Ballz(JP)

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Overview

  • Full Name: Ballz - The Director's Cut
  • Code: FZ-SJ3157
  • Type: Fighting
  • Developer: Cave Logic Studios, PF Magic
  • Publisher: Panasonic
  • Language: English
  • Release Date: September 1995
  • Region: EU, NA
  • Barcode: 037988830299
  • Local Title: ボールズ　～ディレクターズ・カット～
  • Rarity: 1
  • Notes:

Description

Ballz: The Director's Cut is an improved version of the Genesis and SNES game Ballz 3D: Fighting at its Ballziest. Like the original, it's a 3D fighting game where all the characters are made out of balls. Each character has its own moves animations and combos. In the single player mode you first have to fight against all the playable characters after which there are a variety of final bosses such as a tyrannosaurus, kangaroo, scorpion, ostrich and bull. Each boss has a unique fighting style and weak spot. In multiplayer you can fight against friends.

Characters

The game includes eight playable fighters from the start (nine for the 3DO version) and five unlockable bosses. The main single-player campaign pits the player against the basic roster (with mid-boss fights every third/fourth match), then a fight against the game's bosses: Lamprey (who can transform into other characters, including three hidden characters) and Jester (who regenerates their lifebar once per round after being defeated).

In the original versions of the game, defeating a boss changes the colors of some "balls" on the player's fighter to represent their progress (similar to martial arts belts, from white to black). This was removed for the 3DO version.

  • Boomer (circus clown)
  • Bruiser (body-builder, Dunk in the Japanese versions)
  • Crusher (rhinoceros)
  • Divine (ballerina, Meu Myu in the Japanese versions)
  • Kronk (caveman, Bokaboka in the Japanese versions)
  • Tsunami (sumo wrestler, Gohriki in the Japanese versions)
  • Turbo (superhero)
  • Yoko (monkey, Goro in the Japanese versions)
  • Zombie (zombie, 3DO Exclusive)
  • Guggler (ostrich, mid-boss, Flapper in the Japanese versions)
  • Bounder (boxing kangaroo, mid-boss)
  • T-Wrecks (dinosaur, mid-boss)
  • Lamprey (genie, boss)
  • Jester (jester, final boss)
  • El Ballz (bull, hidden transformation of Lamprey)
  • Spike (scorpion, hidden transformation of Lamprey)
  • Byte Viper (snake, hidden transformation of Lamprey)

Other Versions

Ballz was originally released on the SNES and Sega Megadrive/Genesis. It had been planned to be compatiable for the Modem service Edge 16 for the Genesis.

Reception

Magazine Reviews

Name Date Region Rating Notes
Power Unlimited* Apr 96
91% Uniek vechtspel rondom geheel uit ballen opgebouwde strijders. Het bekende 16-bit spel is nu opgewaardeerd naar 32-bit en is zo mogelijk nog leuker. Een frisse en humoristische wind in het genre moord en doodslag.
Game Players* Oct 95
82% With real 3-D brawlers like Virtua Fighter and Tekken available, a game that's faking it looks kind of weak in comparison. It also still suffers from some confusing gameplay, and it's tough to keep your interest up in a gang of fighters who look like mutant snowmen. Not bad, just not the best.
Game Pro* Sept 95
80% Ballz' appeal is mainly its non-conformist attitude. There are no flaming Dragon Punches or bloody ball-splitting fatalities. Just plenty of laughs and lots of fun. It's not for every fighter, but those looking for a change of pace should definitely get some Ballz.
Computer and Video Games (CVG)* Oct 95
71% The characters in Ballz do look great, the 3D is good to seen on the 3DO and the sound bangs, thumps and cackles in all the right places, but the game seems a bit old now. There's not much sense of strategy either: much of the time the best course is to hammer the joypad and hope, with no incentive to master specials. Not only this but the characters don't feel dramatically different from each other, further limiting long-term appeal. Fun but uninvolving.
Joystick* Oct 95
68% Ball Z n'est certes pas le jeu du sicèle, mais il recèle des charmes capables d'envoûter certains, alors que d'autres y restent totalement hermétiques. A essayer avant d'acheter !
3DO Magazine* Oct 95
60% While the fighters are made of just a few balls, they turn out to be brilliantly animated characters. Combat is in full 3D with plenty of imaginative moves. Although not as precise or satisfying as SFII, it's highly original, very playable and totally hilarious.
  • - Need review page

Passwords

To enter the code words, the code is used: L-left R-right U-up D-down 1.large Ballz - balllardball (lardball) 2.transparent Ballz - ballblurball 3.small Ballz - ballradarlulu 4.black and white opponent - ballblacballu 5. black and white player himself - balldrabball

Credits

  • Lead Programming: Les Hedger, William B. Norris IV
  • Shell Programming: Andre Burgoyne
  • Sound Programming: Joel Dubiner
  • Additional Programming: Keith Kirby, Brad McKee, Kevin T. Seghetti
  • Producer: Jonathan Shambroom
  • Executive Producers: Ted Barnett, John Scull, David Feldman
  • Original Game Design and Concept: Keith Kirby
  • Art Director: Charles Hacskaylo
  • Shell Art: Charles Hacskaylo
  • Arena Art: Chris Donovan, Trevor Grimshaw, Charles Hacskaylo
  • Main Character Animations: Troy Bargatze, Adam Frank, Chris Fregien, Will Friedewald, Kyle Kirby, Frank Saxon, Jr.
  • Character Design: Adam Frank, Will Friedewald, Kyle Kirby, Bill Maher, Frank Saxon, Jr.
  • Original Music: Kurt Harland, Ted Hommel, Brendon McCarthy, Aaron Winett
  • Sound FX: Kurt Harland
  • Voices: Les Hedger, Sean Owens, Mari Thomas
  • Manual text - The Jester's Words: Flint Dille, Buzz Dixon
  • Lead Tester: Mike Palser
  • On-Site Testers : Alan Balodis, Travis Boatman, Tom Teuscher
  • Scoreboard Text: Flint Dille, Reed Kirk Rahlmann, Mike Palser
  • Scoreboard Art: Chris Donovan, Trevor Grimshaw, Charles Hacskaylo, Dan Lopez, Lisa Wong
  • Localization: Byse, Inc.
  • Director of Marketing: Steven Feuling
  • Product Marketing: Brooke Boynton
  • Package and Manual Design: Graff Advertising, Steve Graff, Gary Jones
  • Special Thanks to: Rob Fulop, Jim Guerard, Cory Smith, Beth Kaufman, Mark Miller, Paul Wilkerson, 3DO, Carrie Holder, Panasonic Software, Bill Gardner, Toshi Nakahara, Trayse Johnsen, Bonnie Schultz, Jim Jennings, Tim Takatani, Sherry Yaqub , Crystal Dynamics, Rob Dyer, Laila Atassi, Susan Bowman, Trisha Livorsi, Cave Logic Information Society

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