graphics are acceptable, especially I liked the attention to detail of the animations. The best parts are the trick shots that sometimes occur. As a bonus there are characters and hidden towers. Recommended if at least have 2 game controls.
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    Magnífico juego para    Great game to play in the room with friends, rate it zero only because not include online multiplayer is stupid. The graphics are acceptable, especially I liked the attention to detail of the animations. The best parts are the trick shots that sometimes occur. As a bonus there are characters and hidden towers. Recommended if at least have 2 game controls.
    ----------
    Magnífico juego para jugar en la sala con los amigos, calificarlo con cero solo porque no incluye multijugador en línea es estúpido. Los gráficos son aceptables, me gustó especialmente la atención al detalle de las animaciones. Las mejores partes son los tiros de fantasía que a veces ocurren. Como extra hay personajes y torres ocultas. Recomendado si por lo menos tienes 2 controles de juego.    … Expand
  11. Tashy497
    Jan 3, 2015
    10
    Lots of love, and then super duper hate from a few angry people. The game is dime! If you're under the age of 28 you may not appreciate the throw-back graphics. This is more so TurboGrafx16 graphics than NES. The graphics were a turn off to me at first (meaning before I bought the game, having only seen stills)... but after playing, even as playing it for the first time, I was blown away.Lots of love, and then super duper hate from a few angry people. The game is dime! If you're under the age of 28 you may not appreciate the throw-back graphics. This is more so TurboGrafx16 graphics than NES. The graphics were a turn off to me at first (meaning before I bought the game, having only seen stills)... but after playing, even as playing it for the first time, I was blown away. In the minimal amount of detail, the atmosphere, animations, UI, all of it, is maddening well done. I put off the purchase mostly because of price, then I just gave in... going forward I'll buy anything this company makes at full price. I'd say it might be an equal in greatness to SMB, with the caveat that SMB was a much bigger and intense play. TA is bloody gorgeous, to-the-point, and sexy.… Expand
  12. Zaydax
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    This is a fantastic game. Countless hours of fun.
    It also has a variety of maps and options to keep you entertained for even longer! If you have a PS4 or a capable PC and a few friends to play with, it is definitely worth the investment.
  13. berithpy
    Jun 16, 2014
    9
    One of the greatest games to play with friends up to 4,it's a tight controlled,arena vs platformer.
    The art and assets are beautiful with a memorable soundtrack.
    When you lose you really feel it's your fault not the game because of how the control and mechanics work it's really responsive and intuitive. The single player mode its not that great, you are supposed to kill waves of enemies    One of the greatest games to play with friends up to 4,it's a tight controlled,arena vs platformer.
    The art and assets are beautiful with a memorable soundtrack.
    When you lose you really feel it's your fault not the game because of how the control and mechanics work it's really responsive and intuitive.
    The single player mode its not that great, you are supposed to kill waves of enemies to advance but the versus is where is at. You can tweak almost everything in the game with a bunch of arrows and modifiers to select. I'd recommend it to anyone who would love to play a vs game with 2 to 4 players.    … Expand
  14. The_Craig1986
    Mar 12, 2014
    9
    A high level of polish, tight controls, and subtle complexity make Towerfall not only one of the most exceptional indie games in recent years, but one of the most purely entertaining games of the past few years, period.

    There are not too many games being released these days that focus 100% on the fun, but that is exactly what Towerfall does. Within minutes of starting up the game, you    A high level of polish, tight controls, and subtle complexity make Towerfall not only one of the most exceptional indie games in recent years, but one of the most purely entertaining games of the past few years, period.

    There are not too many games being released these days that focus 100% on the fun, but that is exactly what Towerfall does. Within minutes of starting up the game, you and however many friends you’ve tricked into spending time with you, will be laughing and having a blast. There isn’t any need for a tutorial, not a single second is wasted on story, and the menus could be navigated by a five year old. As someone who will play an otherwise terrible game, simply for a good story, it may seem weird for me to be using the lack of story in Towerfall as a plus. The fact of the matter is though, that not all games need a story. Sometimes all a story does is waste your valuable time, and prevents you from jumping right into what it is you actually care about, the action.

    If you are completely unfamiliar with Towerfall, it is an archery combat platformer that is heavily inspired by Super Smash Bros.
    2 – 4 players will battle it out with a limited supply of arrows in a series of short rounds that will end when either all but one player has died, or the time has run out. Though firing your arrows will likely be your main form of attack, it is not your only option. Just like the classic platformers many of us love, you also have the oddly satisfying option of jumping on your opponents head. For your first handful of matches you may think that the combat is a simple matter of jump, shoot, and hide, but once you start to learn a few of the little trick that creator Matt Thorson has hidden in this little beauty, the whole dynamic of the matches will change. I’m hesitant to reveal these little tricks, as the discovery of them can be one of their most exciting aspects.

    With 120 versus maps, spanning across many different environments, each with their own unique pick-ups, Towerfall is anything but light on local multiplayer content. With a large array of variances that can be switched on or off to add some extra diversity to your matches, there should be more than enough here to make Towerfall the center of attention at many game nights, or get-togethers to come.

    When Towerfall was first released on the OUYA, if you were looking for a solid single player experience, you would have had to look elsewhere. Unless you are a hardcore time trial junkie, there wasn’t much there to warrant spending your alone time booting up Towerfall. Shooting at unmoving, non-hostile dummies, just wasn’t going to hold your attention for very long. Luckily for us all, Towerfall ascension has been upgraded to include a full Quest Mode that can be played either alone or with a friend. Each stage in Quest Mode will pit you against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. At first it will seem quite simple, and may lull you into a false sense of security. Don’t fall for it! Even the harmless seeming blobs will become a challenge when your attention has been pulled away by an archer or flying demon. Towerfall Ascension’s single player experience may not hold a candle to the fun that can be had in its multiplayer, but it’s a solid addition to the game and gives you a good reason to boot it up while the friends or family are away.

    There is one omission from Towerfall that is hard to ignore. I can’t be the only one who finds it increasingly more difficult to gather 4 gamers in a room together. When I want to spend an evening trash talking and then failing miserably to live up to my trash talk, I generally need to do it online. Towerfall currently has zero online support and its creator has stated that he will not be adding any. However, before you start posting on Matt’s twitter demanding he add online support with threats of not buying his game without it, it’s important to understand why online support isn’t there. It may not seem like it when you’re playing Call of Duty or Starcraft online, but lag is always an issue. It is something that is always present, and must be accounted for in some way or another. In a game like Towerfall where every frame matters, none of the current methods of dealing with lag, such as prediction, will work. If you want a more detailed explanation of how lag would affect a game like Towerfall, there is a wonderfully indepth article over at Polygon.
    http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/11/5491146/why-you-dont-want-an-online-mode-towerfall

    Though $15 may seem steep when compared to other retro style games, it’s a great deal when compared to the $60 - $70 being charged for games that will provide you with far fewer hours of entertainment.    … Expand
  15. MaxPay
    Mar 17, 2014
    10
    Without a doubt, Towerfall is one of the funniest games you can play with the people you know. Controls are very precise as you would expect. Game is packed with a crazy amount of content and if you don't care about the lack of online option, this one is simply flawless.
  16. cappurnikus
    Mar 22, 2014
    10
    I've shown this game to 2 non gamers and 2 gamers, various ages and they all loved the multiplayer in this game. It is fast paced and has a low skill level for entry. If it could be implemented well, online play would be great but I still think this is a great game and shouldn't be overlooked for a lack of online play.
  17. TragicZero
    May 27, 2014
    10
    One of the best local multi-player games you can buy, to top it off it's under $20.
    Local multi-player seems to be uncommon in too many modern games but the thrill of having you adversaries right next to you help make this a completely unforgettable experience.
  18. PickleinaPickle
    May 28, 2014
    10
    If you have 1-4 controllers, friends, and a hankering for sweet, sweet 2D brawling, look no further. The cooperative/single player campaign is refreshing as well, offering incredibly difficult challenges (even for very experienced gamers). Treat yourself, this game is an absolute blast!
  19. MGSBigBoss
    Mar 23, 2015
    10
    Attention to detail is what really makes Towerfall Ascension stand out. From the careful level design, to the different arrow types, to the customization options, to the stats, it has all been carefully thought through; nothing has been overlooked. Even leaving the online multiplayer out was deliberate; forcing you to play with others in the same room, which is an experience for whichAttention to detail is what really makes Towerfall Ascension stand out. From the careful level design, to the different arrow types, to the customization options, to the stats, it has all been carefully thought through; nothing has been overlooked. Even leaving the online multiplayer out was deliberate; forcing you to play with others in the same room, which is an experience for which there is no substitute! The way the arrows, archers, apparel, levels, and corpses all interact with eachother gives this game a depth and element of intrigue that is surprisingly powerful.

    Oh, and it's fun.
    REALLY fun. The most fun I have had with a group of gaming friends since Smash Bros for N64.

    Get Towerfall Ascension; get yourself some controllers and get your friends together, and get wrecked! That is how this game is meant to be enjoyed.
    Oh, and get the Dark World Expansion, soon to be released. I've played a beta, and you cannot beat 2v2 with the new Team Revive Variant, it provides for some truly intense moments!

    10/10 for giving me the best local multiplayer gaming experiences in the past half decade!    … Expand
  20. the_Slugman
    Aug 7, 2015
    9
    Amazing game. Played this first as a 4 player brawler... too much fun. Then learned of the 2 player adventure mode... nailed it. To anyone complaining about online multiplayer: try to understand this is a couch game. You need to convince another human to come over to your house and game with you. Not the developers' problem that you don't have homies.

    My only complaint is the lack of    Amazing game. Played this first as a 4 player brawler... too much fun. Then learned of the 2 player adventure mode... nailed it. To anyone complaining about online multiplayer: try to understand this is a couch game. You need to convince another human to come over to your house and game with you. Not the developers' problem that you don't have homies.

    My only complaint is the lack of bosses and the anticlimactic finish to the campaign. Other than that, controls are tight, the game looks great, and everyone I've introduced it to loves it.

    9/10! Would buy again :)    … Expand
  21. breakbacon
    Oct 1, 2015
    9
    This game is really hard, which is why I love it. You get three kinds of skulls, anyone can get silver and red, the gold ones will have you ripping your hair out (in a good way).
  22. DefoDerry
    Nov 7, 2019
    9
    This game got me right back into couch games. It's so simple and fun at the start of any couch game nights. Online play isn't necessary for a game like this, and honestly, it's not super viable for indie devs. Love the game as it is.
  23. loferi
    Sep 24, 2021
    9
    Jeu bombo la race, un jeu de réflexe qu'un de mes amis a le réflexe d'être nulle a chier turbo bombo dall (Hugo)
  24. SaintRonan
    Nov 27, 2021
    10
    This is perhaps one of the greatest multiplayer games ever created. Before discovering Towerfall, Bomberman 2 was my favorite multiplayer couch co-op type game. But towerfall has definitely replaced that game as my new all time favorite. This game is a masterpiece. I have absolutely zero complaints, because I truly think the game is perfect. The controls are wonderful. The characters,This is perhaps one of the greatest multiplayer games ever created. Before discovering Towerfall, Bomberman 2 was my favorite multiplayer couch co-op type game. But towerfall has definitely replaced that game as my new all time favorite. This game is a masterpiece. I have absolutely zero complaints, because I truly think the game is perfect. The controls are wonderful. The characters, weapons, customizations, etc. everything about this game is well thought out and crafted so well. Truly a king among multiplayer games!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Riot Pixels
    Jun 5, 2014
    85
    TowerFall: Ascension is polished to almost perfection in both style and substance.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer
    Mar 26, 2014
    90
    A single-screen platform brawler that’s about as good as the genre has ever been—in versus or wave-survival mode.
    Read full review
  3. Meristation
    Mar 26, 2014
    85
    Towerfall has frantic, addictive and fun gameplay with an incredible local multiplayer. A game that loves the pixel and sprites age.
    Read full review
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