Test Subject Arena

Test Subject Arena is a platform multiplayer game released June 15, 2011. It is meant for two players, each who are placed in different "arenas" with the aim of shooting each other within the designated arena.

The game is Nitrome's first ever multiplayer game to not have a single player mode, deeming it a multiplayer only game. Nitrome has said that if the game is popular, they may make other only-multiplayer games. Because it is a spin-off, the game does not involve the story as seen by the previous games in the series.

Controls
Controls can be adjusted with the setting. To adjust an action, the player has to click a button with the button command for the action, then press the button they wish to assign the action to. Below is a list of default controls.


 * Blue
 * W key - Jump
 * S key - Duck
 * A key - Move left
 * D key - Move right
 * Q key - Shoot


 * Green
 * up Up arrow key - Jump
 * down Down arrow key - Down
 * left Left arrow key - Move left
 * right Right arrow key - Move right
 * Slash (/) key - Shoot

Stages
There are 14 playable stages in Test Subject Arena. Because it is a multiplayer only game, no unlockable stages exist. Players can pick one of the stages or click the Random button, which randomly selects a stage for them.

At the start of each stage, both players are spawned out of a spawn cylinder with a goo holder that is half full. Both players now have to work their way around the level and attempt to shoot the other player. When the opposing player is killed, whether by the other player or a hazard or an enemy, the opposite player receives some extra goo in their goo holder while the other player loses a portion of their goo. The game ends when one player has depleted the other's goo supply or if time runs out. If time runs out, the player with the most goo in their compartment is declared the winner.

Level 1
Description: The last of the latest adventure.

Hazards: Lasers

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters

Location: Doctor Nastidious's Lab

This stage is cluttered with many platforms, big; small; or L shaped. Each player starts on opposite sides of the stage, close to each other but separated by a few big platforms. Both players can take a shortcut through a platform above them, a jump away, but risk getting hit by Lasers. It has the same layout as the last level of Test Subject Green, but without the enemies.

Level 2
Description: Not just about each other!

Hazards: Detection Proton Cannons

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters

Location: Xeno Industries

A simple level. Green Teleporters taken up most of the walls and take up a small section of the floor. Players are separated by a Green Teleporter when they start. A few platforms are placed above the players. Two Detection Proton Cannons are placed on the ceiling, protected from attack and overseeing the few platforms. Players have to be careful while fighting on the top platform to avoid getting hit by the bullets from the Cannons.

Level 3
Description: Watch where they go!

Hazards: None

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters, Mirrors

Location: Xeno Industries

Many Green Teleporters appear on the walls. 3 Platforms only appear, two horizontal ones, one the holds a Green Teleporter, and several very small platforms branching out from the wall. Two horizontal lines of Mirrors appear at the top of the level. Battle on the top platform can easily become dangerous as Proton Bullets rebound off the Mirrors back into the battle.

Level 4
Description: No floor, no ceiling.

Hazards: None

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters

Location: Xeno Industries

This level has the floor and ceiling replaced with long Green Teleporters. Several platforms big and small are scattered throughout the level. There are no hazards or other interactive objects in the level. Also, the level isn't symmetrical and neither sides are a mirror image of each other.

Level 5
Description: Frantic, simply frantic!

Hazards: None

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters, Switch Buttons

Location: Doctor Nastidous's Lab

Most of the platforms in this level are Button Activated Platforms. Some of the platforms are made stable on Blue, and others on Orange. Most Green Teleporters are placed on the edges of the wall, and some on the middle of the floor. Mirrors in a V shape are placed on the bottom floor separating both players from each other. Three Switch Buttons are placed in the level, one which is placed near the Green Enzyme's starting point.

Level 6
Description: The one with the moving portal.

Hazards: None

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters

Location: Xeno Industries

Both walls are almost completely taken up up by a long Green Teleporter. Several platforms of different sizes are placed around the level, along with a constantly moving Green Teleporter in the middle of the room. A Green Teleporter above and below the Moving Green Teleporter are placed on the cileling and floor of the level. Both players start on the highest platform in the level.

Level 7
Description: The one with the switching portals.

Hazards: None

Interactive Objects: Green Teleporters, Blue/Orange Teleporters, Switch Button

Location: Doctor Nastidous' Lab<br Many platforms are placed in a line. The floor and ceiling both have small Green Teleporters on them, and Green Teleporters are placed between big platforms attached to the wall. Orange and Blue Teleporters are placed on the bottom of the level and on the highest platform.

Hazards
All hazards will kill any player if contact is made with them.


 * Lasers - Lasers will frequently switch on, then after some time off. They appear only on level 1 and 10.
 * Detection Proton Cannons - Cannons that will lock on to a player then shoot an orange enzyme bullet. They appear on levels 2 and 9.
 * Mines - Stationary hazards that explode on impact, then quickly respawn. Appears only on level 11.

Interactive Objects
Objects that can help the players.


 * Switch Buttons - Whatever colour of light activated is the colour of objects that will be activated. The colour can be changed by shooting the button. Whenever a colour is lit, the opposite colour of objects will be deactivated. They appear on levels 5, 7, and 12.
 * Deactivation Buttons -Deactivation Buttons deactivate all Green Teleporters in the level for a brief time. They appear on only level 13.
 * Activated Platforms - They appear as a Blue Hologram when Blue is lit on the Switch Button, and a full platform when the Orange Button is lit. They appear on levels 5 and 8.
 * Green Teleporters - Green Teleporters are beams that transport the player through another Green Teleporter when walked through. They appear in every level. A variation which moves appears on level 6.
 * Blue and Orange Teleporters - Teleporters which act like Green Teleporters, but come in colours of Blue and Orange. Whenever one colour of Teleporter is active, the opposite type is deactivated.
 * Mirrors - Mirrors rebound Proton Bullets, and can be reversed by the Switch Button if they are glowing either Orange or Blue. They appear on levels 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Enemies
Enemies can harm both characters.


 * Walking Orange Enzymes' - Walking Orange Enzymes are spawned out of a Spawner Mine. The actual Enzyme will walk forwards, dieing when it meets a platform. They appear only on level 13.

Inspiration
The idea of making a two player Test Subject Blue game arose during the development of Test Subject Green. The team at Nitrome wondered about the potential fun in a two player game. After playing a little of Test Subject Green when it was finished but before release, Nitrome decided to make a spin-off arena game, as they felt the game had a lot of potential for fun tactics. The game was made linear to get much more fun out of co-op.

May 24th 2011
Nitrome announced that two Test Subject Blue games were in development: A Spin Off type game and a sequel to Test Subject Green. Not many details were given about the Spin-off, other than the Spin-off would be released in the not too distant future, and that it would be smaller than the usual Test Subject Blue Main Game. The name was not announced. Test Subject Arena was the only game at the time of release not to have a preview, unlike all the games released in 2011.

Trivia

 * This is the third time a smaller game part of a Main Game series was released, the first two being Skywire V.I.P. and Thin Ice.


 * The Green Enzyme if it stays idle long enough will mimic the person overseeing the battle. If at Xeno Industries, it will mimic the Professor. If in Doctor Nastidous's lab, it will mimic Doctor Nastidous with his hat removed.


 * Both the Blue and Green Enzyme have a victory animation when they kill the opposite player. When the Blue Enzyme kills the Green Enzyme, the Blue Enzyme will stand and raise up its Proton Cannon, with an extended piece of Proton on the end. When the Green Enzyme kills the Blue Enzyme, it will transform into a blob jumping rope.


 * When a player dies in the game, they are repspawned from the Spawn Cylinder but use some of their goo, leading to the conclusion that the goo is actually the enzyme in liquid form.


 * Green Teleporters are sometimes referred to as "Portals" in the game.


 * According to an earlier blog post, Nitrome would have added a single player mode to the game, but they didn't think that it was worth working on the AI for the game, as they would have to program enemies or the second player to go through portals and jump from platform to platform.


 * In level 10, after someone serves the first kill, one of the players can quickly jump on the platform, duck, and continually shoot. The other player will have no chance at killing the other player since it is trapped below a flurry of shots, and the timer will run down to 0 before he/she gets a kill.