Powerball (Genesis, 1991)

PUBLISHER/DEVELOPER: Namco

RELEASE DATE: 02/02/91 – (JP), 1991 – (US)

ALSO ON: Wii Virtual Console (R.I.P.)

No, not the lottery you’ll never win. Powerball (or Wrestleball as it’s known in Japan) is a Namco Original, a futuristic take on football, soccer, and rugby. I know this, not because I’m intimately familiar with any of these sports, but because Wikipedia and MobyGames told me so. The description seems to fit. Two teams vye against each other on a 100 yard field. Sometimes players kick the ball, sometimes they throw it. Sometimes players kick each other, sometimes they friggin’ body slam each other, like lifeless ragdolls. The AI is God-tier, nearly unbeatable; it’s hard to keep track of the action, particularly when the computer is always better than you.

But if you find a companion eager for Powerball Championhood, two player is where it’s at. Imagine you and a friend controlling a mess of players (twenty-two players on the field at all times – madness!), fighting and breaking each other’s robotic suits, smashing each other into the field, kicking the ball out of bounds. It’s a hoot.

The solid controls, corny music, and over-the-top anime art style round out the package. No, the game isn’t an eternal classic like Tecmo Bowl, but its ridiculousness and smooth play will keep you coming back. You may never win 300 million dollars, but as long as you have Powerball, you’re never poor.

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