Two winged reapers, one keyboard and a scythe each, in a best-of-three duel decided by spacing and timing.
In The Reapers: Tournament of Destiny, two people share one keyboard and fight each other. The blue reaper Nomiquiel and the red reaper Omiquiel face off on a gray field, each with wings and a scythe. Every fighter has exactly one attack and one parry, so there are no combos to memorize. Winning is about standing in the right place and pressing the right key at the right moment.
It was made for the js13kGames 2022 contest, and the whole thing fits in a single small file.
How a match works
A press of X on the title screen kicks things off. The words GET READY and FIGHT flash up, and neither reaper can move until both have shown. The first player stands at the left side of the field, the second at the right.
Both fighters have 100 health, shown as a yellow bar at the top. A swing that lands removes 34, so the third clean hit is a KO. The round winner earns a marker under their bar, and both reapers return to their starting spots. Take two rounds and you win the match. A white screen then names the champion with a short story line, and you can pick REMATCH or EXIT TO MENU.
Attack and parry
A swing is not instant. First comes a brief wind-up, then a short window where the blade can connect, then a recovery period when you cannot do anything. If the other player parries during that hit window, your attack is canceled and you are stunned for around two seconds.
Parrying carries its own risk. The guard only lasts a moment, and if no attack arrives, you are stuck in place briefly afterward. A careless parry leaves you wide open.
Winning moves
- Hover at the edge of reach. The scythe extends only a little beyond the body, so staying just out of range forces your rival to step in first.
- Punish misses. A whiffed swing leaves the attacker frozen in recovery. Walk in and strike.
- Guard on purpose. Only parry when you expect an attack. Mashing the parry key gets you hit.
- Mind the corners. You can shove a rival backward by walking into them, and once they hit the corner there is no more room to retreat.
Good to know
Press T at any time to show the hitboxes. Boxes appear around each reaper’s body and around the reach of the scythe, which is a great way to learn the exact ranges. On the end screen, S and D switch between options and X confirms.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard |
|---|---|
| Start the match | X on the title screen |
| Player 1 move left / right | S / D |
| Player 1 attack | X |
| Player 1 parry | C |
| Player 2 move left / right | H / J |
| Player 2 attack | B |
| Player 2 parry | N |
| Show or hide hitboxes | T |
| Pick Rematch or Exit to Menu | S or D to switch, X to confirm |
The Reapers: Tournament of Destiny FAQ
Can I play The Reapers alone?
No. The game has no AI fighter, so a friend has to share the keyboard with you. One player takes S and D to walk, X to swing and C to parry. The other walks with H and J, swings with B and parries with N. That way both players fit on one laptop.
Does it work on a Chromebook or phone?
A Chromebook or any laptop with a physical keyboard is perfect. Phones and tablets will not work, because nothing on screen can be tapped and every move is bound to a key.
How long does a match take?
Matches are short. Each round ends after three clean hits, and the first fighter to win two rounds takes the match, so most games last only a couple of minutes. Pick Rematch on the final screen to go again right away.
