Titanium Court mashes together genres and cultural references to tell a strange, funny tale

Source: Engadget

Overview

Titanium Court is a run‑based game with elements of permanent progression, making it technically a roguelite. Unlike some roguelites, you can’t simply “break” the game; there are multiple ways to win a run, but you must play by the ever‑changing rules. Learning those rules—and how they shift—is a core part of the experience.

Core Gameplay Loop

Each run, or “war,” consists of two distinct stages.

Match‑Three Phase

The first stage works like a match‑three puzzle (think Candy Crush Saga). You line up wheat fields, rivers, hills, and forests to gather resources while positioning your tile—the titular court—for the next phase. Terrain matters: water blocks foot soldiers, allowing you to create river barricades, but a chain reaction of matches can destroy your defenses.

You also move around enemy strongholds, matching three or more enemy bases to eliminate them (without gaining resources). Moves are limited, creating a risk‑reward dilemma. A timeline shows when enemies will attack, helping you plan your actions.

Tower‑Defense Phase

In the second stage, the tower‑defense element takes over. You spend the resources you collected to:

• Recruit soldiers for offense or defense
• Add workers to gather more resources or deliver magic attacks
• Trade at shops and markets that remain bonded to terrain tiles

When ready, you press play and the battle resolves automatically.

The game actively pushes back against certain strategies. Over‑trading triggers a “boring” warning and closes shops for the round, while attempts to win through self‑reflection are also shut down, keeping the experience fresh and challenging.

Narrative Interludes

Between wars, you explore the titular court as its newly anointed queen, seeking answers about the world and a way home. This segment blends old‑school adventure game mechanics with a bizarre visual‑novel style, revealing story details and teaching new gameplay concepts.

Reception

Developer AP Thomson’s writing is praised for its humor and unexpected narrative turns. Titanium Court won the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the Independent Games Festival Awards, reflecting its innovative design.

The game mixes dragons with ballet, baseball with bike races, and references titles such as Catan, the Civilization series, Jenga, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It also satirizes capitalism and social inequality, offering a unique job system that reshapes how you play.

Availability

Titanium Court is not for everyone—there’s a substantial amount of reading—but it offers a rich, immersive experience.

• Try the free Steam demo (PC and Mac).
• The full game launched today on Steam: Titanium Court.
• Regular price is $15, with a 20 % discount available until May 7.