Rivals of Aether is an indie fighting game developed by Dan Fornace, which is heavily inspired by the Super Smash Bros. series. This pixel graphics game features a roster of original characters, each with their unique abilities and fighting styles. The game has a variety of game modes, including a single-player story mode, online multiplayer, and local multiplayer with a fighting co-op feature. Rivals of Aether also assures its players' of many stages to choose from.

Story

The game is set in a fantasy world called Aether, where different elemental regions are constantly at war with each other. The source of many problems is the shadow that roams the Aether. He impersonates some heroes and increases the tensions between the nations. This leads to a meeting of 6 warriors ready to fight near the crater. But before they pounce on each other, a stone creature emerges from it, accompanied by shadows. Heroes unite their forces to defeat dangerous monsters and after a successful action, they decide to prepare together for the possible return of evil forces.

Gameplay

Players select a character and battle against each other on a variety of stages, to knock the opponent off the stage to score a point. Each character has unique abilities and moves, which can be used to attack, defend, and maneuver around the stage. Skills often depend on the region the character comes from and affect the stage. All heroes have their three special elemental powers. Rivals of Aether is fast-paced and requires quick reflexes, as well as strategic use of abilities, but focuses more on great attacking skills than effective defense. 

Characters

All characters have their backstory, strengths, weaknesses and special moves. Arcane is known for fast and agile movements, while Kragg is for strong and heavy-hitting attacks. Characters like Forsburn can create illusions and Ranno can manipulate sand to trap opponents. The heroes provide a wide range of gameplay options and strategies to use. The player has to choose his favorite playstyle, or train and develop all of them.

Key features:

• Dynamic gameplay
• Split screen multiplayer for local play, allowing players to have a more traditional couch gaming experience with friends and family members
• Wide variety of characters: each character has unique abilities, moves, and fighting styles
• Variety of Stages with original hazards and layouts