Toribash

Mac, also PC
An art of fighting
In light of Street Fighter IV's imminent arrival and the expected regeneration of the Beat-em-up genre, i've been playing a free online fighting game that is so radically different that it really demands its own sub-genre. Say hello to the award winning Toribash, pioneer of the 'kinda turn based, sorta realtime strategy beat-em-up' genre,.
If you think the average fighting game is a tad too inclusive with its frame counting combos and complex super moves, then prepare to be perplexed to find that even raising a fist is a minor ordeal.
Set in a minimalist virtual space, Toribash places you and one other online player into a white expanse, asking you to defeat each other, either by accumulating points through hits or by causing the other player to make contact with the floor first.
To make these hits the player has to manipulate the circular joints on their avatar's body, assigning the likes of knees, wrists and shoulders to either extend, relax, constrict or hold.
Both players take their moves simultaneously, with a paused window of time allowing for the manipulation of limbs, while a repeating ghost highlights what your selection will do.
The basics are simple enough but the actual translation of joint control into a martial art is far more complex – those skilled at the game are able to render limbs and execute ninja flips, effectively creating their own style of martial arts, whereas a beginner may struggle to merely kick.
It sounds complicated (and it is), but it's also particularly satisfying to finally pull off a successful attack, and the constantly pausing gameplay means its as ponderous and relaxing as a game of chess.
Split between martial arts such as Akido and Judo, a selection of servers allow for beginners and experienced players to find their equals, with accumulating wins contributing towards new belts.
Toribash is a wonderfully simple, yet devilishly complex game that while sparse on appearances and awkward in its mastery, can prove to be quite an addictive way to while away those lunch breaks at work. Download it for free from www.toribash.com.
7/10