Pull Your Balls. Shoot Your Balls. –

Ball Fighter is a simple puzzler that uses a typical match-3 style of gameplay and was originally released as a PC title then later ported to DSiWare in late 2009. Unfortunately, the basic and bland gameplay feels like work as opposed to having that addictive “just one more” puzzle game quality.

There are several modes available found in this $5 download but gameplay ultimately remains the same. The player moves a hand on the edge of the screen then pulls in a descending ball like a Jedi mind trick. This ball can then be shot upward with the goal of matching same colored balls to make them disappear and make way for new balls; it is game over when the balls reach the edge of the screen. There are some light strategy elements in creating combos or unleashing a special power but Ball Fighter just never feels fun.

Perhaps the most awkward portion of the game is the lack of overall direction. The game’s cover art features these two wizard-like characters that actually have nothing to do with anything. In comparison, Tetris titles feature blocks on the box art whereas Mario dressed in a doctor outfit fits the whole virus/pill motif of Dr. Mario. Here, the wizards make no sense nor does the title of Ball Fighter. This is not a fighting game and the balls are more like marbles. And if the overall aesthetic of the game isn’t confusing enough, there is no tutorial outside of trying to make sense of the poorly translated DSiWare on-board instruction manual. The player just has to figure things out with trial and error and this is harder than it sounds because this game only uses the D-pad for control.

Turning the system on its side and having two players competing using a single system are novel ideas but Ball Fighter is still a non-entertaining game no matter how you look at it. Even if you can tolerate the gameplay, players still need to put up with long and terribly designed load screens, a cosmetic look that doesn’t make any sense, and there is also a general lack of options. This is a budget game with budget gameplay.

1.5/5

Not As Good As: playing pocket pool

On Par With: a sack of marbles

Also Try: Puzzle Link

By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com

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