Physics Games and Physics-Based Game Downloads



Physics in a Rabbit Fighting Game?

Thursday, February 9th, 2006 by Matthew in Physics Games
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (Rate this game! 223 votes, average: 4.01 out of 5)
Loading...

Lugaru isn’t exactly a physics game. There isn’t an easy yes/no test as to what constitutes physics game; it’s a sliding scale. Obviously even the most rudimentary of game mechanics can have physics-based game elements. Super Mario Brothers for the NES has a simplistic view of gravity, collisions, and collision responses. I like to define physics games as games where the primary player interaction is manipulation of a complex physics system.

Primarily, Lugaru is a fighting game of sorts. It was recommended to me because of its ragdoll physics, though. And, to be fair, its use of ragdoll is more integrated into game play than many titles today. Game characters will move in and out of ragdoll in response to strikes, whereas most games simply revert to ragdoll as an end state. Still, a Lugaru player’s second-to-second concern isn’t manipulation of a physics system.

So why am I talking about Lugaru, then, if it isn’t a physics game? It was recommended to me by Joacim “Zero” Möller with the following wording:

I wanna suggest the game Lugaru that is a fighting gam with rabbits. It has some great ragdoll physics and is a truly great game.

Here we have a man claming the seemingly impossible–that there is a highly entertaining rabbit fighting game already in existence. I had to check it out, and I am pleased to report that Lugaru is exactly what it purports to be. It is a fighting game with rabbits, and a unique one at that.

Lugaru plays out as a rock-paper-scissors sort of fighting game. Opponents can parry your moves, and in turn you can counter their parries. The game’s control scheme is a little convoluted, but it has some neat twists. You can pick up some weapons when you roll over them, perform aerial flips, jump off walls, “animal” run in order to tackle an opponent, and so on. Check out the in-game tutorial for an exhausting run-down of the options.

As I mentioned, the physics in Lugaru compliment the gameplay rather than constitute it. You can toss dead ragdoll enemies at other opponents, and keeping an enemy in their ragdoll state longer will allow you to land more cheap blows. All told, though, Lugaru isn’t so much about the physics as it is about the fighting rabbits.

The production values are fairly low, even by independent development standards, but Lugaru has that special spark. It’s just fun to play. It’s compelling entertainment when you steal a knife off one attacking rabbit in order to plunge it deep within the furry bowels of another.

LugaruScreenshot Screenshot of Physics Games
(Lugaru Game Screenshots)

The man behind Lugaru, David Rosen, is leading up development on Lugaru 2. He comments, “It was more popular than expected, so I am going to make a sequel with a full team so that it can reach its full potential.” I do worry that they seem too enamored with developing their own engine and technology rather than simply utilizing pre-built libraries and focusing on the actual game, but I hope they see it through. If Lugaru is any benchmark the world absolutely needs another, better physics-based rabbit fighting game.

Download the Lugaro demo for Windows here (23.5 MB)

Or, head on over to Wolfire Software’s page for more screenshots, movies, and versions of Lugaru for MacOS and Linux. The full version of the game is available for $19.99

Related Posts:

15 Responses to 'Physics in a Rabbit Fighting Game?'

Subscribe to comments with RSS or TrackBack to 'Physics in a Rabbit Fighting Game?'.

  1. jeffrey said,

    on February 9th, 2006 at 10:15 pm

    This game was such a solid purchase. Highly recommended. Support him!

  2. Joacim "zero" Möller said,

    on February 10th, 2006 at 11:09 am

    Great review and it is a lot of fun playing the game and it is worth buying. And by the way my name is spelled Joacim Möller, im not sure if u can see the “ö” letter on your computer but anyway fun that you tested the game.

  3. Joshiii-Kun said,

    on February 11th, 2006 at 2:01 am

    Oh I know this game, it’s really awesome!
    I recommend you all buy the game! :P

  4. Dylan said,

    on February 12th, 2006 at 9:53 pm

    I love this game! Fighting is solid, my only complaints are level design, and plot. In the demo, most all the level were too similar: kill all the enemies. This is still quite entertaining, but also very repedetive. The story was, as far as i had gotten into to it, a little like all the rest of the stories. Avenging his wife and kids death. But the was game fun, and overall very good.

  5. Digg said,

    on February 17th, 2006 at 5:45 am

    awesome! I wouldn’t have heard of it without your site. btw keep running your site, you may not get a crazy amount of comments but I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people coming here regularly.

  6. yep said,

    on June 5th, 2006 at 11:33 am

    armadillo run and bridge builder is foun…so i hope this is fun too. it’s it possibly to play on lan? THAT could be awesome

  7. Lollerskates said,

    on June 28th, 2006 at 1:39 am

    Their website has another neat physics-based game, Black Shades, I play it all the time.


  8. on November 12th, 2006 at 9:45 am

    OMG.Lugaru2 is coming out!there still working on it still.Wolfire Software


  9. on November 19th, 2006 at 10:24 am

    Lugaru 2 is coming.But i cant wait.I fineshed Lugaru 1.It was real easy thoe.Lugaru is the most physical game why when you hit/kill someone they fall down like a physical ragdoll lol.when i kill someone (IN THE GAME NOT IN LIFE)i stab or kick the.Really fun to do.this game is coll physics + fighting + rabbits = Lugaru.What a tight game.Its real short game but its fun.My dad bought it for me and i finished ever sence 3 weeks ago


  10. on November 19th, 2006 at 10:36 am

    Tips on fighting on Lugaru:to sudden kill someone go a little far and have knife IN POCKET and jump and flip then the emeny gets confused then when you land take you knife out and stab them in the back and they will die.with the sord you dont have to put it in your pocket.TIP2:when your skeaking and have a knife you press the throw button and Turnner will throw the knife at the emeny.they will die real fast but if they have armor it will not kill or if there a wolf or armar they have to take 3 or 4 times with the knife to go in them.TIP3:when you wanna hit someone you stay next to them and hit them to punch them.To kick the run and hit the with your attack button.TIP4:when you punch someone they wont attack because they start to holed there stomek and then go behine then and hit them and keep doing it intill he falls and then when he falls he gets back up and touches his stomeck and when hes getting up do the leg cannon attack.If you dont know how ill till you.You hold the attck button then prese space while holding the atcak button you hit them far

  11. Invertin said,

    on December 2nd, 2006 at 11:16 am

    Tip you didn’t mention: If you want to kill someone with armour or a wolf instantly with a knife, throw it at them then roll and grab the knife while rolling, INSTANT KILL! Also you can throw while flipping and if you do the knife goes faster

  12. Danny Martinez said,

    on December 9th, 2006 at 11:20 am

    Yah but sometimes the wolfs usally cath IT

  13. Danny Martinez said,

    on December 17th, 2006 at 10:27 am

    Lugaru 2 is know 2 players! at http://Wolfire Software

  14. Danny Martinez said,

    on December 24th, 2006 at 9:26 pm

    by the way i debuged the game with a etra copy.respond if you wanna know how.

Leave a Reply