"Classic" gaming has come into its own as a subgenre of late, and it's
a good thing. Video and computer games have a rich, 20 year history,
and companies ignore that history at their peril.

When you bring a classic game to a modern system, there are some tough
choices to make. The first is "port vs. update". Do you bring the game
over intact? After all, if it was a classic then, why change it? Or do
you "bring it into the 90's", which, typically, means slapping a bunch
of t-mapped polygons on it and seeing what happens. Hopefully, when
updating a game, you keep the basic gameplay, the "feel" of the game,
intact while adding features that would have been impossible way back
when.

Which brings us to Ballblazer Champions. This review assumes you know
Ballblazer, in any of its previous incarnations. If you don't, and you
want a kick-butt future sport game, GET IT. End of story.

To answer the question that was on my mind between the time I knew BC
existed and the first time I played it, yes, it's Ballblazer. The
scars on my left thumb prove it. The ultimate test is, yes, I pressed
much harder on the joypad than I needed to, in the hopes that somehow
it would help. That makes it Ballblazer.

Here's a rundown of additions, deletions, and changes and how I think
it affects "pure" Ballblazer:

ADDED: Courses. This is a mixed bag. For the most part, the new
courses are interesting, well-designed, and challenging. There are a
couple I've seen so far (I'm 8 matches into my first tournament, so
I've seen 8 arenas) that interfere with gameplay too much; they're too
curvy, or too convoluted, to give you a clear picture of the play
field.

ADDED: Multiple Rotofoils and ability upgrades: OK, although the
variations between the 'foils don't seem -that- huge. One possible
flaw in Tournament Mode is that your opponents always seem to have
more upgrade money than you ever do, even though you've been winning
and they haven't.

ADDED: Graphics. Good, smooth, rarely detract from gameplay. Replays
should probably be random rather than every goal, but they're quickly
bypassed.

DELETED: Multipoint shots. No more 2-pointers or OTH 3-pointers. 
CHANGED: 10-point scoring with overwrite to five-point scoring, no
overwrite.

I was skeptical about this when I first heard about it, but it works.
The multipoint shots had to go mainly because your firing range is
MUCH shorter than in the original. You couldn't hit an OTH shot if you
wanted to. With one-point shots, the five-point total balances the
decreased scoring nicely.

CHANGED: Control. You can now turn. Rotosnapping is under your
control, and it's full 360 degree. I've found the closest to the
original Ballblazer feel to be setting the D-Pad on
forward-back-strafe-strafe, using Rotosnap to turn as necessary.
Controls are fairly configurable.

ADDED: Weapons and power-ups. Probably the weakest aspect of the game.
Picking up weapons that are out of your way is rarely worth the
trouble. Many of the weapons are ineffective or useless (machine gun,
mines, swirly thing). The missiles are fun, but a bit cheap.

CHANGED:  Steals. Steals are the biggest improvement over the
original. It was rarely worth the trouble to try and buzzblast in the
original, especially against the computer, because you would rarely
end up with the ball. It was much easier to play defense and block the
goal. This balance is reversed in Champions. Blocking is almost
impossible, and stealing is vital and effective. I prefer this.

OVERALL: A damn fine game, and a damn fine game of Ballblazer.

---------Bryan-Lambert-(bryancathy@theonramp.net)-----------
Brak Fact #5: Brak fired his agent over what has come to be
known as The Pineapple Incident.
----------------RATMM's-Official-Biggest-Wuss---------------