Toribash
Toribash is a turn-based third-person fighting game developed by Singaporean studio Nabi Studios. The game was originally created by Hampus Söderström, known online as Hampa, and was first released for Microsoft Windows in 2006. A port for the Wii was released in July 2010, and for OS X and Linux in May 2014. A sequel, titled Toribash Next, was released in January 2024.
Development
According to Hampa, the original design goal of Toribash was to create a highly demanding fighting game with significant depth, while maintaining a playful and unconventional tone.In an early interview, Hampa stated that Toribash began as a technical experiment, with early v0.1 test builds developed using the Open Dynamics Engine and a control system based on 18 individually controlled joints, each operating across four states within a turn-based structure. Over time, the project evolved into a physics-based fighting game with networked multiplayer support and a turn-based control system.
''Toribash Next''
A sequel to Toribash, titled Toribash Next, was released in January 2024 for PC.According to lead developer Hampa, the decision to create Toribash Next stemmed from technical limitations in the original game’s engine, which had been continuously updated since its 2006 release. Söderström stated that the aging foundation made it increasingly difficult to expand the game’s systems, prompting the development of a new release built on a different engine.
Toribash Next introduces several new features not possible in the original, including support for more than two players in online matches, live modmaking tools, replay editing, and weapon-based game modes. While the original Toribash focused exclusively on hand-to-hand combat, the sequel adds options for ranged and melee weapon combat. Söderström also noted that the game’s physics were redesigned to behave more consistently and closer to real-world interactions.
The sequel was developed using the Unity engine, replacing the custom-built engine used in the original game. Despite the release of Toribash Next, Nabi Studios stated that support for the original Toribash would continue, as some players remain invested in its existing economy and gameplay systems. Toribash Next maintains a free-to-play model, with all gameplay modes accessible without paid advantages.
Gameplay
Toribash is a turn-based fighting game in which two humanoid characters compete in hand-to-hand combat through direct manipulation of individual joints: neck, pecs, elbows, wrists, abdomen, glutes, hips, knees, and ankles; raising and lowering the shoulders, tilting the lumbar and chest left and right, and grabbing and ungrabbing the hands. The game simulates movement for a fixed number of frames based on those inputs.The game tracks injury as a cumulative damage metric, with different body parts receiving varying amounts of damage depending on impact. A match typically ends when a set number of frames have elapsed or when a player is disqualified by touching the ground with any body part other than the hands or feet. Strong impacts can also result in dismemberment, with detached limbs remaining physically simulated and capable of causing disqualification if one of their joints touch the ground.
Legacy
Toribash has been noted for its emphasis on community-driven design and player-created content. Coverage by business and gaming publications highlighted the game’s success as an independent title built around an active online community, rather than traditional fighting game conventions. According to reports summarized by Rock Paper Shotgun, the game attracted attention from mainstream business media for its long-term player engagement and user-supported economy. Hampa intended to create an online environment where players could create, share, and refine custom fighting techniques. To support this, Toribash incorporated community tools such as in-game chat, wikis, forums, and a player-driven marketplace that allowed users to trade virtual items using in-game currency or real-world transactions. Similarly, the gaming website described Toribash as an unconventional fighting game distinguished by its turn-based structure and physics-driven combat.In later coverage of physics-based fighting games, Toribash has been cited by PC Gamer as one of the most enduring examples of turn-based ragdoll combat, alongside other experimental titles such as Die by the Sword and Bushido Blade.
Reception
Upon release on PC, Toribash received generally positive reviews, with critics highlighting its depth and unconventional physics-based combat system. The later WiiWare version received more mixed responses, with reviewers citing its steep learning curve and control scheme as divisive.The game was included in Wired Magazines list of the best independent games of 2007.
Toribash has been featured in popular gaming media for its unconventional approach to the fighting game genre, including an appearance in an episode of the YouTube series Outside Xbox that highlighted unusual fighting games.
The WiiWare release received mixed reviews from critics; IGN criticized its steep learning curve and unconventional controls while noting the depth afforded by its physics-based combat system.
Academic use
Toribash has been used in academic research as a physics-based test environment for reinforcement learning. In a 2019 study, researchers introduced ToriLLE, a learning environment built on the game that models its turn-based joint control system and physics-driven combat.The game has been examined for its combination of discrete decision-making and continuous physical simulation, as well as its high-dimensional action space and delayed reward structure, which present challenges for training autonomous agents. In this context, Toribash has been discussed alongside established reinforcement learning benchmarks such as Atari-based environments and real-time strategy simulations.