Viking War

Viking War strips a fighting game down to two things you can do: leave the ground and swing. Everything else is reading the arena, because with no combo tree to fall back on, a fight is won by where you are standing when the attack lands.

Each level puts a fresh set of enemies in front of you and expects you to clear them before moving on. The jump is worth more than it first looks; it breaks up an approach, resets the distance between you and a swing that was about to connect, and buys the half second an attack needs to come out clean. Play it as a rhythm rather than a brawl and the arenas open up.

How to play

Press W or the up arrow to jump and Space to attack, and think of them as one pair rather than two separate buttons. Land the swing while an enemy is closing on you and it stops them; swing early into empty air and you are stuck in the animation while they reach you. Use the jump to break a bad exchange rather than to cover ground. Each level ends when the arena is cleared, and the next one starts with more enemies waiting.

Controls

Two keys carry the fight: W or the up arrow jumps, and the Space bar swings your weapon. Attacking and jumping are separate presses, so a jump attack means firing both in quick succession rather than holding anything down.