Ultimate Dodgeball (XBLIG)

K-Dog Games returns to the indie forefront with one heck of an interesting sports title. Not only is Ultimate Dodgeball a fun, and engaging gaming experience, but people are actually still playing this game online. It's a rarity to find online indies that are still being played weeks after their initial release. A year, or two ago I actually reviewed one of K-Dog Games' sports title that dealt with hacky sack. Just as I found that title to be fun this game also beams with such quality. It features a nice selection of multiplayer oriented gameplay modes, and options to choose from which is always a plus. If you like to play alone then fret not though as Ultimate Dodgeball offers AI oriented matches as well. When I tell you that this game offers more bang for your buck I'm most definitely not lying.

Ultimate Dodgeball features a menu filled with tons of goodies, and modes of play. You'll definitely want to start things off properly though by visiting the tutorial mode. The control scheme, while complex at first sight is easy to get into once you have played your initial tutorial playthrough. The control setup is constantly being displayed between matches, and rounds regardless of whether, or not you are playing in tutorial mode. It makes for a good reminder in case you find that you have forgotten something along the way. Once you've given the tutorial a proper run through you will be set to venture in the the game's main modes of play.

Like real dodgeball, "Ultimate Dodgeball" abides by all the rules your likely familiar with. There are a small variety of ways to eliminate your opponents including striking them with a ball, or catching a ball that is thrown at you. Added to the fray are some more professional dodgeball rules though. During the start of a match you must run up to the middle line, grab a ball, and bring it back past a marked line in order to initially score points off of player strikes. Aside from these casual rules K-Dog Games livens things up with some over-the-top interactions that pay homage to such games as "NFL Blitz", and "NBA Jam". You can perform fancy maneuvers such as a flaming cartwheel toss, or even an airspike. If you like you can even charge up the ball by holding down the (X) button to release an unblockable power shot. How you play is up to you, but the best fun to be had is by incorporating all of the fancy moves with the normal dodgeball gameplay.

As I mentioned a short while ago (in the paragraphs above) "Ultimate Dodgeball" features a nice variety of options, and modes of play. The developer of this unique sports title actually allows the player to choose from 9 different player types which relate to different stereotypes of people. For example you have the "Goths" (my favorite) who are pale skinned lads, and lasses who sport gothic attire. The more interesting stereotypical representations include "The 1%" which are the rich well-to-do folk who look as if they sweat money, and "Old School" which are senior citizens. Other player types also include "Varsity", "Surfers", "Militia", "Disco", "Punkers", and "Rednecks". The most unique feature of all though is the ability to use your own personal Xbox Live avatar in the game. The only downside to this option though is that it is a mode specific option that can only be used in offline/local "Death Match". Being able to switch character types is a plus in itself though.

When it comes to offline, and online game modes K-Dog Games gives the gamer a nice variety of match types to choose from. You can choose to play alone (with AI opponents), or locally with friends in the "Death Match" mode, "Elimination" mode, or even in a "Tournament". In "Death Match" up to 4 players can play locally, or you can even go up against 3 AI opponents if you so choose. Since this is dodgeball all of the usual rules apply. There are two teams of players (Red & Blue) both of which have a designated number of players. This number of players can be tweaked during your initial mode selection. Other things such as "Difficulty" (Easy, Normal, Expert, Hard), "# Rounds" (2-7), "# Balls" (2-6), and "Team Size" (2 on 2, 3 on 3, 4 on 4) can also be altered to your liking. The point of "Death Match", as you can likely imagine is to gain more points than the opposing team by scoring the most knockdowns. This can be done by either hitting them with a ball, or by catching a ball they have thrown. You can also dodge using the (B) button, or jump to avoid a thrown ball by pressing the (A) button. More fancy maneuvers such as the cartwheel toss, spike, and charged throw can also be used by following the control setup show in the game's tutorial. To win a game of "Death Match" a team must earn the most points within the given time limit.

In the "Elimination" mode players will have to choose a team from one of the pre-designed player stereotypes. In order to secure a win in this mode you must eliminate all 8 of a team's players in a 3 round match. At any given time during the match there are 4 players one each side of the field. There are also 4 reserve players sitting on the bench waiting to be called in after players are eliminated. As with "Death Match" you can change the match settings before entering in the actual gameplay. All of the usual dodgeball rules apply, and you can perform the same special maneuvers as you can in any of the other modes. During the online versions of these match types (via the "LIVE" mode option) you can choose to either setup, or join a game. The only match types compatible with online though are the previously mentioned "Death Match", and "Elimination". There are a few extra options that you can change while setting up an online game including "# Players (1 on 1, 2 on 2) as well as ""Match" (Public/Private). During any online match search you will find the players Gamertag as well as their connection status posted in the lobby menu. During my online playthrough I found the game to be a bit glitchy, but I was playing with a guy who had a low connection status.

The final mode of play is "Tournament". Tournament mode is a sort of ladder match type of game where you must defeat several opposing teams in order to be crowned the victor. The matches, and rounds require a mandatory "4 on 4" team setup unlike the optional setups of "Elimination", and "Deathmatch". As with elimination though you will have 4 players on the field, and 4 reserve players waiting to be called in when an player is downed. As far as the pre-game setup goes there are no options included, but you do get to choose a team from one of the 9 available stereotypical character types. You can choose to have 3 local players join in, or play solo with AI teammates though. The remaining player types that weren't selected during your initial Tournament setup are what make up the remaining ladder of opposing teams. To win in this mode you must secure 2 wins per each match. If you lose you'll merely start over against the last team you played against. I noticed during my playthrough that the "Tournament" mode does save your progress even after you leave the mode, so you can return to finish up later on if you like.

Before I move into my verdict I need to mention that the game also offers 2 different points of view. If you press in the (Right Thumbstick) during a match it will switch from the usual top to bottom view into a side view. The side view comes in handy when playing online as on person will have a difficult managing their team while they occupy the top court of the playing field.  Both views are 3D in appearance, but the side view is slightly less so.

Now for my verdict ...

Ultimate Dodgeball is a beautifully rendered 3D sports game. Not only is it graphically impressive, but it also features avatar support, and a rocking soundtrack. The controls are easy to pick up on, and the tutorial mode will ease you into gameplay properly. The different mode offerings will definitely keep you busy whether you choose to play online, or offline. I will say that the online was a bit lacking though, especially when you play against a gamer who has a poor connection status. The fact that people are still playing it online weeks after it was initially released is a testament to it's fun factor, and replay value. If you are looking for a unique arcade style sports game then this one will likely suit your tastes. Not only is it cheap, but it's actually well made. Any fan of "NFL Blitz", or "NBA Jam" should enjoy this game as it has similar arcade style features.