Sanrio World Smash Ball!

"This frog can do more than just cross a road."

Sanrio World Smash Ball. The game initially sounds geared toward a younger audience, and it probably is. Don’t let this stop you from playing, though, because behind the outer shell lies a creamy core of fun. Just by reading the title, you can tell the game features the Sanrio characters, who are notorious for being unfriendly towards men. I’m sure you’re already thinking, “Gee, now why would I want to play a game for children, and girls no less?” Well, I’ll tell you why, or at least I will if you read on.

If you’re looking for top of the line graphics, you won’t be getting them. The simple graphics contain a variety of colors, and everything fits well, but there is room for improvement. Granted, I don’t want explosions and confetti coming down whenever I hit the ball, but the SNES could support far better visuals than what you get.

Just like the visuals, the sound effects are basic at their best. When you first start the game, you’ll be greeted by a nice little opening theme, but that’s it. No music while playing at all. This isn’t all bad, though, because this game plays well with your stereo or winamp in the background.

The gameplay is a mix between dodge ball and pong. It pits you on the south side of the screen, and an opponent on the north side. You hit the ball back and forth using a left or right hit. When you hold one of the hitting buttons down, your charge meter will fill up, and when it’s full, you can unleash a power hit. A power hit makes the ball go faster, and you’ll spin in place for a moment. While spinning, if the ball touches you again, it will act as if you hit it with another power hit.

Most stages have blocks on them, with a number in them like a domino. When the ball hits a block, the block will go down a number, and when it hits zero, the block disappears. Other objects litter the maps, like multi-colored circles that bounce the ball back, or spinning blades that act as a normal wall, but rotate. Some blocks, when destroyed, will yield power-up balloons, that when you touch, will give you more speed or power, or destroy all the blocks in front of your opponent’s goal.

Scoring happens when the ball passes the goal line on the north or south side of the map. The goal is usually guarded by the domino blocks, so scoring doesn’t happen instantly. Whoever wins the best two out of three wins the round, and moves on to the next stage. There are two types of play. Normal play, which consists of you facing a number of computer players, and a two player mode.

This game has a high replay value in single player, though it will get tedious sooner or later, but the most fun can be garnered in the two player mode. There are enough playing areas to keep you busy for a while, and trying to master each one of the areas to give you an advantage is more fun than it is work. As long as you can find someone to play with you, you’ll have a great time.

The game is a fun experience, and should last you long enough to warrant paying for it. The lack of personalization brings the game down, and its basic style can get on some people’s nerves. I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys puzzle games, and to anyone just looking for a fun game to play with a friend.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/17/03, Updated 12/28/03