Antonball Deluxe
- March 5, 2021
- Summitsphere
- 5h median play time
Combining the block-breaking hook of Arkanoid and the simple platforming of the original Mario Bros., Antonball Deluxe is a great hook wrapped in a tiny package that is best experienced with a group of friends.
The breakout title from Summitsphere, Antonball Deluxe is a retro, high-octane smorgasbord of ballbusting arcade action! Antonball Deluxe quite literally turns the breakout genre on its head, blending traditional brick-breaking gameplay with tight, intense platforming.
Reviews
- Antonball Deluxe combines classic arcade gameplay with a charming aesthetic reminiscent of GBA titles, making it a nostalgic experience for players.
- The game features multiple modes, including Antonball, Punchball, and a competitive VS mode, providing a variety of gameplay experiences that are fun both solo and with friends.
- The soundtrack and sound effects are engaging and add to the overall enjoyment, with many players praising the humor and character design throughout the game.
- Some players have reported issues with controls feeling clunky and unresponsive, particularly in the Antonball mode, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The online multiplayer has been criticized for connectivity issues, with players experiencing delays and disconnections during games.
- While the game is enjoyable, some reviewers feel that it lacks content and depth, suggesting that it may not justify its price point for all players.
- gameplay49 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a vibrant mix of classic arcade styles, combining platforming with breakout mechanics and Mario-inspired elements, resulting in a unique and engaging experience. Players appreciate the tight controls, charming visuals, and addictive nature of the various game modes, despite some minor frustrations with mechanics. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on familiar genres, providing hours of replayability and enjoyment.
“The gameplay is fantastic, it's addicting and the style is joyous to gawk at. I want everyone to play this game before going into Antonblast or any of SummitSphere's next projects.”
“Antonball Deluxe quite literally turns the breakout genre on its head, blending traditional brick-breaking gameplay with tight, intense platforming.”
“The gameplay is tight and responsive, giving you enough control but still forcing methodical and thought-out movements. The soundtrack is a great listen, and the online multiplayer is great when it decides to work.”
“The movement and inertia of the character is already just a little flimsy to begin with, and the idea that you'll have the opportunity in actual gameplay to hold up or down to actually control the ball a bit on rebound is absurd (particularly if you want to aim it downwards, which means ducking, shrinking your hitbox and locking yourself in place).”
“Anton and the world around him is quite fun and a clear love letter to Wario/Warioware, but the gameplay is lacking for me though.”
“The gameplay is tight and responsive, giving you enough control but still forcing methodical and thought-out movements; however, the online multiplayer is great (when it decides to work, because the rarity of desyncs is very inconsistent).”
- music38 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of classic titles like Crash Bandicoot and WarioWare. The soundtrack is described as stellar and addictive, enhancing the overall charm and appeal of the game, while the retro-inspired audio complements the vibrant visuals and engaging gameplay. However, some users noted limitations in audio control options, which slightly detracted from the experience.
“The soundtrack is absolutely stellar too, and I find myself jamming to it so hard that I sometimes get distracted and miss the ball! (sorry friends!)”
“The game oozes with so much charm that you would get from mid-2000s Nintendo games, the gameplay is mad addicting and the music is just jamming.”
“It features fast addictive gameplay, excellent sprite work, a wide cast of lovable characters, and an absolutely banging soundtrack.”
“You can't control the volume, you can't turn down or mute the music, etc.”
“Audio work is up there too, although at least one of the music tracks is heavily toeing the line for how closely you can pay 'homage' to your influence, and while most sound effects are beeps and bit-crushed voice clips, there's also the occasional completely unfiltered cartoon 'thwop' SFX mixed in.”
“I have mixed feelings about this game because on one hand I love playing with my balls but on the other hand the boiler sewers music sounds like '8 Days a Week' and I hate The Beatles.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic arcade titles and Game Boy Advance games, particularly evoking the style of Wario and Mario franchises. Reviewers highlight the appealing visuals, vibrant character designs, and engaging sound effects, all contributing to a nostalgic and satisfying gaming experience. Overall, the game's presentation is celebrated for its fun and unique charm, making it visually captivating and enjoyable.
“The visuals are so fun to see, and it has that fun charm to it that I see in classic arcade games.”
“The music is catchy as hell, the graphics are wonderfully retro in the best possible way, and most of the characters don't even have written dialog anywhere and I still know all of them by heart.”
“Graphically and soundwise it perfectly replicates early 80s Mario games.”
“For some reason, there are thick borders around the play field, filled with artwork.”
“===graphics===”
“This game's best quality is the charm in its presentation, evoking the crackhead aesthetic of Wario titles.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many users highlighting its charming aesthetics and comedic elements reminiscent of the Wario series. Players enjoy the quirky voice acting and in-game jokes, which contribute to a lighthearted experience, although some express concerns about the game's overall quality. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that enhances the enjoyment of the gameplay.
“I'm saying that to justify the simple fact that I absolutely love this game's aesthetics and humor, which is screaming Wario in every possible way it can.”
“And well, the game's presentation is really damn charming and funny as well, gotta love the 'yeah!' every time you finish a level, and to top it off also having a really good soundtrack.”
“Very tough, very satisfying, very funny game.”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story in the game is minimal but has some intriguing elements, such as connections to other titles like Pizza Tower, which may hint at potential DLC. Overall, while the narrative may not be the main focus, players find it enjoyable and engaging within the context of the gameplay.
“Genuinely super awesome game with awesome graphics, music, story, and a challenging but fun series of levels!”
“What story?”
“It has a little story.”
“A story worth paying attention to.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its replayability, offering multiple gameplay modes, a variety of characters and stages, and a wealth of content that encourages both completionist play and casual fun with friends. Players appreciate the engaging sound design and humor, making it an enjoyable experience that can be revisited countless times. Overall, it stands out as a game with significant replay value, despite its simple mechanics.
“Great genre-mashing game that's very replayable if you're going for 100% or just want to mess around with friends!”
“We've got three different gameplay modes (Antonball, Punchball, vs Antonball), along with multiple playable characters/stages, countless hours of gameplay/replayability, and so much in-game humor and memes.”
“While I do understand that the $20 may be hard for some people, what you're getting from Antonball Deluxe is an infinitely replayable and infinitely enjoyable experience unlike what I have seen in a long time.”
“The game offers a decent replayability factor, but it ultimately feels limited in its variety.”
“While there are multiple modes and characters, the lack of significant changes in gameplay makes replaying feel repetitive.”
“Despite the initial fun, the game quickly loses its replayability due to a lack of engaging content.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, particularly for online play, where users experience significant delays and stuttering, even on high-end hardware like an i9 10900k and dual RTX 3090s. This has been a major disappointment for players seeking a smooth gaming experience.
“This game is poorly optimized, even on a high-end PC with an i9 10900k and dual RTX 3090s.”
“The online experience suffers from significant delays and stuttering, especially with players who are too far away, which was one of my major disappointments.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highlighted by exceptional character design and a captivating soundtrack, which enhance the overall experience. Players find the characters visually appealing and well-styled, contributing to an engaging and enjoyable gameplay experience.
“Great character design and soundtrack tie an easy-to-play, fun-to-master game.”
“What really kicks it up a notch is the character designs and style.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding required to unlock collectibles through the lottery machine somewhat tedious, but not excessively frustrating, making the game still recommendable to others.
“The grinding process was a bit tedious, especially when trying to unlock most collectibles through the lottery machine.”
“I found the grinding aspect to be excessively repetitive and time-consuming, making the game feel more like a chore than fun.”
“The constant need to grind for resources really detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.”