From Crawlers to Knuckleheads - the growth of Snakes with Fists

When I first started building Snakes with Fists, the demo was about as simple as it gets: a single player character, a basic punch, and one kind of enemy — the humble crawler. It was fun, but it was also bare-bones. I knew there was room to grow… I just didn’t know how much.

Fast forward through DreamHack Dallas and DreamHack Atlanta, and suddenly the vision started expanding in ways I hadn’t imagined. Watching hundreds of people play the game — from speed-running teens to parents trying it with their kids — gave me a ton of real-time feedback. Players didn’t just tell me what they liked, they showed me, and that shaped where the game went next.

Player Feedback → New Mechanics

One of the biggest things I noticed at DreamHack was how much players loved risk-reward mechanics. People lit up when they got a perfectly timed block or landed a satisfying hit. So, I added the Perfect Parry — nail the timing, and not only will you deflect the attack, you’ll restore a little health.

That idea snowballed into another new mechanic: the Finishing Punch. Land this on a weakened enemy, and you get a stylish, over-the-top knockout plus a health boost. Both features reward skill, timing, and a bit of daring.

Expanding the Enemy Roster

At the start, our poor crawlers were taking all the punches. Now they’ve got company — and some of it’s not so friendly: Knucklehead Bruisers – Prefer hand to hand and hit like a truck. Knucklehead Sluggers – Carry bats and love to knock you around. Knucklehead Gunners – Keep their distance and pepper you with projectiles. Each new enemy forces players to adapt their strategies — and watching that play out in the booth was incredibly rewarding.

Why This Matters

Every one of these additions — from the Perfect Parry to the expanded enemy roster — came from seeing how people engaged with the game. DreamHack wasn’t just about showing off Snakes with Fists; it was about building it together with the people who will eventually play it. The demo has come a long way from those early days of just punch vs. crawler, and there’s still more to come. The more I see players laugh, shout, and yell “NO WAY!” at a surprise enemy attack, the more I know we’re on the right track. Thanks to everyone who’s tried the game so far and given feedback — you’ve made Snakes with Fists better than I could have done alone. Next stop: more chaos, more enemies, and maybe… just maybe… even bigger fists.

– Joe