Rivals of Aether is a platform fighter game created by Dan Fornace. It was released for Microsoft Windows in March 2017, for Xbox One in August 2017, and for Nintendo Switch in September 2020. It received good reviews from critics, who praised its complex and engaging gameplay.
Several spin-off video games were released based on Rivals of Aether. These include Lovers of Aether, a dating sim game released for PC on April 1, 2019, and for iOS on July 30, 2019; Creatures of Aether, a deck-building game released for iOS and Android on September 28, 2020, and for PC on August 2, 2021; and Dungeons of Aether, a roguelike game released for PC and Nintendo Switch in 2023. A spin-off comic series, Tales of Aether, was also released in 2021. It provides details about the backstory of the original game. A sequel to the original game, Rivals of Aether II, was released on October 23, 2024.
Gameplay
Rivals of Aether is a game inspired by Super Smash Land, which was a fan-made version of Super Smash Bros. Because of this, Rivals of Aether uses many similar gameplay rules. Players control characters who try to knock opponents out of a flat playing field. In addition to fighting moves, characters can use attacks based on elements like fire or water, or abilities that change the stage. This adds a layer of strategy where players not only attack others but also alter the environment. Compared to Super Smash Bros, Rivals of Aether focuses more on attacking than defending. To block attacks, players must time a move called a "parry" instead of holding up a shield. Also, players cannot safely grab the edges of the stage when returning, but they can dodge more often than in Super Smash Land.
Each character in the game is connected to one of the four classical elements: fire, water, air, or earth. These elements influence their abilities and fighting style. For example, Zetterburn, Forsburn, Clairen, and Mollo are linked to fire. Orcane, Etalus, Ranno, and Hodan are linked to water. Wrastor, Absa, Elliana, and Pomme are linked to air. Kragg, Maypul, Sylvanos, and Olympia are linked to earth. The game also includes guest characters Ori and Sein from the game Ori and the Blind Forest, and the main hero from Shovel Knight.
In Super Smash Bros, many characters rely on close-range attacks, and most long-distance attacks are short-lived. In contrast, every character in Rivals of Aether has at least one move that affects the stage in a lasting way. For example, some moves create bubbles that trap enemies, ice that helps the user move faster, or water puddles that can power up attacks or act as teleport points. Some characters even create platforms that change the stage's layout. A writer from Kotaku, Cecilia D'Anastasio, noted that Super Smash Bros move sets are more "reserved" compared to the more active moves in Rivals of Aether.
On January 17, 2018, two characters, Maypul and Ranno, received special outfits inspired by characters Ragnir and Wu Shang from Brawlhalla. The Definitive Edition of the game added more outfits that change characters into different fighters. The development team also released two new characters through the Steam Workshop: a panda named Guadua and a joke character named Sandbert for April Fool's Day.
On April 1, 2021, it was announced that four popular fan-made characters from the Steam Workshop—Mollo, Hodan, Pomme, and Olympia—would be officially added to the game in late 2021 through a free update. These characters were included in an update released on February 3, 2022.
Story
The land of Aether is home to many groups of animal-like beings. These groups are divided into four fighting civilizations, each controlling one of the elements: fire, water, earth, or air.
The Water Trade Company’s trade routes are often attacked by the Air Armada. To protect their goods, the company makes a deal with a thief named Orcane. In return for retrieving stolen items, Orcane is promised better living conditions for the people of Merchant Port. Meanwhile, in the Fire Capital, the emperor is found dead, and his son, Forsburn, is accused of the crime. Forsburn tells his brother, Zetterburn, that he was set up by the Fire Council and the new emperor, Loxodont. Zetterburn does not believe him and attacks Forsburn. Forsburn escapes to the wastelands and is taken in by the Smoke Clan. At Loxodont’s coronation, a special flame is stolen by someone who looks like Orcane. Zetterburn chases the thief, attacks Merchant Port in anger, and defeats the figure, only to learn it was a shadow. Zetterburn begins searching for the shadow’s origin, while Orcane returns from his mission and follows.
In the Aetherian Forest, a guardian named Maypul notices a strange sickness harming the plants. She leaves her sister, Mayreed, to find the cause. Maypul discovers the Fire Guard attacking the Smoke Clan’s settlement. She meets Forsburn, and they fight, thinking the other is responsible. When Maypul accuses Forsburn, he explains he saw a shadow resembling Zetterburn and believes it is linked to the sickness. The two agree to work together to find the source of the shadows.
During a mission, Air Armada pilots Wrastor and Bradshaw spot a large crack in the Rock Wall surrounding the Aetherian Forest. They investigate but are attacked by Kragg, a Wallbuilder who thinks they are trying to exploit the wall’s weakness. Kragg seriously injures Bradshaw because Wrastor is careless, forcing them to retreat. Later, Kragg is attacked by someone who looks like Maypul. He suspects the forest-dwellers have betrayed the Wallbuilders, but Mayreed arrives and confirms the figure is an imposter. She sends Kragg to find the real Maypul, unaware that Wrastor is following him.
The six characters—Forsburn, Zetterburn, Orcane, Maypul, Mayreed, and Kragg—eventually meet at a crater in the center of Aether. Before fighting, a stone structure rises from the crater, revealing an underground abyss where more shadows appear. Realizing the shadows are the source of the imposter figures and the forest’s sickness, the group sets aside their differences and works together to defeat the shadow creatures. After winning the battle, they reconcile and agree to prepare for the possibility of the shadows returning.
Development
The development of the game focused on making it faster and more centered around quick moves and combinations compared to Super Smash Bros. On August 22, 2017, Ori and Sein from the game Ori and the Blind Forest were released as downloadable content (DLC). On October 17, 2017, Fornace released two additional DLC characters, Ranno and Clairen. On April 2, 2018, Fornace released two more DLC characters, Sylvanos and Elliana. On September 14, 2018, Shovel Knight from the video game of the same name was released as the second guest character and final playable character. In 2019, the official Rivals of Aether Twitter account announced that the Steam Workshop would allow players to create their own characters and stages. In January 2020, Rivals of Aether: Definitive Edition was confirmed as a complete version of the game that includes all DLC characters. Later that year, on April 1, the full features of the Definitive Edition were announced in an online presentation, confirming new unlockables and a new mode based on tetherball. The Definitive Edition was released on September 24, 2020. On April 1, 2021, it was announced that four original characters created through the Steam Workshop would be officially added in a future free update. These characters, along with an update that included rollback netcode, were released on February 3, 2022.
Reception
Rivals of Aether received good reviews from critics. Nick Valdez of Destructoid said the game is a well-developed fighter that adds more depth to the Super Smash Bros. formula. Di Stefano Castelli of IGN Italia noted that the game lacks originality but is a technically skilled remake that appeals to experienced players.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun mentioned that the game's character design was enjoyable and similar to Pokémon. Polygon described the game as "beautiful" and called it "a game similar to Super Smash Bros made by independent developers."
Legacy
The game has several related games. The first was Lovers of Aether, a free dating simulation game released on April Fools' Day in 2019. This game takes place in a different world where the game's characters are high school students at the same school. The player tries to find a date for a school dance. Based on the player's choices, their selected character may accept or reject them. Sin Vega from Rock, Paper, Shotgun praised the game for allowing players to romance any character, unlike some games that only let players romance female characters. The game also gave characters more personality and charm than typical dating simulations.
Another related game, Creatures of Aether, is a deck-building game. It was first released on September 28, 2020, and later had a version for computers on August 2, 2021. Harry Slater from Gamezebo said the game was unexpectedly deep.
A four-part comic series called Tales of Aether was released in 2021. It tells the backstory of Clairen, one of the game's characters. A third related game, Dungeons of Aether, was released on February 28, 2023. It is a turn-based roguelike game. A 3D fighting game sequel to Rivals of Aether was announced on April 1, 2021, and was named Rivals 2 one year later, with a planned release in 2024. Aether Studios was also created to manage the series. The game was later renamed Rivals of Aether II and released on Steam on October 23.
On April Fools' Day in 2025, a microgame collection called Dreams of Aether was released for PC. It takes place in the Spirit World, a dream-like place where Absa becomes trapped after her mind palace is filled with random dreams. A mysterious piñata-like creature connects her mind with other characters from the Aether universe who are sleeping. Absa must fight through their dreams to escape. Jeremy Peeples from Hardcore Gamer praised the game, calling it "top-shelf" and "one of the best" shadow drops he had seen on PC.