Indie developer MechaGhidora has set out to bring their childhood dreams to life. KnockOff is the culmination of their efforts, answering the question many likely asked while reenacting battles between their favorite action figures in their youth: “Who do you think would win in a fight…?” Hear from the developers themselves and get an inside look at how KnockOff came to be and how to help the team during these pivotal moments in early development.

Tell us about KnockOff in your own words.

MechaGhidora: KnockOff is a fighting game that emerged spontaneously between friends working together. We are two '80s kids who used to dream about creating a video game. KnockOff results from our love for fighting games and everything we cherish from childhood.

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What makes your game unique?

The learning curve for new players is easy to pick up. We designed the game with casual and competitive players in mind.

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What kind of players would be interested in the game?

All types of players, from the most casual to the most pro. This game is more oriented towards fun.

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What were your inspirations for KnockOff?

Fighting games from the late '90s were the main inspirations. Since then, we have dreamed of being able to make a fighting game that encompasses the essence of what we experienced in those years and our love for the culture of the '80s. Combining these things resulted in the origin of the idea for KnockOff.

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Are there any specific games, shows, or toys that helped form your vision?

Yes, on the one hand, the over-the-top commercials for action figures and toys from the '80s, the Saturday morning cartoons, and the energy surrounding game development.

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Are there any games or mechanics that inspired you when developing the gameplay, design, or theming for KnockOff?

The crossover Capcom games heavily inspired the gameplay. While KnockOff is less fast-paced, the aerial combo mechanics came from that source of inspiration. THE KING OF FIGHTERS, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat also inspired the gameplay.

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Tell us about your team, MechaGhidora.

MechaGhidora is a group of friends and professionals in different areas who converge on the same interest: video games.

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Who is developing the game?

We are a small work team made up of Newton Perez (Project manager/QA), Edwin Gautreau (Art Director, animator), and Luis Morillo (Developer, 3d artist).

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How did MechaGhidora get together for the project?

We are a group of various ages who love video games and pop culture. We have been contemplating a formal team to experiment and develop games with a vision and passion that unites us. From that moment, we began to create our first game, KnockOff.

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How long has the game been in development?

It has been just over a year since Knockoff emerged as an experiment that we were advancing in our free time starting from the pandemic. Since we are 3D animators, we had the opportunity to explore some alternatives to develop the game.

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What is your current development roadmap?

We are currently focusing on finishing the closed beta and the demo on Steam.

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Are there any ways to support the team?

By sending feedback to our email and following us on social media, you can contact our team for any additional help you would like to provide.

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Would you like them to engage with you on social media, tell their friends, etc.?

Definitely! We have received incredible support on Twitter. It has helped us see the opinions and enthusiasm of interested people.

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What are your long-term plans and visions for the future?

A fundamental part of our plans is to help develop the video game industry in our country, starting with KnockOff. In the future, we would like to explore the development of other types of games.

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What would make KnockOff "perfect" from your perspective?

First, meet the expectations of what our potential players want. We would like to receive feedback and listen to what they desire from the game. Also, we would love for players to enjoy the characters and mechanics of the game. We want to appeal to several generations, including the '80s, '90s, and 2000s.

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How will you realize your dreams for KnockOff?

We will accomplish our dreams through the support of the FGC and our players.

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How will you keep early fans engaged during development?

We have an ear willing to listen to what the community wants from the game while sticking to the original vision. We would also like to add the kinds of characters the public wants to see.

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Will there be any demos or early access available?

Yes, we are currently working on a closed beta and demo for Steam.

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Have you considered a community Discord for fans to meet, share art, discuss the game, etc.?

Yes, we hope to have our discord available in the coming weeks.

KnockOff is shaping up to be something special. We are excited to see where MechaGhidora’s development journey will take them. Want to stay up to date on the latest KnockOff developments? Follow the game on Twitter and Instagram for the latest news, and stay tuned for more info on the game’s official Discord channel.

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