Arena
This section contains details concerning the Downpour DLC. If you have not yet completed the DLC, then read no further!
This section contains major plot details. If you have not made significant progress in the game, then it is recommended that you read no further!
Arena is a game mode featuring 4 sub-modes: Sandbox and Competitive in vanilla, and the Downpour-exclusive Challenge and Safari. These game modes are available from the main menu under the 'Arena' tab, and allow for local multiplayer with up to 4 players in a variety of Arena maps. Most creatures, objects, and maps of these modes are initially unavailable and must be unlocked by finding collectibles spread across the various Slugcat campaigns in Story mode.
The Arena menu presents the player with a variety of options to customize their experience. Game mode is selected at the top, underneath which are a series of icons that allow the player to toggle which players are active. Maps can be set in the sliding menu to the left - only the ones unlocked are available to play on. Immediately next to maps are several sliders that change the number of points rewarded for completing objectives, including slaying of unlocked creatures. Below the character selection are check-boxes to enable PvP (player-versus-player) combat, aggressive enemy AI, and other mode-specific settings.
Sandbox
Sandbox mode allows the player to craft their own arena experience with an arena editing feature and customizable objectives. The menu screen of Sandbox allows for detailed control of the arena rules, such as settings for the rain timer (ranging from 30 seconds to 10 minutes, or forever) and the end-conditions of a given round: playing until a desired score, playing until it rains, or no restriction.
In-game, the player may switch between a spawn editing mode and live play. The locations of creatures, objects, and player spawns can be controlled in the editor. Slugcats can only spawn at tunnels, and spawn randomly if one is not selected. In the bottom right of the editing interface is the option to randomize creature spawns, switch between preset spawn configurations, and to initiate live play. Switching between live play and the editor is also possible via the pause menu.
Competitive
Competitive mode encourages quick hop-in hop-out sessions where players compete towards objectives including food consumed, time survived, and creatures slain. Competitive mode is set up for the creation of round playlists, wherein several maps can be played sequentially without interruption. A second slider near the map selector allows for customization of that playlist, with the option of randomizing all maps chosen.
A checkbox to the right determines the number of times each map in the playlist is visited. Above that slider are check-boxes to control the ability for players to spear each other and the aggressiveness of AI. Even the length and pacing of a round can be controlled, with duration of cycles able to be set from 30 seconds to 10 minutes and the quantity of creatures ranging from non-existent to overwhelming in quantity.
Unlockables
Throughout the map in each campaign are unlock tokens which make certain Creatures and 17 Objects available, of which the Slugcat (used to set player spawn points), Green Lizard, Pink Lizard, Batfly, Rock, and Spear items are unlocked by default.
maps, creatures, and objects available in Arena mode. Unlocks are shared between Sandbox and Competitive. In the base game, there are 34 playable maps, of which Amphitheater, Frame, Levels, Platforms and Warehouse are always available. There are also 43Tokens
Maps
Arena Maps are unlocked in groups by a singular token found within a Region, with the design and aesthetics of the corresponding maps based off of the Region that the token is found within.
Unlocked by Default
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Amphitheater
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Frame
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Levels
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Platforms
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Warehouse
Outskirts
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Blocks
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Chamber
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Stoneheads
Industrial Complex
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Hole
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Shafts
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Stove Pipes
Chimney Canopy
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Scaffolding
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Thrones
Garbage Wastes
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Grid
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Pit
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Pylons
Shoreline
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Refinery
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Waterworks
Shaded Citadel
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Cabinets
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Hive
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Planters
Drainage System
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Cistern
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Filters
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Water Reactor
Sky Islands
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Antenna
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Array
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Summit
Farm Arrays
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Accelerator
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Islands
The Exterior
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Joint
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Waste Deposit
Subterranean
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Cave
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Nest
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Shortcuts
Downpour
Downpour adds two arena modes, Challenge and Safari, and unlocks for all arena modes. In addition to the base game content, there are additional 26 Arena Maps, 14 creatures, and 10 objects, for a total of 50 Arena Maps, 57 creatures, and 27 objects, as well as Safari unlocks for nearly every region and unlocks for the 5 new Slugcats. In the Sandbox and Competitive modes, there is the added option for each player to choose their own type of Slugcat; a selection of the 8 different player characters seen within Story mode, each with their unique stats and abilities retained.
Challenges
Main article: Challenges
Challenges are preset Arenas with a predefined set of objects and creatures. During a Challenge, the player is required to complete various objectives in order to exit the arena and win. These typically involve gaining points through eating food, killing certain creatures, or surviving for a duration of time, often under limiting conditions.
Safari
Main article: Safari
In Safari, the player controls an Overseer, observing the different creatures and environments as they freely travel through a region. The player can control individual creatures to create unique situations and experiment with how they interact.
In the menu for Safari, the player can select which region they want to use (karma gates do not work), and can deactivate the rain so there is no time limit.
Unlockables
Throughout the map in each campaign are unlock tokens which make certain Train Lizard, Chieftain Scavenger, Hunter Long Legs, Stowaway, ???, and Sliver of Straw do not have an arena unlock.
Maps, Creatures, Objects, and Characters available in both Sandbox and Competitive, alongside Region unlocks for the Safari game mode.
Tokens
Maps
These arena maps are added in Downpour. They are grouped under their corresponding unlock token and the region that they are based off of or found within.
Metropolis
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Roof
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Sky Lobby
Submerged Superstructure
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Memory Bypass
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Rust Core
Rubicon
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Side Paths
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Void Shrine
Looks to the Moon
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Conflux
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Dark Tower
Outer Expanse
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Railway
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Sun Baked
The Rot
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Decaying Construct
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Lightning Machine
Silent Construct
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Barrens
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Twisted Ruin
Pipeyard
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Gantry
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Towering
Waterfront Facility
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Sea Spires
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Substructure
Garbage Wastes (Past)
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Acid Field
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Caustic Vats
Undergrowth
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Crawl Space
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Man Eater
Chimney Canopy (The Gutter)
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Muck Machine
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Rock Bottom
Subterranean
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Filtration Node
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Submerged
Trivia
- Arena was added in the 1.5 update.
- The first three color options are modeled after the single player difficulty modes. Nightcat is unique to Arena mode.
- All Slugcats in Arena mode have the stats and abilities of Survivor, despite the differing colors.
- Players enter Arena mode via tunnels normally representing room transitions. These tunnels change into shelters as soon as the end-condition is met.
- It is possible in sandbox to de-select all players and play. No Slugcats spawn, allowing to iterate upon creature-to-creature relationships without player interference.
- Arena unlocks do not persist between save files, but do not get deleted from resetting a save file.
- If a Vulture's mask is removed in competitive mode and it survives, it has a chance to reappear in subsequent rounds.
- Aggressive Noodlefly mothers often show up in future rounds and target whoever angered them.
- Lizards can be tamed in arena with reduced difficulty, and re-spawn in subsequent rounds for as long as they stay alive.
- On normal behavior settings, reputation is tracked for each Slugcat. It persists through competitive rounds and it is increased and decreased by a factor of 1.5x compared to single player. It has the same effects as usual with a few exceptions.
- Cyan Lizards stay hostile even at maximum reputation levels.
- Some Scavengers may still harass high reputation Slugcats with Rocks.
- On aggressive AI mode, reputation is set to the lowest value of -100 every round.
- On the darker maps, Slugcats glow as if they have eaten a Neuron Fly.
- Early in development, there were plans to have an integrated level editor in arena mode so that players could build their own arenas in-game. This was quickly scrapped, but the separate level editor application was made publicly available after release.