Ball Jacks

[Melf]

Every time I think we've seen it all on the Genesis, some rare game comes along and surprises us. Ball Jacks is one of those titles that comes out of nowhere. Unfortunately, it seems that it was lost in import limbo for a good reason, as the premise is perhaps its best feature. That's a shame, as the thought of space crabs batting around huge, metallic balls sounds almost too cool to pass up. Read our review (http://www.sega-16.com/2006/06/ball-jacks/) for the details.

[Genesisdoes]

pretty cool game. Might be fun two player.

[j_factor]

I have it. It's not too bad.

[Benjamin]

pretty cool game. Might be fun two player.

It can be a fun two-player game for a bit. If you've ever played Blast Chamber for Saturn/PlayStation, you'll know it doesn't take much for a game to be fun with other people player. :) It's not exactly a horrible game; there just isn't much there to last beyond an hour or so, and the lack of effort in making a quality, long lasting game really shows.

[segagamer]

I have this game and enjoy it for its simplicity. I also enjoy Mega Panel, another game by Namco/Namcot.

[Flash1087]

huh huh huh, 'ball jacks'.

I dunno, if I can emulate it I might give it a shot, it doesn't sound totally unredeemable.

[Alianger]

I actually liked this game quite a bit, but yeah they could've done more with it. Feels like an 8-bit arcade game with slightly better graphics.

[Drixxel]

Ehh, the score of 3 seems extreme given the context of the review itself. Benjamin, would you honestly consider Ball Jacks a terrible game? The review, while obviously not overtly positive, doesn't mention any gamebreaking flaws, aside from the fact that there's just not a whole lot to Ball Jacks.

I think the review is well-written, but the score just doesn't jive with it.

[Benjamin]

Ehh, the score of 3 seems extreme given the context of the review itself. Benjamin, would you honestly consider Ball Jacks a terrible game? The review, while obviously not overtly positive, doesn't mention any gamebreaking flaws, aside from the fact that there's just not a whole lot to Ball Jacks.

I think the review is well-written, but the score just doesn't jive with it.

Honestly, I hate having to score games and wouldn't be adverse to a "4" rating or anything in that mediocre range. That said, I think the "3" is "okay." According to the Review Manifesto:

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4: Almost a contender; usually a good idea gone very, very wrong.

3: Disappointing and only barely playable.
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While I'd agree that the idea is unique and would warrant the "4," the complete and utter lack of playability and longevity significantly hurt, and there's ultimately no strategy. While the concepts sound good, in play you'll die often since opponents will often be stronger than you and can take more hits. The crabs and balls are so large that while you can dodge an opponent, doing so removes you from the field. It's a nice idea on paper; in practice it just seems chaotic -- I'd say enough to be "disappointing and only barely playable," making it a "3."

Later matches are ultimately more determined by luck than anything, as it's too easy for an invincible opponent to bounce back into the game with little ability to put him away. It somewhat reminds me of basketball in that regard -- no offense to basketball fans :) -- but that kind of "nearly every match depending upon the actions of the last second" ordeal. Survive the three minutes and hope you don't die near the end of the round and can grab at least one extra ball to your side when the click ticks down. It's not just the lack of extra options as it were, but the game itself never really establishes what it sets out to do. It's never a "contender," seeming more like a demo for some future product than a full game it poses to be. As I mention, it's got maybe an hour to it, then it'll never get touched again.