"Captures the fun of the NES classic, but probably better off as a downloadable XBLA or PSN game"

The original Super Dodge Ball for the NES was one of my all time favorites for the 8-bit era. Technos made beaming kids with that beloved rubber ball a blast. Ever since that classic video game adaptation of the ultimate elementary school sport, there hasn't really been another dodge ball game that did the sport justice. There was a horrible PSone entry that will forever taint my memory and the modest Super Dodge Ball Advance for GBA which was a serviceable dodge ball game, but didn't capture the feel and intensity of the NES classic. That all changes with Super Dodge Ball Brawlers from Aksys Games, a dodge ball game that nails the fun factor the NES version was all about.

Other than a few miniscule tweaks, Brawlers controls and plays like the Super Dodge Ball of old. Brawlers captures the feel and fun of the NES game that the aforementioned dodge ball titles couldn't. For players new to the game, the rules are simple. Two teams of seven square off against each other. There are four players inside their own half of the court, and their other three teammates surround the border of the opposite side of the court. First team to deplete the hit points of their opponent's players that are inside the court wins. Controls are nearly identical as they were in older games to catch, dodge, and throw. Other than browsing through menus and activating a special attack described here later, there isn't much use of the touch screen incorporated into the game.

This wouldn't be a faithful version of video game dodge ball without super shots, where a carefully timed button press unleashes a devastating powered up attack that yields mega-damage. There are two types of super shots, a running shot, and a jumping super shot. Both require plenty of skill to successfully time, especially the jumping supers of which I only managed by execute a handful of, seemingly by pure luck.

New additions to the controls include the ability to punch and kick opponents. This unorthodox dodge ball maneuver only yields minimal damage, but is useful for trying to get a quick advantage when the ball lands on the middle border. Also noteworthy is the inclusion of a power meter that slowly builds up for each team, and when this special (which Aksys has dubbed the “Nekketsu Burst”) is activated, it temporarily makes that team's attacks exponentially more powerful. These additions freshen up the gameplay to a minor extent, but do little in the big picture to evolve the core dodge ball controls.

Brawlers doesn't offer a ton of modes, but all the basics are here. The tournament mode is the core single player game, which is a traditional computer opponent romp as your team moves up the dodge ball ranks by besting teams across the globe. Credits are earned for victories which are then used to buy equip-able items that boost a player's stats. VS. mode allows for quick play matches against the AI, or single and multi-card play locally against a friend. Unfortunately, there is no support for online Wi-Fi. However, what is here is the return of the NES classic Bean Ball mode, now known in Brawlers as Brawl mode where eight competitors duke it out in a dodge ball free for all in the school yard! Brawl is a great way to pick up and learn the controls, and is also a fun distraction to put some time in at random intervals from the main game.

Another unique addition to Brawlers is the Locker Room utility, which is essentially the create-a-team mode. For the humble 2D graphics, there is quite a bit passed on to the player to customize, such as the team's jersey colors, and each and every player's head features. If one puts enough time into it, they may be able to faithfully recreate former world dodge ball champions, the South Park Cows.

Seconds after witnessing Brawlers in action, all the memories of the NES game rushed back. For better or worse, Brawlers looks nearly identical to the 8-bit wonder, minus the awful trademark NES graphical flicker. The visuals do a have a little polish to them so they don't look 1988 ancient anymore, but it would be a stretch to classify them as GBA-caliber. It is worth mentioning a few bright spots. The super shots are animated rather nicely, and are accompanied by gushing flames and whirlwinds depending on the super shot. There are a wide variety of courses to wage dodge ball warfare on, including water rafts, barren deserts, and the frozen tundra to name a few. Aurally, there isn't a whole heck of a lot going on. Audio primarily consists of simple sound effects for connecting with hits, and forgettable background music.

Super Dodge Ball Brawlers is the dodge ball game to get. If you have been disappointed by the last few dodge ball games, and felt like none have captured that same NES magic, then you're going to be satisfied with what Brawlers brings to the table. However, unless you are a die hard fan of the NES original like myself, it is hard to recommend Brawlers for its $30 retail price. Even though it packs all the same content (along with a smidgen more) as the original, it just doesn't seem to be enough to warrant a purchase at that price point. Perhaps a more fleshed out tournament/career mode and Wi-Fi play could have remedied this. As it is, Brawlers seems like a more appropriate fit as a downloadable XBLA or PSN title.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/23/08

Game Release: Super Dodgeball Brawlers (US, 05/27/08)