Banana Split

Banana Split is a fast-paced couch competitive game that twists third-person shooter and real-time strategy ingredients for a sweet new flavor of multiplayer action.

The initial inspiration for Banana Split came from cloning mechanics in non-strategy games, like Super Mario 3D World, and the micro/macro strategies in real-time strategy games, like StarCraft. The initial prototype, Divide & Conquer, had a very minimalist design, but when I decided to build it into a full game, I knew I wanted something with more personality.

The title, Banana Split, was one of a few possible titles brainstormed that referenced the core “splitting” mechanic, and the dessert theme was chosen over other options to give the game a more fun-focused tone than a lot of other shooters. Games like Splatoon and fictional game Sugar Rush helped influence the balance between competitive and silly fun.

The character designs also evolved over time, from more serious-looking banana-themed soldiers to a more varied and fantastical armor types. The characters were also changed to be kids in costumes, primarily as part of keeping the game fun-oriented, but also to leave open the possibility of further developing the kids or their costume identities separately in the future.

Banana Split supports 2-4 players on keyboard or gamepads.

Screenshots are from unfinished test versions of the game.