Factsheet
Developer:
Secret Handshake InteractiveBased in Manchester,
New Hampshire
Release Date:
Q3 2025
Platforms:
Website:
Regular Price:
USD $7.99
EU €7.79
Description
The "kart racer of arena shooters" where classic action meets random item boxes, dynamic stage hazards, ruthless NPC players, and the 12-player roguelite Contest mode! Classical Caliber Combat Contest is the "kart racer of arena shooters" where classic movement and weapons meets party game elements like stage hazards, comeback items and a cast of challenging NPC bots.
Wield an enormous collection of weapons against your enemies, including arena shooter favorites and totally new creations! Clean concepts, striking visuals and unique sound effects make each of the 50+ weapons a distinct tool of mayhem. Each match has a five-weapon arsenal, one in each ammo slot. These weapons appear as pickups on the map, with spawn timers for stronger weapons. After the match concludes players have a short time in the Lobby to collect and play Cards, which level up, override and defend against each other to build the next match.
A cast of computer-controlled characters fight alongside players by navigating the arena, collecting pickups, and shooting weapons like a "real" player. Each of the 12 distinct characters comes with a custom appearance, skill level and text chats to create NPC opponents who aren't afraid to gloat about a kill..
History
Classical Caliber Combat Contest was created out of the simple idea to marry kart racer accessibility with the raw, timeless gameplay of traditional arena shooters. Liam Daley created a prototype version in September 2025, which he pitched to Aedan Graves by describing it as "Mario Kart Quake". Since then, development has expanded with the addition of Charles West as a Game Designer, responsible for many of the game's iconic settings and weapons.
Features
- 50+ powerful weapons, creating countless match configurations
- 13 impactful items, distributed to give lower-skill players a comeback
- 12 distinct NPC "bot" players, who each have varied skill stats
- 8 unique Maps that scale in size to the number of players in the match
- Multile Game Modes supporting Free-for-All, 2, 3 and 4-Team games
- Game-changing Modifiers, like Infection and "Floor is Lava"
- Interactive stage hazards and map elements add tactics and chaos
Videos
Classical Caliber Combat Contest Reveal Trailer
About Secret Handshake Interactive
Liam Daley and Aedan Graves founded Secret Handshake Interactive in early 2024, building on independant contracts they held with Loco Players S.L. Using their affinity for design and development of video games, they provided prototyping and engineering support for the team's open-world survival game. Meanwhile, the duo had begun prototyping their own games, inspired by their positive experiences in the industry.
See more on our Press Kit