The king of local versus: one arrow, a head-stomp, and the controller becomes an arena of hilarious betrayal. The tiny stages and traps make every round explosive. Thin solo, but with four on a couch few games produce as many screams.
Your verdict
Category
Action4 players7+
Co-op
Split screen
Description
Archers face off in arenas where every arrow counts and can be picked back up. Published by Matt Makes Games, released worldwide in 2018. Snappy local duels for up to four players, a co-op mode against waves of enemies, cunning traps and punchy pixel art.
TowerFall review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
An arrow that counts, a stomp on a rival's head, tiny arenas riddled with traps: the principle is crystal clear and the chaos perfectly balanced at four. Death strikes in a flash, which pushes you to chain rounds without catching your breath. Its Achilles' heel is the lack of online play, but for couch nights few games stay this effective today.
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Four archers, a single arrow at a time, and duels settled in seconds: you scoop up your shot, ricochet off a wall, stomp a rival's head, and the next round starts before you've even set the controller down. The instant readability and constant reversals make you queue 'one last round' that never ends. The fun lives mostly in couch multiplayer, the solo mode offering more limited replay value over time.
Four archers, an arena and arrows whistling everywhere: this is razor-sharp competition, brutal and hilarious, where every death ends in a yell and an instant new round. The rivalry is pure, built on pixel-perfect dodges, treacherous bounces and gleeful rage. No online mode to dilute it: this is raw couch chaos, the kind that comes out late at night and refuses to be put down.
Is TowerFall still worth playing in 2026?
TowerFall set a milestone in the revival of local versus play, and its genius hasn't faded. The principle is crystal clear: archers, an arrow that counts and can be retrieved, trap-laden arenas, and a perfectly balanced chaos at four players. The duels are nervy, immediate, and death comes in a flash, which pushes you to chain rounds. The cooperative wave mode extends the fun. Its Achilles' heel remains the lack of online multiplayer. But for couch nights, few games stay this effective today.
