Whirlwind

Whirlwind is an wrestling-inspired action game for the Onyx developed by Pyro Enterprises, taking inspiration from Devil May Cry and Punch-Out alongside traditional wrestling games. The game is oriented on presenting an exaggerated, fantastical take on pro wrestling, featuring a robust combat system designed around grappling and spectacular, powerful blows.
==Gameplay==
Whirlwind is a 3D action game, set from an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective which gives the player a wide view of the screen at all times. This camera view, labelled Action View in the game, can also be switched for Static View in the options, which has the camera hang in the air at a fixed distance to better resemble traditional wrestling games. Though Action View's camera will always remain locked to the opponent, the player is able to move around freely without facing them directly, and many moves and techniques require directional inputs relative to the opponent themselves.
Defeating an opponent can occur through multiple ways, some dependent on the specific match or mode, but the three most common methods of doing so consist of either lowering the opponent's Stamina Bar to zero, pinning them down or keeping them outside the ring for a 10-second countdown, or hitting them with a TKO Attack. These methods of victory all also count for the opponent as well, so players must be careful to react to attempts by their enemies to use these very skills against them. Based on the ruleset, players can also take advantage of stage elements such as ropes, tables, ladders, and more to gain footing in their battles.
===Hype Meter and Star Power===
The Hype Meter is a showcase of how exciting your performance is to the large audience watching you; as such, performing well raises the meter, and performing poorly lowers it. Hype slightly influences the power of the player's attacks and the swiftness of their evasive moves, and also has an impact on how quickly they can get out of being knocked down; while on the ground, the player can mash buttons to get up sooner, though Hype will drain while doing so.
Aside from striking opponents and evading blows with perfect timing, the player can also raise Hype by Taunting, which can be performed by holding down the Onyx's left bumper. While Taunting, the player's Hype steadily rises as they excite the crowd; while this does leave the player open to attack if they are not careful, swift timing enables them to cancel out of the taunt immediately, which has the bonus potential to garner even more Hype.
After obtaining a full Hype Meter, the player is able to expend it to increase their Star Power, a level-based system based on a 0-3 scale. Though all fighters begin the match at 0 Star Power, increasing it provides overall stat buffs to one's character, with certain moves only available at higher tiers of Star Power. Once the player reaches Level 3, filling up the Hype Meter again will enable them to use a TKO Attack. Though difficult to land, TKO Attacks are so powerful that hitting an opponent with them downs them instantly, causing the user to win the match regardless of the current score. If they miss, however, all of the player's Hype is drained, leaving them to accumulate a full bar once more.
===Controls===
Move 	Use the Left Stick to move around the ring! Tap quickly in a given direction to Dash and gain a burst of speed! 	Jump 	Jump upwards to gain some additional height. Jumping grants you invincibility frames for a second, so it's one of the best evasive moves in a wrestler's arsenal! It can also be used to combo into an Air Clothesline or an Air Press.
Palm Strike 	Strike forward with an outstretched hand quickly. Not a very damaging technique, but it's good for starting combos and interrupting opponents when they're vulnerable. Hit a foe with a Palm Strike before they go in for a grab to earn lots of bonus Hype! 	Rush In 	The ultimate tool of any true wrestler, Rush In is a command grab that has the player dash a short ways forward, trying to bear hug the opponent. If you miss, you can be easily whiff punished; if you hit, you're free to attack your enemy with multiple different attacks based on the following directional input. Functions identically in the air.
Shoulder 	Hold your arm and shoulder outward to block incoming attacks. Doesn't work on grabs, but will defend from other physical moves. Hold this while in motion to perform a Shoulder Tackle and knock down your opponents! 	Whirlwind 	Using Rayne's rotational energy powers, one can augment the impact and launch distance of a move by performing Whirlwind at just the right time. Though it's tricky to perform, you also get a lot of Hype by pulling it off successfully.
Air Clothesline	It's a spinning clothesline, but in the air! Acts as a double jump with a spinning hitbox around it, good for striking larger foes who just happen to be nearby. Can be pulled off as long as the player's in the air, so you can delay the second press to strike lower if you want.	Air Press 	Descend from the air with a flying press, one of the best approaches to knocking down and pinning an opponent. Though you can be avoided or anti-aired, and missing leaves you open as you get off the ground, it's an easy way to disrupt an opponent and debilitate them.
Press Down 	After grabbing an opponent with Rush In, press them flat and pin them. One of the safest methods of pinning, though one can still get thrown off like normal. 	or Hurricane Throw	After grabbing an opponent with Rush In, spin them around and throw them to the side selected. Disorients an opponent and has the ability to throw them onto the ropes, where they bounce off and can be hit by a Palm Strike for heavy damage.
Heavy Suplex 	After grabbing an opponent with Rush In, suplex them over your shoulders for immense damage. Possibility for easy retaliation after the suplex if you aren't careful, as if puts your foe immediately behind you, right within striking distance. 	Taunt 	Hold down the button to taunt and rile up the crowd, slowly generating Hype. One can still walk around while Taunting, and it can be canceled out of with a swift button input, but be wary: getting hit while taunting not only causes you to lose Hype, but also gives a lot of it to your opponent as well.
==Solo Modes==
===Career===
Take on the career of wrestling phenomenon Whirlwind Rayne in this simple tournament style mode! Career Mode is, in essence, the game's story mode, featuring Rayne as she takes down all comers in the various leagues she enters- ranging from Minors, Majors, National Championship, and World Championship matches! Each of these four tiers has four opponents for Rayne to fight; while she can go at them in any order, she must defeat everyone on a tier to advance to the next.
===Ultiplex Championship===
The game's hard mode unlocked after beating Career, Rayne is now faced with fending off new and improved versions of every wrestler she's faced before, now armed with new tactics and abilities. The Ultiplex will truly challenge your skills in the wrestling world!
==Group Modes==
===Standard Match===
A standard match with all the same rules still in effect, just with the ability to play with up to four other players. All fighters in this mode use the same moveset as Rayne, making it more about skill than anything else. Up to six players can play at once! The specific ruleset- activating/deactivating Hype, altering timers and rounds, and choosing which stage elements are brought in can be adjusted freely.
===Royal Rumble===
In Royal Rumble mode, matches begin with standard 1-v-1 combat, with two players at once. However, every 30 seconds, another fighter is introduced into the match, and this continues for as long as there are players remaining. Up to 6 people can remain in the ring at once, causing the countdown timer to stall if six people are already fighting- however, up to 18 people can sign up for a Royal Rumble! Win conditions and rule modifications are the same as in a Standard Match.
===Tag-Team Rumble===
A modified version of Royal Rumble with 2-v-2 team-based combat rather than the solo style of the prior mode. To account for the altered odds of battle, new teams are shuffled in every 1:30 rather than every 30 seconds. Otherwise, the general rules remain the same.
===Last Ride===
Last Ride matches have a singular unique objective: throwing the opponent into a car at the end of a much longer ring than normal. Though an enemy can be downed as normal, this is more of an opportunity to pick them up and drag them into the car than it is to pin them. Positioning and reaction time is more key in this mode; take your shot and knock your foes right into their final ride into the sunset!
===Pole Riders===
A twist on the traditional ladder match, Pole Riders features four fireman poles sticking out of the ground in the middle of the ring, with a briefcase full of money dangling from the ceiling. It's up to the players to climb the poles and grab the briefcase to win, all the while preventing your opponents from doing the same. If need be, you're able to pluck one of the poles out of its socket and use it as a makeshift melee weapon, giving you immense range!
==Characters==
Whirlwind RayneFresh Blood	An up-and-comer to the world of wrestling, Whirlwind Rayne hails from Boston, Massachusetts and shows no signs of stopping on her way to the top! Packing heat with her immense strength, undisputed skill in the majestic art of grappling, and her mysterious power that seems to be derived from the might of a tornado, Rayne's raring to go and is taking on everyone in her path as she seeks the World Championship belt! The player character of Whirlwind, it's up to the player to help Rayne in facing the monumental odds before her and eventually come out on top.
==Matches==
The myriad foes that Rayne will have to face on her climb to the top of the professional rankings.
===Minor League===
Fred FredericksonBoston's Pride and Joy	Old Freddy's not that much of a fighter, but his determination and passion for the field of wrestling have landed him the love and adoration of the local wrestling fanbase. When Rayne comes onto the scene, Fred's not quite ready to give up the spotlight... But as the effective tutorial match, he doesn't have much of a choice.Unlike most wrestlers that Rayne will find herself facing, Fred is just a normal human who really doesn't have anything going for him other than natural training and the adoration of his fans. That fanbase is actually his most effective weapon- while the grabs and holds he eventually attempts to go for are easy to predict and evade, he taunts often and gains a lot of Hype when he actually does manager to land a move. This lets him earn Star Power absurdly quickly, and as such, he can gain quick access to his TKO Attack. Luckily, as he is a tutorial, said attack is still predictable and easy to evade or counter. He also tends to not play with the ropes or leave the arena much, remaining in the center as much as he physically can.
The BloodhoundThe Fast and The Feral 	Casey Mohlan, going by the stage name of the Bloodhound, is famed for her speed and agility, as well as her ferocity in the ring. While fans claim that this heel's miraculous strength and speed come to her from either partnership with some demonic force or through superhuman powers, Casey simply claims she's trained hard for her matches. The demon thing would certainly explain how wild she gets in the ring, though...Bloodhound's greatest strength while fighting is her agility and flexibility in combat, making her highly evasive and difficult to directly pin down. She tends to play more on the ropes than in the arena itself, climbing up to a perch before leaping at Rayne in order to tackle and pin her. Fighting her tends to come down to defensive play and timing, countering her rushes with a Rush In or Palm Strike of your own and opening her up to actual attacks. For the love of all that is holy, don't let her pin you; she tends to get incredibly violent when the match goes on for long times, and will beat you down when pinned to deal damage on top of preventing you from recovery.
Rico MonkucciThe Ultimate Trickster 	One of the lightest and lithest fighters in the Minors, Rico almost seems too weak to really be an effective wrestler. What he lacks in raw muscle, however, he makes up for in cunning and trickery, devising ways to make the opponents get themselves disqualified rather than winning on might alone. This doesn't make him popular among wrestling fans, but it has lead him to an impressive win streak.Unlike the past two fighters in the Minors, Rico plays outside the ring more than he does in it, leaping back in periodically to fight so he isn't disqualified by ring out. He's slippery and evasive, so while he does barely any damage with his attacks, he can evade them with ease and tends to counter with a body tackle that can knock Rayne out of the ring. Once she's there, it's an uphill battle, as Rico will do everything he can to keep her from getting back into the ring using strikes of his own. The best way to deal with him is to make his strategy backfire- once he's out of the ring, keep up the offensive to ensure he can't get back in. Also note that the crowd doesn't like Rico's tactics very much, and as such, you shouldn't have to worry about managing his Hype; he will probably never get to use a TKO Attack.
Mighty MartyThe Strength of an Ox 	Plumber-turned-wrestler Martin Sanchez is known for his absurd musculature, striking poses, silly facial hair,and jolly nature, making him one of the most popular competitors in the field when it comes to children. Though his immense strength would seem to make him a formidable opponent to Rayne, he's actually very eager and kind to her, wishing her the best of luck when they fight. When Marty gets angry, however, he really gets angry.Mighty Marty is effectively the final boss of the Minor League, having the greatest level of strength and prowess that many players will experience up to this point. He's very well-rounded, combining the skills of all prior competitors and taking command of both the ring, the ropes, and the outside of the arena. As a nice, friendly competitor, he doesn't play offensively that much to start off, simply trying to counter Rayne's own attacks to the best of his ability and interrupt her Rush In with a palm strike of his own. He's focused more on trying to pin Rayne than deal damage, using his bulk to weigh her down... Of course, this all changes if Rayne manages to make him angry and deal too much damage. When angry, Marty gains access to the Ox Rush, a charged version of the Rush In that deals immense damage if he manages to land it. Play around this- pin him at low damage to prevent him from getting mad!
===Major League===
Big PigThe Big Kahuna 	Dani "Big Pig" Kahale has received concern and criticism for his intensely fat body, with detractors of his wrestling style stating that he should be working in the field of sumo wrestling instead. That hasn't stopped him from rising up the ranks of the major leagues, putting on a serious attitude and harnessing what seems to be some form of pyrokinesis for his attacks. Is this just for show, or does he have actual superpowers?Big Pig is a very defense-oriented fighter, owing to a protective layer of thick fat. His heavy weight also makes him much harder to grab and throw with Rush In, while his own grapples become harder to escape due to his immense strength. Once Big Pig reaches his first level of Star Power, he gains an additional infusion of flaming energy in many of his strikes- if they hit, they will stun you and make you more vulnerable. While Big Pig can't be thrown well, his proportions make it harder for him to get off the ground, so either whittle down his HP or pin him at every opportunity.
Penelope PetersBouncing Bunny	Penelope is kind of a ditz, but it's unknown how much of that is real and how much is for show. Given that she dresses like a bunny for her matches, she may seem like sort of a wimp, but she has agility and evasiveness the likes of which nobody else can deal with, and she can leap around the ring with terrifying ferocity. Her one-two Bunny Slap is fearsome for its stunning potential, and she also has a penchant for suplex attacks as a followup. Underestimate this bunny at your own peril!Penelope is a fighter constantly leaping from point to point in the ring, making her difficult to really pin down with Rush In. As such, she is a battle one will have to play defensively, letting her wear herself out with her leaping strikes and waiting for her to get winded before grabbing her. Just be certain to not let her build up Star Power, as that unlocks her Bunny Slap attack; the Bunny Slap will leave you wide open to being grappled yourself if it hits you!
===National Championship===
===International Championship===