Making the Towns is a single-player strategy deck-building roguelite set in the world of 1980s professional wrestling. Players take on the role of a wrestler navigating the independent circuit, moving from promotion to promotion in pursuit of titles and recognition. The game emphasizes deck construction, tactical card play during matches, and long-term progression across a roster of promotions and opponents.
Gameplay
Matches revolve around a shared momentum bar that shifts based on the cards played. Each turn involves selecting strikes, throws, grapples, aerial maneuvers, or submissions to build combos while watching for opponent telegraphs. Reversals require precise timing and resource management to counter incoming moves and regain control. Once momentum favors the player, a finisher can be attempted to secure the pin and victory. Opponents follow distinct rulesets, forcing adaptation to their patterns and strengths during every encounter.
Deck building forms the core loop. Starting with a basic set after failing an entry exam, players expand their options through collection and acquisition. Cards fall into common, uncommon, rare, and mythic categories, with signature moves from defeated wrestlers permanently added to the available pool. Managers and tricks provide additional layers that combine across multiple matches in a single run. Five distinct wrestlers offer varied starting styles and card pools, encouraging different approaches to combat and progression.
Game Modes
The experience centers on a career-style progression where players sign with promotions, compete on their cards, and aim to capture titles before advancing to higher tiers. This structure spans 26 promotions and 153 wrestlers, with runs extending from the mid-1980s into the early 1990s. Cut promos and manager hires add flavor to the journey between matches, while the roguelite elements ensure each attempt features fresh deck synergies and challenges. The single-player format focuses entirely on individual runs without multiplayer components.
Progression and Features
Climbing through five tiers requires consistent performance across the circuit. Success in lower promotions unlocks access to stronger competition and new cards. The 450-card collection rewards exploration of different wrestler archetypes, while the 12 managers and 46 tricks introduce compounding effects that reward experimentation over successive runs. Pixel art presentation uses chunky arcade-style sprites paired with a chiptune soundtrack that evokes 16-bit era wrestling shows.
Life on the road captures the independent scene through repeated signings, title pursuits, and reputation building. Each promotion presents its own card of matches, pushing players to adapt decks on the fly while accumulating permanent unlocks that carry forward.
Is It Worth Playing?
Making the Towns suits fans of deck-building roguelites who enjoy tactical combat and thematic depth in a niche setting. The momentum system and opponent telegraphing create engaging back-and-forth matches that reward reading patterns and chaining moves effectively. With its focus on single-player runs, card collection, and circuit progression, the game appeals to those seeking a self-contained experience centered on building and refining a wrestler over multiple attempts. As an upcoming title with no released version or player data available yet, its value depends on interest in the wrestling theme combined with roguelite mechanics. Those drawn to strategic card play and gradual power growth through unlocks will find the described systems align closely with that preference.
