The most fun two men can have in a bedroom? (Speedball 2)

Member Name: dididave

Product:	Speedball 2
Date:	06/11/07 (182 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb gameplay, great improvements to the original, non-stop pace.

Disadvantages: Really hard to get hold of.

Anyone who has not played Speedball 2 is missing a major part of life. Of course, the people I am likely to be referring to are the under twenty-fives. The modern gaming audience who think "Chuckie Egg" is something there mum used to make and that "James Pond" is my spelling mistake.

The premise is simple, a futuristic violent sport contact ball sport has been driven underground but has had a resurgence in popularity in 2105 thanks to a new team known as "Brutal Deluxe". Pick your team and see if you can come out on top.

Speedball 2 was undoubtedly the pinnacle of gaming excellence for the Commodore Amiga. Of course, by todays standards it would look useless. I mean, even mobile phone games usually manage more than two-dimensional vertical views. However, on it's release in 1991 this was cutting edge. Of course this is a sequel but should more honestly be thought of as an update to the original. Whereas the original had a narrow two-dimensional top down view and limited features. Speedball 2 has numerous modes and features which make it as entertaining as the original but with knobs on.

The gameplay of Speedball 2 is fast and frenetic and plays like a futuristic American football without the horrendous breaks in play, crossed with good old British soccer. Your nine strong team come onto the metal clad field suited and booted to give out some serious damage and hopefully score some goals in the process. On first play you may well wonder what in Jesus's name is going on such is the frenetic pace of the game. The metal arenas you play in can make the game a little like human pinball as the ball bounces of walls. However, this also gives the game a surprising level of tactics as you can bounce the ball of walls and through chutes for which also give various levels of points. This may make keeping score difficult however, as scoring goals is not always enough to win!

Whereas, the original Speedball had very basic gameplay, Speedball 2 adds some much needed depth, particularly to the single player mode which was woefully dull in the original. The management of your team is now an important feature as you decide what to spend your hard earned cash on. Will you buy a new star player or some armour? Perhaps some extra speedy boots for your team. These decisions can effect whether you win or lose your upcoming games. This is particularly true against the more difficult teams which have lightning fast pace and reflexes. You will be frustrated as yet another team kicks your arse but you will keep coming back for more. What is more you will start to anticipate the plays, organise a defence, and thanks to an intelligent computer AI and incredibly responsive controls, you may even have a chance of scraping a victory.

Of course, as with any game of this type, the real fun is to be found in the two-player mode and I am glad to say Speedball 2 is probably still the best two-player game I have played. You and your mate, or deadly enemy as they will henceforth be known, can go one on one for one hundred and eighty seconds of frantic, panicky mayhem. You know you should be playing tactically yet you cannot help but try and play your way through your opposition directly towards the goal. Did I forget to mention that there are ways to get there by a direct route? Toss the ball through a chute and it can become electrically charged allowing you to throw it right through an opponent. Or you could always just muscle your way through.

What else should I tell you? Well, it was created by the legendary Bitmap Brothers who were the God's of the gaming world during the 1990's. Everything they touched turned to gold but if their other games were gold then Speedball 2 was platinum. Crisp graphics, stunning, adrenaline-filled gameplay, a thumping soundtrack and even now, eighteen years later, infinitely replayable this is a game everyone should try and track down. And here is the good bit...they are updating it for the PC and it looks stunning! I just hope it keeps faith to the pace of the original. The original is no longer available anywhere other than eBay or illegally but if you can track one down it is well worth it. Best game ever? It is certainly mine.

Those intrigued by the work of the Bitmap Brothers can read more at:

www.bitmap-brothers.co.uk/our-games/past/speedbal l2.htm -

Those desperate to see the new game should visit here:

http://www.speedball2.com/

Summary: I love it and so should you.