Kabounce
- May 29, 2018
- Stitch Heads Entertainment
- 400h median play time
Get on Steam"Kabounce is a multiplayer pinball sport game where you control the ball in fast-paced 5-minute matches, online or offline. Compete against up to 8 players, steal points by eliminating opponents, and complete over 50 time-attack challenges in single-player mode. Customize your ball with millions of cosmetic combinations and show off your style."
PC
Playstation 4
Steam Deck
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and fun blend of pinball mechanics and competitive gameplay, reminiscent of Rocket League.
- It features smooth, fast-paced gameplay with a variety of challenges and customization options, making it enjoyable for both casual and competitive players.
- The game has a strong community aspect, with local multiplayer and co-op modes that enhance the experience when playing with friends.
- The player base is very small, leading to frequent matches against bots and a lack of competitive online play.
- The controls can be difficult to master, which may deter new players from fully enjoying the game.
- Despite its potential, the game suffers from a lack of marketing and visibility, causing it to remain under the radar and limiting its growth.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Kabounce is praised for its smooth, fast-paced, and dynamic mechanics, offering a unique blend of strategy and fun that keeps players engaged. While the game features polished controls and a variety of playstyles, some users suggest it could benefit from more diverse maps. Overall, the competitive multiplayer experience is highlighted as intense and enjoyable, with a steep learning curve that rewards skillful play.
“Smooth, fast-paced, dynamic gameplay, and just so underrated.”
“This game is both polished and well-designed - feels minimal, but has just enough mechanics to stay interesting.”
“The gameplay is marvelous for a number of reasons.”
“After a couple of days, the gameplay took a serious toll on my hands.”
“Hard to master mechanics.”
“Both the movement mechanics and understanding how matches work might have a slightly steep learning curve, but once these are overcome, it is great fun.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its energetic and fitting techno soundtrack, which enhances the fast-paced gameplay and adrenaline-fueled experience. However, players express a desire for more music tracks and customization options, as well as improvements in player connectivity and game visibility to fully realize its potential. Overall, the soundtrack is a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“Music is dope and really fitting.”
“Could do with more music tracks, maps, and players.”
“There's naturally going to be a lot of comparison to some established concepts here...it's a red and blue punky looking team arena game with a pumpin' techno soundtrack...but it's how it pulls off its own mechanics so well that keeps me coming back.”
“The soundtrack is hype and helps get the adrenaline flowing while you bounce around the course trying to chain combos and gather points.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game draw inspiration from the Rocket League aesthetic, featuring a simple yet effective design that enhances the overall game feel. Players appreciate the rich visuals and extensive customization options, while also noting that the gameplay mechanics differentiate it significantly from Rocket League, offering a unique experience. Overall, the visuals are praised for their smoothness and creativity, contributing to a visually engaging environment.
“Excellent game feel, simple but effective aesthetic, lots of single player content here as well.”
“Very rich & smooth game mechanics, fancy visuals and tons of customization features out-of-the-box.”
“A lot of people compare this to Rocket League, but it only looks similar; it plays very differently. I've never played Rocket League myself since I have zero interest in anything soccer-related, but I've seen some gameplay. While the aesthetics are similar and the control of the pinballs and the cars are similar, everything else is entirely different.”
“They are: more creativity with custom lobbies (modify points, combo multipliers, etc.), add more servers so people can play with less ping, add arenas which are aesthetically more diverse.”
“Clearly draws a lot from the Rocket League aesthetic, but it still works.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model is highly praised, as there are no in-game purchases or microtransactions, allowing players to unlock skins and customization options purely through gameplay. Users appreciate the frequent earning of loot balls and the fun challenges that enhance the overall experience.
“Including fun challenges, no microtransactions, skins, etc. unlockable via gameplay.”
“The customization is fantastic; you can make really cool or really silly balls, and the loot system is nice. There are no microtransactions, and you earn loot balls frequently.”
“First of all, there are no in-game purchases.”
“No microtransactions, not even cosmetics.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers emphasize that a vibrant competitive atmosphere in games, akin to titles like Rocket League and Laser League, is essential for player engagement. They highlight the importance of incorporating spectators and commentary to enhance the overall experience and foster a lively environment.
“If you want to generate a competitive and fun atmosphere, you need spectators and commentary.”
“I think of games like Rocket League, Laser League, etc., and if there is one thing I’ve noticed during this time, it’s that indie developers don’t realize just how crucial a few things are to creating a stable and healthy competitive atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, with users reporting no frame rate drops, which enhances the overall experience. Its low price relative to the content offered further adds to its appeal, making it a fun and strategic choice compared to alternatives.
“It has a relatively low price for its content and it is very optimized; I never had a single FPS drop.”
“To me, this kind of game is more fun than some of the alternatives because it emphasizes individual performance overall, but manages to slide in a healthy amount of strategy with banking and stealing points.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame rate drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite its interesting mechanics, the optimization is lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the experience fully.”
“I was disappointed by the poor optimization; it feels like the game wasn't properly tested on various hardware configurations.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is considered to be almost bug-free, with only minor issues such as occasional glitches that do not significantly impact gameplay. Players find it fun to play despite these minor stability concerns.
“Almost bug-free; I got stuck between the accelerator and the wall once, but overall it's fun to play.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; I rarely encounter any glitches or crashes.”
“The game suffers from several weird bugs and glitches that the developer seems to have overlooked, which can be quite frustrating.”
“There are frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered numerous stability issues that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game highly replayable, likening its appeal to that of pinball, as it offers casual fun that encourages repeated play.
“This game appeals in the same way pinball does, providing casual fun with lots of replayability.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing lootball system, which encourages players to engage with the game to unlock a variety of quirky customizations.
“The funny lootball system encourages you to play the game to collect all the customizations.”
“The humor in the dialogue keeps the gameplay light and entertaining.”
“I love how the quirky characters and their interactions add a hilarious twist to the storyline.”
