Zodiac Guardians

Zodiac Guardians is a 2.5D fighting game clone of the Super Smash Bros. series for the Wii U, and the pseudo-sequel to the game Zodiac Champions. It is an umbrella game, often considered to be a Baby Waffle, with many characters hailing from various series - whether they be webseries, animations or video games. The game was created to rival the similar series of Fighters of Lapis and Crystal Warriors. It is a part of the Zodiax timeline of the Partial Macrocosm, running parallel to Champions.

As it runs parallel to Champions, no characters or stages reappear from the previous installment. However, the story mode features a similar plot devised by the antagonist of the story mode of Champions.

Gameplay
Fans of the Super Smash Bros. series should be familiar with the gameplay of Zodiac Guardians, as they are almost identical. Two to five characters fight on various stages based upon the different elements of the Zodiac, attempting to knock each other off-screen. In the end, the fighter who has KO'd the most fighters (or the last man standing in stock matches) wins the fight. Additionally, items spawn onto the stage, which can be used to heal or hurt others.

Every character is unique in terms of stats and attacks. Some are big and slow, while others small and quick. Every character has four special moves and an Ultimate Special Move. The Ulimate Special Move (UM) is obtained by the losing character upon taking 200 damage (which also accumulates over up to two lives). Upon obtaining their UM, the Zodiac signs will surround them, and a circular glyph appear under their feet, emitting a blue-white light.

Zodiac Brawl
The standard game mode, a player can fight up to four more players or computer opponents locally or online. They can choose between any character and stage unlocked. They can also change the settings- determine which items are to spawn and the chances they can spawn.

All matches are ranked, whether they be online or local, but playing against other fighters online increase the player's Zodiac Sign more than playing locally. The Zodiac Sign is not shared between Zodiac Champions and Guardians.

Campaign

 * Zodiac Guardians Campaign

Like Zodiac Champions, Guardians features a story mode, dubbed the generic "campaign" mode. The story mode centres around the playable characters, as they are pitted against one another by a mysterious entity.

Rival Sign
Rival Sign is a survival-based take on the normal fighting matches. The player, who chooses a single character, is given a single life to fight every fighter currently unlocked one-after-another. On a platform separated by a wall, a shadow version of the player's character also fights their own set of opponents. Each fighter beaten by the rival increases its power, and, if they defeat all fighters before the player, their power increases tenfold. After the player defeats all the characters, they are healed before pitted against their powered-up rival.

Zodiac Arena
In the Zodiac Arena, the player must fight an endless wave of opponents- up to four at a time. It is a simple test of survival, as the player has to survive, and the mode ends once the player is KO'd. Defeating 20 fighters in one go unlocks its sequel: Zodiac Ultimate Arena.

Zodiac Ultimate Arena
Zodiac Ultimate Arena is quite similar to the normal Zodiac Arena in its basic form. Instead of a flat plane like the other Arena mode, Ultimate Arena takes place within a large maze, where, not only are endless fighters attempting to KO the player, but the Assists - unable to be defeated - also spawn in the maze, and it's a test of be KO'd once, and losing, or finding the maze's exit.