[h1] Game Summary: [/h1]
Local party games can make for a fun time-killer, with the best of them eating through hours without anyone even noticing. This game does not live up to that standard, as the time I tried playing it with a friend drug on. I would say the problem stems from how it's far too simplistic. Not that a fun game requires bells and whistles to be enjoyable, but in spite of the various modes and stage layouts, there's very little to this game. At best, a minimalistic point-scoring game like this can be a short diversion. Additionally, even with its simple premise and control scheme, actually achieving your objective doesn't feel instinctive or reliable. I have to wrestle with my character and the ball, oftentimes not achieving what I'm attempting to do.
[h1] Pros: [/h1]
• There's a color-blind option available, and frankly, I find the red and blue under this option to be a vast improvement over the default orange and yellow.
• There are a variety of stages to play on, as well as different modes of play.
[h1] Cons: [/h1]
• The game requires each player to use a controller, with no keyboard functionality whatsoever. Many games with this requirement seemingly aren't ideal for keyboard controls, but I don't see the need for it here. The only controls necessary are left/right, jumping, tethering, kicking, and charging up (overlaps with kicking). That's simple enough, two people could play on a keyboard (or at least one could). To play this game at all, you'll need two controllers.
• The game doesn't hold attention very well. When I tried playing with my friend, we lost interest after only a few rounds. Despite the otherwise positive reviews, most of their playtimes consist of a few minutes. That's hardly convincing.
• The controls respond as they should, but jumping didn't quite feel right. Either way, you never have actual possession or direct control of the ball. Therefore, it's easier to accidentally score on yourself than score on your opponent.
• The cost of the game is not at all in line with the amount of gameplay or features available, especially if you only play it for a few minutes like I have.
• There are no bots programmed into the game, meaning there's no ability to play by yourself or to play with a friend against a team of bots.
• Despite requiring two people to play, the tutorial only lets one person try the controls.
• The developers indicate they will likely not be adding more features to this game.
[h1] Conclusion: [/h1]
I suppose the first warning sign for this game would be the visual similarities with Pong. There have been several renditions over the years to that now archaic game, and though this one doesn't have the same mechanics, it still works on that general premise. As a paddle, knock the ball past your opponent and score. Even were this game to be executed with greater finesse and ironed out some of its basic issues, I wouldn't recommend it because it's not interesting or engaging. It's not a fun party game, which is the bare minimum required of it.
