Line #105 VideoGame/HappyWars


1	[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/happy_wars.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:270:Not pictured: the amount of sheer chaos that can potentially happen in a single match.]]
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4	''Happy Wars'' is a free-to-play[[labelnote:*]](if you had Xbox LIVE Gold membership before Jan. 2014; now it is free to all players sans certain features)[[/labelnote]] online multi-player game by Toylogic and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Platform/{{Xbox 360}}, Platform/{{Steam}},[[note]]Discontinued as of February 2017[[/note]] and Platform/{{Xbox One}}.
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6	The core gameplay pits two teams of [[SuperDeformed comically-sized]] combatants [[TheSiege to fight their way to the opposing force's castle]] to destroy the Big Tower inside [[HoldTheLine while protecting their own]]. Along the way, they must construct towers (which acts as respawn points for the team that captures it) throughout the map to respawn outside the castle area. There are also turrets and other weapons laying around the environment such as bombs or collapsing bridges to hold off the enemy. There are two ways to win a match (or round) of each game: either destroy the opposing team's Big Tower by breaching their castle, or have the most captured towers before time runs out.
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8	Each player starts the match at level one, and by achieving objectives, such as building towers or slaying enemies, they can level-up. Increasing in level unlocks new skills for the characters, including powerful Team Skills which require teammates to join in. After a match, players are rewarded with experience points to raise their ranks as well as Happy Stars to obtain items with in-game currency to upgrade and customize their combatants. Players can purchase high-grade items through the item shop or Happy Cards (basically booster packs of equipment) with Happy Tickets, [[MicroTransactions but they're going cost what you got in your wallet]]. The game's combatants consist of three character classes with future updates to add sub-classes to the primary three. They are as follows:
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10	* [[JackOfAllStats The Warrior]]: The melee-centric class. Warriors tend to have stronger physical weapons and armor.
11	** TheBerserker: An advanced version of the Warrior which trades out the shield for the ability to [[DualWielding dual wield]].
12	* [[CombatMedic The Cleric]]: A sort of utility class. Clerics can summon materials to build various fortifications and siege weapons, and additionally serve as healers for their team.
13	** TheEngineer: A sub sect of the cleric class focusing more on tactical weaponry and a new team skill allowing the engineer to mount an offensive assault mech.
14	* [[BlackMage The Mage]]: An offensive-centered magic class. Mages can buff allies and themselves by enchanting their weapons, as well as being able to launch magical spells, such as fireballs or lightning storms.
15	** The Zephyr: An advanced version of the Mage that trades out some of the direct-damage capacity for battlefield control in the form of [[BlowYouAway wind attacks]] that can shove opponents around, draw them to a specific spot and other things.
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17	The game features a single player story campaign, as well as competitive and cooperative multiplayer. The game was released on [[Platform/XboxLive Xbox Live Arcade]] on October 12, 2012 for the 360, and April 24, 2015 for the Xbox One.
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20	!!This games features trope examples of:
21	* AfterCombatRecovery: Sitting still for a few seconds will fully restore your HP and AP instead of the gradual increase you get by being active.
22	* AllegedlyFreeGame: The game itself requires Xbox LIVE Gold membership in order to play it, despite being free-to-play. Even ''single player'' modes are locked-out to anyone with a Free account. There are also [[MicroTransactions premium items that can obtained with Happy Tickets, which are bought with Microsoft Points]].
23	** It should be noted however that none of the items you can buy are anywhere near the strongest of their type. On top of that there isn't a single item that can be bought with money/Microsoft Points that can't be obtained through normal gameplay anyways. This includes the super premium items. However, getting these via Happy Cards Lite or regular item boxes is ''EXTREMELY'' rare.
24	** To top it off you can actually EARN happy tickets instead of just buying them once you reach league play. You get 5 tickets every 50000 points you earn. Some people don't buy happy tickets just because it's much more satisfying to simply earn them and then kick the crap out of the people who buy them anyways.
25	* AntiPoopSocking: Though it hardly deters players from extended gaming binges, league players can earn a log-on bonus of one extra league point for each hour they're not connected to the Happy Wars server (up to a cap of 10 league points).
26	* AutomaticCrossbows: The Ballistas which Clerics can build serve as stationary examples.
27	* BackStab: Attacking a target's back doubles the damage that the attack used deals. It can be increased further using the Ambush Attack Up buff.
28	* BadassAdorable: Due to [[SuperDeformed the art style]], pretty much any character counts.
29	* BadassCrew: The Knights of the Order of Light in the single player campaign.
30	* BlackAndWhiteMorality: Subverted. Although the story campaign mentions conflict between the King of Light and the King of Darkness, [[SillyReasonForWar it's mostly over trivial and goofy things]], rather than a battle between Good and Evil.
31	* BlackMage: The Mages, obviously.
32	* BlowYouAway: The Zephyr.
33	* BossInMookClothing: The Slayers during special events.
34	* BountyHunter: One of the Special Match modes that can happen.
35	* BribingYourWayToVictory: If players are lucky and grind enough, when they open a card pack with Happy Stars to get a new piece of equipment worth a damn they have a chance of succeeding. If the player spends some Microsoft Points and buys Happy Tickets, they get several pieces of equipment of the type they want, guaranteed.
36	* CameBackStrong: You have the option of using Happy Tickets or Happy Stars to make yourself stronger after an enemy kills you in game.
37	* CharacterCustomization: One of the big draws of the game. You can customize your adorable castle siegers in many ways possible. Although some customization parts have to be bought with Happy Tickets.
38	* ColonyDrop: The Mages' Meteor Storm team skill.
39	* CompensatingForSomething: One of the post-match responses the losing side can have towards players using end of game taunts as of the Berserker update.
40	* CombatMedic: The Clerics, serving as [[WhiteMage healers]], and decent fighters with adequate equipment.
41	* CycleOfHurting: A player can get caught in this when being attacked by enemies with status inducers such as Freeze, Stun, or KO without a defensive buff of their own to counter the effect.
42	* DangerousTerrain: There are the usual video game hazards of [[BottomlessPit bottomless pits]] and [[SuperDrowningSkills water]], alongside such things as a giant zombie fish. Each map also has stashes of bomb rocks that can be rolled downhill towards opponents.
43	* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Subverted in the VideoGame/{{ilomilo}} update by introducing a special gametype called Precious Life, which introduces respawn times as long as 30 seconds.
44	* DevelopersForesight: There are a few campaign levels where the objective is something other than destroying the enemies big tower and said levels are deliberately designed to make it extremely difficult to effectively attack the enemy castles gate either by a short time limit or by it being very heavily guarded by respawning enemies. However it is possible to destroy the castle gate in some of these levels and if you do then the moment you walk through the door you are immediately teleported outside the castle.
45	* [[spoiler:DualBoss]]: [[spoiler:The Dark King and the Marshall for the final mission. [[AntiClimaxBoss They're not too difficult.]]]]
46	* ElementalPowers: The Mage's spells; depending on what's unlocked they have different enchants and offensive spells, including [[PlayingWithFire fire]], [[ShockAndAwe lightning]], [[BlowYouAway wind]], and [[AnIcePerson ice]].
47	* EscortMission: Save the King operates like this. One person in the game becomes the king. Their teammates must defend him while he enters the enemy castle - the enemy team must kill the king to become him and head towards the other castle.
48	* FakeLongevity: In order to progress further into the Story Mode, you must raise your ranks in online multiplayer first. Prior to the patch, this was a huge pain in the arse for players since the there were frequent disconnections.
49	* FoeTossingCharge: The Rush and Group Rush abilities for the Warrior and Berserker allows them to plow forward, knocking enemies out of their paths.
50	* GameBreakingBug: Prior to the patch released in November 2012, matchmaking is very slow and glitchy, with games ending due to failed connections being rather common.
51	** Even as of May 2013, netcode issues still plagues the playerbase. Games have failed to start due to matchmaking problems and many players have reported multiple client drops in-game. In the worst of scenarios, players have joined games where they could not hurt their enemies, build anything, destroy the big tower, or do little or anything other than watch the clock wind down and see materials/towers get caught in an endless loop of being destroyed over and over.
52	** The Berserker update broke the entire game's playerbase, literally. The update was initially launched without any fanfare to the surprise of new players and a handful of veterans. However, the update did not launch with an auto-update mechanism so the only way to get the update was to delete the game, clear the Xbox 360 cache, and redownload. As a result, those with the update are unable to play the game with the part of the playerbase that didn't. There are also reports of Berserker-updated players having their items and happy tickets reset upon receiving the update.
53	* GameOverMan: You'll spend your respawn countdown looking at the character that killed you do a cute little dance.
54	* GlassCannon: The Berserker.
55	* GuestFighter: The Blue Knight and Barbarian from ''VideoGame/CastleCrashers'', and Steve? and the Creeper from ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''.
56	* HalloweenEpisode: Halloween-themed maps and items are added during the Halloween season.
57	* [[spoiler:HarmlessLadyDisguise]]: The final mission in the campaign tasks you with [[spoiler:chasing down the Dark King and the Marshall to rescue the princess. There are {{mooks}} scattered around the level dressed as the princess to throw you off your search.]]
58	* ImprobableWeaponUser: Fish used as swords, Mailboxes as hammers, and the list could go on.
59	* InstantArmor: The Cleric's Sacred Armor Ability.
60	* InstantDeathRadius: Class slayers and castle bosses have this.
61	* InterestingSituationDuel: Some of the maps qualify. And in Co-Op mode, the computer-controlled enemy team will share a theme. So it's entirely possible for a legion of Knights to engage a group of Killer Tomatoes under the sea.
62	* JokeItem: A fairly significant portion of the armory; used tin cans are helmets and fish serve as weapons in the game.
63	** LethalJokeItem: Even so, many of the joke items actually have superior stats to more serious weapons and items.
64	* LadderPhysics: The way you run up a near-vertical ladder against an enemy castle, you'd think you just built stairs.
65	* LevelLockedLoot: Every item you can equip carries a weight rating. You need to level up a fair bit before you can equip the heaviest items.
66	* LifeMeter: The HP Meter.
67	** ManaMeter: The AP Meter.
68	* LimitedMoveArsenal: Type 2. Each class can use 11 special skills (4 skills tied to the A and B buttons, 3 tied to the Y button). However, you only have enough enough skill slots for 9 special skills per game. At least two of your class's skills will be unavailable for use when you reach level 5.
69	* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: The Warriors and Clerics are the two classes uses shields.
70	** Warriors also have a Super Guard that power up their shields to become DeflectorShields. They also have a team skill called Iron Phalanx, forming a barrier of team-mates with shields (including Mages).
71	* MagicMusic: The Cleric's Sacred Song ability provides an HP and AP buff.
72	* MagicStaff: Mages uses them to shoot magic projectiles.
73	* ManaBurn: Weapons with the AP Damage Attack buff.
74	* MoneyMultiplier: You can earn up to 30% extra Happy Stars by [[SocializationBonus playing games with Xbox Live friends]].
75	* MoreDakka: The Gatling Gun, which is an Engineer-upgraded version of the Ballista.
76	* NewMeat: The first chapter of the single player campaign states it's your first day on the Knights of the Order of Light.
77	* NonCombatEXP: Healing and buffing teammates, activating/taking part in team skills, and building towers or other constructs.
78	* NotQuiteFlight: The Warrior's [[PlayerGuidedMissile Rocket Man]] ability let's you fly a short distance and explode into your enemies. Can be used to jump to high terrain or over a Cleric's Wall, but not over bottomless pits, lava, or water.
79	* OldSaveBonus: Unlocking achievements in other Xbox games would earn players a free premium item during a couple events, notably the ''VideoGame/CastleCrashers'' and ''VideoGame/{{ilomilo}}'' promotions.
80	* OneHitKill: Tornado, which is one of the Mage's Team Skills.
81	* PlayEveryDay: The treasure map feature. Logging in once a day earns a player with money. On the 7th and 14th day, the player is [[spoiler:typically]] given a premium item [[spoiler:or even a super-premium]] and the 21st is a guarenteed super premium.
82	* PowerEqualsRarity: Premium and Super Premium items. Most other items in the game fail to measure up to these three item rarities, even after they've been powered up to level 15.
83	** And now, there are Evolved Weapons, which only certain Super Premium weapons can do when they are at least Level 10.
84	* ProtectionMission: A campaign mission has you protecting townsfolk from alien invaders. [[spoiler:Rather than fail you for not protecting the townsfolk, they're instead added to the last group of enemies you fight in the mission if they are killed and not revived.]]
85	* PurelyAestheticGender: Literally the only difference between a male and female character in this game is the fact that females wear a bra.
86	* RainOfArrows: The Mage's Lightning Arrows team skill causes this. Even mentioned in-game word for word.
87	* RewardFromNowhere: Item Boxes earned in-game.
88	* RidiculouslyFastConstruction: Building towers and armaments with nothing but a mob of players and their hammers can take as little as a few seconds.
89	* RingOut: Most maps contain areas where you can hit your enemy off the map, into water, or into a pool of lava.
90	* RoyaltySuperPower: In Save the King mode, becoming the king automatically boosts you to Level 5 and gives you extra reach on your weapon. Subverted because you move at a snail's pace and have access to only three skills (though they are each rather useful). However, Dash, despite lasting for only a short amount of time, still propels you at the regular (boosted) pace.
91	* SaveThePrincess: The intro of the story mode features the forces of Darkness kidnapping the Princess, who the Knights of Order must rescue.
92	%%* SchizoTech: Exaggerated with the Engineer update.
93	* SelectiveGravity: Drop down from any height or get hit in the air by your enemy, you'll drop like a brick. But if the level shoots you high in the sky halfway across the map, you fall at a much slower pace.
94	* {{Shapeshifting}}: The Mage is able to shapeshift into other things with the "Shapehift" ability to try and fool other human players. [[TheAllSeeingAI That doesn't stop the AI enemies from finding you, though.]]
95	* {{Shoryuken}}: The Warrior's Charged Attack when at Level 5.
96	* ShiftingSandLand: Desert and Zodiac, which both have Antlion sand traps that will [[OneHitKill eat you]] in about 5 seconds if you're not careful. Or you can knock your enemies into said traps and watch them die. Whatever pleases you more.
97	* ShoutOut: The Berserker update changed around most of the player speech bubbles. More than a handful have been changed to reflect on [[MemeticMutation current internet memes]]. Expect to see players running around saying "U mad?" or "Do you even lift, bro?".
98	* SillyReasonForWar: The entire reason why the two kingdoms fight each other in the first place. Disagree about whether staying inside or exercising keeps you warm? ThisMeansWar
99	* SpinAttack: The Warrior and Berserker's Spin Attack.
100	* SpitefulAI: Often times, a player will be [[EveryoneChasingYou chased by a mob of AI enemies around the castle's perimeter]] while the rest of the player's team is hard at work breaching the castle. They will not stop chasing that player until they're either dead or have made considerable distance between themselves and the mob with mobility enhancements or the use of Dash.
101	* SquishyWizard: Aside from having generally poorer armor and physical attacks, mages also lack the ability to block with a shield.
102	* StormingTheCastle: What a match turns into when one team has all the towers and the time hasn't run out.
103	* SuperDrowningSkills: Zig-zagged; you can't fall into rivers in one of maps or you'll sink to your death, yet there are 2 maps taking place beneath the ocean floor.
104	* TeleportSpam: The Cleric and Engineer's Teleport ability and The Zephyr's Wind Swap ability.
105	* UnderTheSea: Coral and Deep Sea, which pit you on the ocean floor. [[SuperNotDrowningSkills Don't mind that oxygen isn't necessary underwater.]]
106	* VideoGameDashing: The Warrior has a dash lunge that can be used to cover ground faster than typical running. Rush can also count as well.
107	** The Cleric and Engineer's Dash ability, which increases the person's running speed fora set amount of time.
108	* VideoGameLives: One of the last missions of the single player campaign uses this as plot device. [[spoiler:The Kingdom of Dark is supressing your ability to respawn. If you die, you don't come back, but capturing control towers along the way will give you one respawn each.]]
109	%%* WeaponizedLandmark: The bird tower in Sunset and Bird God.
110	%%* WeaponOfXSlaying: The Warrior/Cleric/Mage Slayer buffs.
111	%%* WhiteMage: The Clerics.
112	%%* WindIsGreen
113	* ZergRush: For a game based on raiding castles, a stand-out example is in one mission in the single player Campaign where you and your small team has to defend your castle from rather large waves of zombies.
114	** There is also a Castle Defense Special Challenge that happens every once in a while. May 2014 was one of those times.

Context VideoGame / HappyWars