Given that most games come out regular before getting super sized, you can’t help but be excited by a game that’s already super like Super Comboman, which is coming to PCs via Steam thanks to the good people at Adult Swim Games. But in talking to Interabang’s Justin “ICJ” Woodward, the Creative Dome Piece on Super Comboman, it’s also not hard to get hungry.
I find it best to start with the basics. So, what is Super Comboman?
Super Comboman is a random beat-’em-up side scrolling game where you fight a gang of dudes using big hamhock sized fists, head nuggets, and a talking fanny pack. The main objective is to demolish your co-workers at a construction site.
The gameplay style is similar to taking a Oreo cookie, slapping it in someone’s face, and dropkicking a floating cherry pie without letting it land. With a slight twist of Devil May Cry insanity.
Great. Now I’m hungry. So was Devil May Cry an influence on Super Comboman?
Our love for wonky animation and fast paced fighting games had a big influence on it. The tight movement and controls of such games as Street Fighter, and the use of air combos in the Street Fighter Vs. Marvel games made an impression on us as far as style.
Obviously, given that the game is called Super Comboman, you also get to use combos in the game. Are any of the ones in the game taken from other games? Like did you base an uppercut on the combo from Street Fighter or something?
There are some juicy elements that we baked into Super Comboman’s gameplay, including our meaty fireball and spinning lariat attacks. We also grabbed some of the moves and the crispy and crunchy feel that resides in the recipe of most combat based games. But we didn’t grab any particular combo strings from any other games.
Why did you decide to add the stickers element to Super Comboman, and what does it add to the game that wouldn’t be there otherwise?
Stickers are fun and invoke a sense of playfulness that we wanted to smuggle in for the aesthetic feel of our universe.
The main character in Super Comboman is called Struggles, which is kind of funny. And, obviously, you’re game is being put out by Adult Swim Games. What do think are the inspirations for the game’s sense of humor?
The essence of the game’s humor popped up when we dug deep within our psyches and found the inner Struggles that rests within us reflecting our adolescent awkwardness. Before I was the ridiculously handsome and smooth Lando Carissian-looking motherfucker that I am now, there was a time when I thought it would be dope to rock a fanny pack, a Hawaiian shirt, and a Somoan mullet. Definitely not cool, but at the time I thought I was poppin. When I grew out of that phase, I began to see others rock this style, and I couldn’t help but to see how hilarious people are when they roll out confidently. Why not capture that silliness and put it in a game? We were always fans of Adult Swim and their games, it seemed like it was a fit from the get-go.
How much input do the Adult Swim guys like Keith Crofford and Mike Lazzo have on games like yours?
None.
Given that ladies can use combos as well as any gent, why did you decide to make Struggles a man instead of a woman?
We didn’t want to offend the ladies by calling them Struggles. Besides, it would just be rude to have a woman in a game with a talking fanny.
And is there a Mrs. Struggles?
Not yet, but she may be popping some nugs soon.
As you said, Struggles uses a fanny pack. But the only people who still use fanny packs are my mom and other elderly people. Why did you decide he would keep things in a fanny pack and not in his pocket like a normal person his age?
His talking fanny pack Flapper is his best friend. Who better to have with you on your ridiculous and unnecessary journey?
So was this a blatant attempt to get old people to play your game?
It was a blatant attempt to bring the fanny pack back like low cut V-Necks and long sleeve tank tops.
Super Comboman is coming to PCs through Steam. Are there any plans to do a version for consoles or tablets?
We are focusing on knocking out the Steam version currently, but absolutely want to have a full fledged console or mobile release in the near future.
Lastly, in games, usually you do the regular version, and then do the Super version. Street Fighter came first, then Super Street Fighter. Does that mean when you do the upgraded version of Super Comboman that it will be Super Duper Comboman or Extra Super Comboman or Super Super Comboman? Or are you just going to skip that and go straight to Super Comboman 2: Electric Boogaloo?
Turbo and Ozone would be proud if we busted out the Electric Boogaloo and had Struggles breakin’ on peoples faces proper-like. But, in all honesty, we would have to go with something super crazy like Mega Super Combo Mizzle Extreme Nugget Edition.
