Dodgeball Academia
- August 5, 2021
- Pocket Trap
- 2h median play time
With engaging dodgeball gameplay and enthralling RPG elements, Dodgeball Academia is one of the best games of the year so far.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Dodgeball Academia" is an arcade-style game with local multi-player options for up to 2 players. It features a single-player story mode where you play as Otto, training to become a dodgeball champion. The game offers intriguing storylines, masterful mechanics, stunning graphics, and a good soundtrack, with an RPG-style progression system for characters and parties. Explore the vast campus, uncover secrets, and engage in action-packed dodgeball matches with challenging enemies.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Charming art style and engaging characters that evoke nostalgia for classic cartoons and RPGs.
- Fun and innovative gameplay that combines dodgeball mechanics with RPG elements, allowing for strategic team compositions and character abilities.
- Light-hearted story with humorous dialogue, making it an enjoyable experience for players of all ages.
- Gameplay can become repetitive over time, especially in later chapters, leading to a sense of monotony.
- Combat mechanics can feel cluttered and imprecise, with issues related to control responsiveness and AI behavior.
- Lack of depth in the story and world exploration, leaving players wanting more content and variety.
- story86 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally described as light-hearted and entertaining, with a mix of humor and engaging characters, though it often leans on cliches and lacks depth. Players appreciate the charming art style and the nostalgic, retro feel, but some find the plot to be predictable and filled with nonsensical elements. Overall, while the narrative may not be groundbreaking, it effectively serves as a fun backdrop for the gameplay, making it enjoyable for fans of quirky, sports-themed RPGs.
“The story mode is good and has good writing.”
“I would highly recommend this game if you are looking for a nice slow-paced story with its retro feel and the characters... that's what I'm in this for - the characters are excellent!”
“The story is wholesome, positive, and moves at a brisk pace.”
“Boring cliché story!”
“The plot is completely and utterly ridiculous, and the game knows this.”
“If an enthralling story is your speed, this game is not for you.”
- gameplay71 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its fun and engaging dodgeball mechanics, which blend simple controls with light RPG elements, allowing for a satisfying experience as players progress. While some reviewers noted that the gameplay can become repetitive and highlighted issues with teammate mechanics and clunky menus, many found the overall experience enjoyable, with charming characters and a whimsical art style enhancing the fun. The game offers a balance of simplicity and depth, making it accessible yet rewarding for players.
“The gameplay is surprisingly good for a dodgeball game.”
“The gameplay is solid and fun.”
“The gameplay itself is snappy, intuitive, responsive, and simple enough that it just makes for a fun experience.”
“Dodgeball Academia has a lot going for it, but the problems with the story and gameplay were too all-encompassing for me to ignore.”
“This game can best be summed up in: the devs had a lot of heart and made a really stylized unique game with terrible controls and horrid gameplay.”
“I did not appreciate having teammates unlock so slowly and I also didn’t like the game for introducing new match rules and mechanics so late in the game.”
- graphics43 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and vibrant art style, reminiscent of popular cartoon aesthetics, particularly those from Cartoon Network. Players appreciate the crisp, clean visuals and the effective blend of 2D characters in a 3D environment, which contribute to a charming and nostalgic experience. While some note that the graphics reflect a limited budget, the overall aesthetic is considered delightful and engaging, enhancing the game's fun and humorous elements.
“The art style is bright and bubbly with unique character designs.”
“The lovingly crafted aesthetic that combines 2D and 3D graphics only helps accentuate all the other great things it's already doing.”
“For starters, the art style is amazing and has this Saturday morning cartoon vibe to it that's always appealing to look at.”
“Many of the characters fall into extremely typical archetypes or are defined by a shallowly exaggerated aesthetic.”
“Visuals: the game's budget shows, but the team clearly knew where to put their efforts.”
“Lots of area transitions/loads when I feel like there could be none given the simple asset art style.”
- humor19 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, charming characters, and engaging dialogue, making it a delightful experience for players. Reviewers highlight the combination of fun visuals and a humorous story that enhances gameplay, with many noting the clever localization that adds to the comedic elements. Overall, the game is described as a charming and funny RPG that successfully blends humor with its narrative and gameplay mechanics.
“If you like Pokémon, quick sports games, wonderful hand-drawn aesthetics, humorous dialogue, skill check mania, and are just into a fun game, this is number one for all of those things combined.”
“This game is incredibly charming, funny, and cute.”
“A lot of love clearly went into the translation, as there are many clever jokes, wordplays, or simply funny lines that were made specifically for each language.”
- music16 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its energetic and fitting soundtrack that complements the game's art style and atmosphere. While some find the upbeat tunes delightful and well-suited for the gameplay, others feel that the constant high energy can be overwhelming or even obnoxious. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, enhancing the overall experience despite some differing opinions on its appeal.
“The music is amazing and the beats suit the game style.”
“The soundtrack fits perfectly with this game's summer-like atmosphere, and I love it.”
“The character designs are amazing, the effects, the music, it just feels like a great Saturday morning cartoon that just happens to be playable.”
“The music is so overly energetic all the time as to be outright obnoxious.”
- character development8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is highly praised for its vibrant and unique designs, which are intricately crafted and reminiscent of modern cartoons. Reviewers appreciate the developers' efforts in creating a colorful and engaging world, with character designs that enhance the overall gameplay experience. The combination of art style, writing, and world-building contributes to a captivating and enjoyable atmosphere.
“You can tell the developers tried their best to focus on character development.”
“Intricately crafted and creative with its game mechanics, storyline, and character designs.”
“The character designs are amazing (I love Ballooney!), the effects, the music, it just feels like a great Saturday morning cartoon that just happens to be playable.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, which detracted from the overall experience.”
“Despite the vibrant art style, the characters themselves feel one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wholesome and heartwarming story, featuring well-developed characters and a brisk pace that evokes nostalgia and a sense of youthfulness. Its positive themes and engaging gameplay create a delightful experience reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons, making it a recommended choice for those seeking emotional resonance and fun.
“The story is wholesome, positive, and moves at a brisk pace.”
“You don't have to be a great gamer to get to the end of this heartwarming coming-of-age story.”
“This game made me feel like I want to be young again.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the initial gameplay is enjoyable and diverse, it can become repetitive and tedious, particularly towards the end. The necessity to frequently return to the medical building for healing adds to the tedium, especially after the more forgiving early stages. Overall, the blend of RPG and action elements helps mitigate some of the grind, but frustrations remain.
“It got a little bit repetitive and tedious towards the end, but I love the mix of RPG elements with action.”
“The only major complaint I have is running back to the medical building to heal after every fight is very tedious; especially considering you're auto-healed for the first part of the game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a fitting soundtrack that complements its summerlike vibe, creating an enjoyable and immersive experience for players.
“The soundtrack fits perfectly with this game's summery atmosphere, and I love it.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is generally acceptable, but some users have reported bugs, particularly in the ending, which can lead to potential frustration and extended playtime if players need to replay sections to collect items.
“I had to look up a guide for one part as the ending is a little buggy. Luckily, it wasn't a problem for me, but it could have easily added an extra hour or two to my total playtime replaying the final chapter and recollecting every item.”
