Killer Queen Black

Overview

Killer Queen Black is a multiplayer team-based single-screen strategy-platformer developed and published digitally by Liquid Bit (in conjunction with BumbleBear) for the Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac on October 11, 2019. It was later released on the Xbox One on February 22, 2021 and for Google Stadia on March 30, 2021. The Switch version was also released physically.

A console sequel to the 2012 indie arcade game Killer Queen, Killer Queen Black revamps the original's gameplay (changing it from 5v5 to 4v4 while adding new abilities and changing combat) while featuring updated pixel art and online cross-platform multiplayer.

Similar to the original, the game is round-based where two teams (Blue and Gold) attempt to win by completing one of three objectives: killing the enemy Queen three times (for a Military Victory), filling their Hive with Berries (for an Economic Victory), or riding the neutral Snail to their goal (for a Snail Victory). Each team has a leader player (the "Queen") and three upgradable worker players (the "Drones").

Gameplay

Player Roles

One player in each team is designated as the "Queen", while the remaining players are designated as "Drones" (sometimes known as "Workers").

Queen

Their goals are to survive (as their death can lead to a Military Victory), disrupt the enemy Drones in their objectives, and to capture "Gates" for their team (making that Gate only available to their team's Drones).

Unlike standard Drones, Queens can not be upgraded and cannot Jump, instead flapping their wings for easy maneuverability. They can also Dash horizontally and Dive downwards for quick movement, with players able to cancel between the two.

Drones

Their goals are to retrieve Berries for their Hive (for an Economic Victory), ride the neutral Snail to their goal (for a Snail Victory), or upgrade into a "Warrior" form to attack both the enemy Queen (for a Military Victory) and other Drones.

Players can upgrade Drones by entering "Gates" at special locations on the playfield while holding a Berry. Each Gate has two power-ups to choose from from a pool of five power-ups:

• Speed - Boosts the Drone's movement speed.

• Shield - Puts a shield in front of the Drone that withstands enemy attacks and bumps unshielded Drones for extra pushback. Shields are inactive while the Drone attacks in its "Warrior" form.

• Warrior (Sword) - Transforms the Drone into its "Warrior" form while giving them a sword. Sword Warriors have faster melee attacks that swing in front of them. They can also perform a dashing attack in mid-air.

• Warrior (Mace) - Transforms the Drone into its "Warrior" form while giving them a mace. Mace Warriors have slower melee attacks that swing around them, covering more area.

• Warrior (Gun) - Transforms the Drone into its "Warrior" form while giving them a gun. Gun Warriors have the game's sole ranged attack which fires slow beams that travel horizontally (wrapping around the screen).

All three Warrior forms allows the Drone to attack and Flap their wings (similar to the Queen), but can no longer Jump, carry Berries, or ride the Snail. Once a Drone dies, they lose all of their acquired upgrades.

Stages

• The Black Queen's Keep
• The Helix Temple
• The Pod
• The Spire
• The Split Juniper
• The Tally Fields

Post-Release

• The Nesting Flats - Added on July 14, 2020.

Differences from Original

• The game is changed from 5v5 to 4v4, with six (later seven) battlefields of different sizes.
• Automatic attacking and Joust-style height differences have been removed.
• Queens can now Dash horizontally, and can even cancel their Dive into a Dash and vice-versa.
• Drones can now throw berries. Thrown berries that reach an empty hole in the Hive now causes it to be placed in that hole.
• Drones in their Warrior (Sword) form can now perform a dash attack.
• Each Gate now has two possible choices. Along with the Speed and Warrior (Sword) upgrades, Gates can now have Shield, Warrior (Mace), and Warrior (Gun) upgrades.