OVERHEAT

Overheat is a competitive game for 2 to 6 players that blends team management, betting, and one-on-one combat between customizable mechas. Each round, two players face off while the rest watch, bet, and interfere using cards. Between fights, everyone manages their team: upgrading robots, recruiting crew, and preparing their next big entrance into the arena.

Tone

Lighthearted, competitive, and theatrical. Overheat celebrates the drama and spectacle of sports-entertainment: there is tension, chaos, and moments of glory. It’s a game where losing parts can be just as fun as winning, and where the real goal is making the match unforgettable.

Theme

Combat sport in a decadent future where entertainment is king. Mecha teams clash in televised tournaments, with bets, sabotage, and reputations on the line. Winning the league is good… but winning with style is better.

Style

Sports broadcast visuals with retro-futuristic vibes. Mechas are built from modular parts, leaving room for players’ imagination to visualize their machines. Cards and components have strong identity, saturated colors, and a tone somewhere between anime and Formula 1.

Key Facts

• Players: 2 to 6

• Playtime: 45 to 90 minutes

• Recommended Age: 12+

• Genre: Skirmish + Management + Social

• Main Mechanics: Negotiation, Push Your Luck, Engine Building, Combat Programming, Betting, Bidding

Design Highlights

• Tactical, part-based combat: build your mecha piece by piece, rewarding curiosity and experimentation.

• Heat and wear: parts can break from overuse, so every fight feels like you’re pushing the limit.

• Betting and sabotage make every match not only fun to play, but also exciting to watch.

• Resource management between fights to improve your team.

• High replayability thanks to the variety of parts, crew, and events.

Main Components

• 100+ cards (Parts, Crew, Events, Pit Stop)

• Credit tokens

• Dice

Why this game stands out

Overheat is not just a fighting game: it’s a full tournament experience, where every player feels like they are running their own team. It blends strategic decisions outside of combat with tense, high-risk choices during every fight, while keeping social interaction high through betting, sabotage, and shared drama. It’s ideal for players who enjoy games like Spartacus, King of Tokyo, or Quarriors, but want deeper customization and more tactical control.

Status

Overheat is on early prototype stage, but proved pretty good among the first playtest groups. Next stages are submitting the game here for PnP and Tabletop Simulator demos. Continue polishing and look for formal publishing.

Hope you like the game, more updates will come on the future, comments and more than welcome!

Luigi!

Note About the Art in This Prototype
The artwork currently used in Overheat is AI-assisted and serves as placeholder art to support playtesting and communication of mechanics. Right now, the priority is testing systems, balance, and overall fun before moving into full art production.