A code was provided, and many thanks to Hooded Horse.
Super Fantasy Kingdom: A New Take on Roguelites
Super Fantasy Kingdom is an upcoming city-builder with roguelite mechanics that offers a refreshing twist on the genre. Where many roguelites focus on fast-paced action, Super Fantasy Kingdom takes a more strategic approach. You’ll manage resources, construct buildings, and recruit defenders to protect your kingdom from relentless invaders. I had the chance to try out a special demo featuring a new Undead faction, as well as the standard demo currently available to all players on Steam.
The Premise
In Super Fantasy Kingdom, you play as a ruler tasked with rebuilding a crumbling kingdom while defending it against waves of increasingly dangerous enemies. At the heart of the gameplay is a balance between resource management and defence strategy.
The lower half of the map is where you’ll focus on city building. Here, you’ll allocate workers to gather essential resources like wood, stone, and food to construct buildings, expand the kingdom, and recruit soldiers. Resource allocation is vital: stone might be needed to erect structures, but it’s also essential for recruiting and sustaining your army.
Visually, the game is brought to life with charming pixel art and a dynamic soundtrack that shifts from tranquil melodies during city-building to intense battle scores as conflict arises.
The Battles Above
The upper half of the screen is where the action takes place. Here, your guardians and soldiers automatically defend the kingdom from waves of enemies. Early battles are straightforward, but as days and nights pass, the enemy forces grow stronger and more numerous. Every few days, you can recruit an additional guardian to aid in the fight, provided you’ve gathered enough resources to afford them.
Combat also introduces a layer of tactical depth. Once you’ve hired a guardian or soldier, you’ll place them on the battlefield, often at an additional cost. After each battle, your troops return to the tavern to eat, level up, and prepare for the next wave of foes. Ensuring your soldiers are well-fed is crucial for their performance.
Roguelite Progression and Expansion
Victory in Super Fantasy Kingdom is rewarded with glory points, which allow you to build new roads, expand your territory, and unlock lasting perks for future runs. Despite its rogue-lite nature, the game ensures that progress doesn’t feel wasted: even after defeat, you’ll retain some of your advancements, making each subsequent attempt slightly easier.
Strategic planning is key. With limited building spaces and randomized resource locations, you’ll need to make tough decisions about what to prioritize. Should you focus on gathering materials or invest in food production to keep your warriors strong? The replayability lies in this constant need to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.
Humans vs. the Undead
I explored both the standard demo, where you control a Human kingdom and the special Undead campaign. Each faction offers a unique spin on gameplay mechanics.
The Human campaign provides an approachable introduction, making it an ideal starting point for new players. In contrast, the Undead campaign introduces advanced mechanics tailored for seasoned players. Skeletons replace traditional workers, and you’ll need to decide how many to “raise” each day for labour or sacrifice them for a one-time resource boost. Ooze becomes a critical resource for upgrades. These small yet significant changes highlight how faction choice impacts both strategy and resource management.
Fresh Innovation in the Roguelite Genre
Super Fantasy Kingdom delivers a compelling blend of city-building, resource management, and roguelite progression. With its focus on strategic decision-making and persistent rewards, it’s a refreshing departure from the action-heavy entries that dominate the genre.
The inclusion of unique factions and several recruitable guardians ensures that no two runs feel the same. Whether you’re combining halflings with Cyclops or recruiting a genie, the variety in strategy is immense.
Final Thoughts
With its charming visuals, deep mechanics, and rewarding progression system, Super Fantasy Kingdom is shaping up to be a standout title for both city-building and rogue-lite fans. The demo currently available on Steam is well worth trying, and the game is one to add to your wishlist.
Prepare for nights of thrilling battles, careful planning, and the joy of watching your kingdom grow, if you can survive the onslaught.
Do you like our content? Support LadiesGamers on Patreon!
Check out our Tiers and Benefits and join us.