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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Action Developer: Blazing Lizard Publisher: Gamecock |
Pirates and ninjas are pretty cool. Dodgeball is also cool; it has to be if there is a movie about it. Sadly, when the three are put together into a videogame, it is just boring. It just goes to show that no matter how many
fun things are thrown into a single package, it doesn’t mean that the game will be engaging and fun, especially if it doesn’t have a solid foundation. “Pirates vs. Ninja Dodgeball” attempts to bring some flare to a classic
schoolyard game, with very little overall success. The final product is something isn’t quite the standard dodgeball game; it isn’t much fun at all.
“Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball” puts teams of two, three or four against one another with the goal of eliminating their opponents by pelting them with the ball. That is where the similarities to classic, schoolyard
dodgeball end. Instead of being hit once and leaving the playing field, players are given a health bar. If players want to get the upper hand, they can physically attack a foe in order to stun them or use the individual
character’s special move to do anything from stunning a group of opponents to making themselves temporarily invisible, only a dodgeball can do any real damage. Add in power and homing throws, catches, dodges
and reversals and players have their basic moves for the game. The traditional dodgeball mechanics that include get hit once and they’re out and catching the ball brings back a player, are thrown out which leaves the
game feeling more like a brawler than a sports game of any type. Players will be attacking more physically than they will be with an actual dodgeball.
The trouble with the game begins to sink in with the way that this new version of dodgeball is delivered to the player. The camera angle never gives players a good view of the playing field. This is often times a huge
issue, and it always makes players feel very removed from the action whenever they run to the back half or corners of the playing field to get the ball. The arena designs, all four of them, are bland and boring. When
players get the chance to throw a power shot, the game adds a slowdown effect. When players play in a four on four match with the maximum of five dodge balls in play, players will end up with a game that moves in a
jerky motion, constantly slowing down the action in a way that ends up getting really annoying. The visuals, which are considered to be pretty good considering this is an Xbox Live Arcade game after all, are given a blur
treatment that makes the game less enjoyable to play. With all of these factors put together, the game becomes a slow moving game to play that never really has a chance to pull players into the action.
There are three different game types in “Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball” that mostly differ in where players are allowed to run. One game type allows players to go anything in the arena while another only gives players a
total of three seconds to be on the opponent’s side of the playing field before players are forced to turn and run back to their side of the field. There is also the traditional style of dodgeball that takes away any special
moves in the game and only allows players to cross the center line by jumping. They still have a health bar though. While playing, players will probably want to play by the traditional schoolyard rules that they grew up
with: one hit takes the players to the sideline and catching the ball sends an opposing player to the sideline and pulls a teammate off of the sideline. Obviously that isn’t extreme enough for this type of game, though it
would be a lot of fun.
Along with the teams of pirates and ninjas that players are able to play as, there are also robots and zombies. Players are able to take each team through a story mode to learn more about the cast of characters through
text box dialogue in between matches. Players will quickly learn that the members of each team don’t seem to like each other very much and play dodgeball to take their anger out on each other. That is about all there is
to the game, other than the occasional humorous moments, which don’t happen very often, and when they do they fall a little short.
The main reason players will want to check out “Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball” is for the fun multiplayer mode. Players can play a local game with up to four players in a cooperative mode or a on teams against each
other. They can also go online and play with up to seven other players in four on four matches. While not all of these options were very appealing, it is fun to play as a bit of a distraction.
Some people may have found it crazy to spend 1200 Microsoft Points, or $15, for some games on the Xbox Live Arcade, but when the alternative is this game at 800 Microsoft Points it makes those other games look like
a steal. By adding new rules to the game of dodgeball, the developer has removed all of the elements that made the game of dodgeball fun to begin with. Instead, players are given a bunch of arena brawling game
ideas that have been seen over and over again. Unfortunately for this game, none of the ideas hit the target.
fun things are thrown into a single package, it doesn’t mean that the game will be engaging and fun, especially if it doesn’t have a solid foundation. “Pirates vs. Ninja Dodgeball” attempts to bring some flare to a classic
schoolyard game, with very little overall success. The final product is something isn’t quite the standard dodgeball game; it isn’t much fun at all.
“Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball” puts teams of two, three or four against one another with the goal of eliminating their opponents by pelting them with the ball. That is where the similarities to classic, schoolyard
dodgeball end. Instead of being hit once and leaving the playing field, players are given a health bar. If players want to get the upper hand, they can physically attack a foe in order to stun them or use the individual
character’s special move to do anything from stunning a group of opponents to making themselves temporarily invisible, only a dodgeball can do any real damage. Add in power and homing throws, catches, dodges
and reversals and players have their basic moves for the game. The traditional dodgeball mechanics that include get hit once and they’re out and catching the ball brings back a player, are thrown out which leaves the
game feeling more like a brawler than a sports game of any type. Players will be attacking more physically than they will be with an actual dodgeball.
The trouble with the game begins to sink in with the way that this new version of dodgeball is delivered to the player. The camera angle never gives players a good view of the playing field. This is often times a huge
issue, and it always makes players feel very removed from the action whenever they run to the back half or corners of the playing field to get the ball. The arena designs, all four of them, are bland and boring. When
players get the chance to throw a power shot, the game adds a slowdown effect. When players play in a four on four match with the maximum of five dodge balls in play, players will end up with a game that moves in a
jerky motion, constantly slowing down the action in a way that ends up getting really annoying. The visuals, which are considered to be pretty good considering this is an Xbox Live Arcade game after all, are given a blur
treatment that makes the game less enjoyable to play. With all of these factors put together, the game becomes a slow moving game to play that never really has a chance to pull players into the action.
There are three different game types in “Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball” that mostly differ in where players are allowed to run. One game type allows players to go anything in the arena while another only gives players a
total of three seconds to be on the opponent’s side of the playing field before players are forced to turn and run back to their side of the field. There is also the traditional style of dodgeball that takes away any special
moves in the game and only allows players to cross the center line by jumping. They still have a health bar though. While playing, players will probably want to play by the traditional schoolyard rules that they grew up
with: one hit takes the players to the sideline and catching the ball sends an opposing player to the sideline and pulls a teammate off of the sideline. Obviously that isn’t extreme enough for this type of game, though it
would be a lot of fun.
Along with the teams of pirates and ninjas that players are able to play as, there are also robots and zombies. Players are able to take each team through a story mode to learn more about the cast of characters through
text box dialogue in between matches. Players will quickly learn that the members of each team don’t seem to like each other very much and play dodgeball to take their anger out on each other. That is about all there is
to the game, other than the occasional humorous moments, which don’t happen very often, and when they do they fall a little short.
The main reason players will want to check out “Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball” is for the fun multiplayer mode. Players can play a local game with up to four players in a cooperative mode or a on teams against each
other. They can also go online and play with up to seven other players in four on four matches. While not all of these options were very appealing, it is fun to play as a bit of a distraction.
Some people may have found it crazy to spend 1200 Microsoft Points, or $15, for some games on the Xbox Live Arcade, but when the alternative is this game at 800 Microsoft Points it makes those other games look like
a steal. By adding new rules to the game of dodgeball, the developer has removed all of the elements that made the game of dodgeball fun to begin with. Instead, players are given a bunch of arena brawling game
ideas that have been seen over and over again. Unfortunately for this game, none of the ideas hit the target.
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