![](https://charlielikes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/nidhogg_WiyNtrQ.jpg)
Playing Nidhogg is like playing a dozen frantic games of rock-paper-scissors back to back. Like all the best couch co-op games, it’s very easy to get to grips with the controls: you have a sword, and you can raise it or lower it across three different heights to try and get around your opponent’s guard. There are other things you can do, like ducking, and jumping, and throwing your sword. But so many fights come down to a tense little close-range shuffle where each player stands just out of range of the other’s blade, moving their sword higher and lower in a seconds-long game of chicken.
Oh look, now I’m holding rock! Can you switch to paper fast enough? Nope, now I’m holding scissors! Oh, and now it’s paper! Now rock again! Now paper! What will you do?… Oh. You can just jump over me and keep running. Fair enough, I suppose.