Tough Love Arena (2022)

Developer: M. Paul Weeks, Amy Xu
Publisher: M. Paul Games
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Genres: Action, Indie, Early Access
Rating: 4.8 of 5, 31 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.1 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this Watch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

A low-stakes, fast-paced fighting game with cute hand-drawn characters and easy-to-learn but hard-to-master mechanics.

simplefast-pacedcolorfulwhimsicalbeginner-friendlycompetitiveaccessible

What players say

Players praise this as an accessible fighting game with simple four-button inputs, yet it hides depth with a Roman Cancel mechanic. Many note the tiny online population means it works best with friends, and the game is also free to play in a browser. The developer is responsive and the community runs weekly tournaments.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.