What is Sakura X Clash?

So what is Sakura X Clash?

In my constant and never-ending search for fun and unique fighting games, a lot of games crash my path. However, Sakura X Clash was actually before all of my niche fighter obsession, before I went on a journey to play every fighting game ever. Before I was a fighting game fan, I was a Sonic the Hedgehog fan, and Sakura X Clash was something I found at SAGE, a yearly event for indie devs to show off initially Sonic fangames, but has since expanded to more than that. This history lesson is pretty boring in all honesty, but it's all to say, Sakura X Clash is a game I've known for a while.

Clash at Sakuragawa

Sakura X Clash's first influence and most obvious influence is the Neo Geo Pocket fighting games. If you have never seen NGPC fighting games, I recommend you look them up as they are a crazy example of a handheld system being home to some genuinely amazing fighting games. Sakura X Clash is a sort of spiritual successor to those SNK handheld game aesthetic wise. It's control scheme is a classic 4 button style that SNK uses, with a light and heavy punch and kick. The movement of the game is a bit faster paced than your usual KOFs, at least in my opinion, owed in part to all the universal movement mechanics which I'll touch on later. However, KOF players will probably feel pretty at home with the game, as it is easily the game that Sakura X Clash is closest to in gameplay feel. However, Sakura X Clash does enough to separate it from being just an SNK fangame, and a lot of that comes from the many universal mechanics offered.

You Want it, We Got it

Sakura X Clash has an absurd amount of universal mechanics available to the player, rivaling anime fighters in terms of complexity. At a base level, you have a dash and backdash, a dodge and air dodge, a short hop, and air recovery options. These make the game feel very freeform in its movement, and while I will always be more of an airdash guy, the game offers plenty of options to sink your teeth into. Where the game goes above and beyond in my opinion are the metered mechanics however. EXs, supers, level 3s, a metered dash cancel, a dodge out of pressure, a guard cancel, and a character specific ability, or "aura trait". This is quite a lot of mechanics, but it never feels overwhelming when playing, as each move has a pretty clear usage. Needless to say, mechanics don't always equal depth, but from my time playing, I keep finding new ways to use the mechanics to my advantage, and while that would normally overwhelm me, it never feels like the mechanics outplay just good fundamentals.

A Character for All Spring

Sakura X Clash's roster is one of the strongest points of the game in my opinion. From a standard shoto girl, to a heavy metal guitarist in a top hat, to a lazy supernatural shapeshifter, the cast is extremely varied in aesthetics and playstyles. I personally play Lillykage, one of the "EX" characters, because she has an airdash, fantastic rushdown pressure, and cool anime-esque combos. There are 18 characters to choose from, and chances are one of them will meet your aesthetic and gameplay preferences. I recommend just going through roster and seeing if any of them catch your eye. The "EX" characters are designed to be competitively viable, while tending to be on the strong side, they also have clear weaknesses and it's clear a lot of work was put into making the game so ever character can be enjoyed.

IKEMEN Go Play the Game

The IKEMEN engine, a successor to MUGEN, an engine so well known I think there's no need for me to even explain it, has shown itself to be quite the tool for indie fighters. From Capcom vs Square and Sega vs Capcom, Hyper DBZ, Outer Dimension, and One Piece Fighting Adventure, IKEMEN and MUGEN have continually proven themselves to be more than a silly dream match creator. Sakura X Clash has a quality that rivals and often surpasses many other modern fighters, indie or otherwise. While still technically still in a demo state, the game is complete by most standards, and is an incredible package. Sometimes I worry about telling people a game was made in MUGEN or IKEMEN as I feel it tends to come with a certain negative connotation, which is unfortunate as in my opinion, some of the best indie fighters in development currently utilize the engine to make truly incredible things.

So what’s the verdict?

Sakura X Clash is more than worth your time. It has deep gameplay, a fun cast of characters, a pretty aesthetic, and a full set of modes, all for free. This game genuinely deserves all the love in the world, and has proven itself as much more than just an NGPC fangame. It continues to be one of the first indie fighters I use as an example of the stellar quality being put into indie fighters. If you want to support the development of the game, as you should, you can visit the website, which has more information on the game. It also has a Mizuumi wiki, if reading through information that way is your thing. Either way, the developer is a lovely person, the game is incredible, and if you haven't given it a try, do so right now.





_{Why are you still here, I told you to go play Sakura X Clash. Next week I'll tackle another game, don't worry. In other news, it was recently my birthday, and I'm now [REDACTED] years old. I hope people are actually reading these articles, because I'm having a lot of fun writing them, even though collecting the images and videos can be a bit of a pain. Until next time!}

-Syrkle