Sportsfriends
is the most exciting local multiplayer game since Wii Sports set your
parents’ living room on fire in 2006. That’s not the remarkable thing
about Sportsfriends,
though; what’s remarkable is that it manages to bring four disparate
styles of gameplay together into one cohesive package that caters to
casual partygoers and committed players alike. The rather demanding
hardware and space requirements might limit which games you can play,
but your living room will be filled with raucous laughter and yelling
just the same.
Sportsfriends’ four games mostly walk the fine line of being simple
enough to learn quickly--for optimal controller exchanging at big
parties--while offering an incredible amount of depth for the
ultra-competitive. This point is driven home especially well by Johann
Sebastian Joust and BaraBariBall, Sportsfriends’ two best games.
Johann Sebastian Joust reminds me of the playground games of my
childhood, feeling like a blend of tag and musical chairs. It ditches
the TV altogether, and instead has you moving around in real space trying to
shake your opponent’s Move controller enough to knock them out of the
game. Fully enjoying Johann Sebastian Joust isn’t easy thanks to needing
Move controllers for every participant (you can use the less-responsive
DualShock 4 controllers, but it isn’t recommended) and plenty of space
to run around, but it’s entirely worth the trouble.
Carefully grasping the glowing Move controller while attempting to knock
your opponent’s around is like a calculated game of chicken, where
moving in to attack also leaves you vulnerable. The controller becomes
less sensitive when the music speeds up, urging you to attack, and
intelligently injecting a dose of frantic urgency. With jousters
encircled by spectators waiting for their turns, it also looks
entertainingly similar to a Michael Jackson music video.
Back on the couch, the other standout is BaraBariBall. which has up to
four people beat the crap out of each other as they try to toss a ball
into their designated section of water beneath the level. I found the
immediate chaos to be incredibly fun, but soon, strategies began to
develop. Moving, attacking, and throwing became precise as I found
better ways to score without giving my opponents time to intercept the
ball. The depth of play is amplified by the three different playable
characters, each with its own unique stats and abilities, and the
variety of stages that require distinct planning. I wouldn’t be
surprised to see competitive BaraBariBall played at fighting game
tournaments. It really is that deep.
The final two games are fun in their own right, but its hard for them to
escape the looming shadow of Johann Sebastian Joust and BaraBariBall.
Hokra is a super-abstracted game of two-on-two basketball that seems
straight forward at first, but becomes incredibly competitive as you
master the ability to bank passes to teammates off of walls. Super Pole
Riders’ analog stick controls take a few matches to get comfortable
with, but once you master using your pole to block opponents’ movement,
and nudge the ball out of your opponent’s reach, knocking opponents off
their poles; there’s plenty of freedom to playfully troll your friends.
The “s” on the end of Sportsfriends
is of importance; these four minigames are much better with a group
than a single friend, and one, Hokra, even requires four players.
Additionally, none of Sportsfriends’ games have options for a single
player. There are no AI opponents, online matches, high score
challenges, or any other type of mode for the friend-challenged. This
means you’re going to need lots of people and controllers to really get
the most out of it. Super Pole Riders and Hokra try to bridge the gap
with an option for two players to each share a controller, but it proves
to be rather unwieldy.
Oh,
and if you own both a PS3 and PS4, go with the PS3 version. The PS4
version only supports up to four bluetooth devices at once, where the
PS3 handles seven.. Four players is certainly enough to have a good
time, but the more players, the more fun and chaotic Johann Sebastian
Joust becomes.
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The Verdict
Sportsfriends
is one of the most dynamic and addictingly deep local multiplayer games
I’ve ever played. Each of the four games provides its own unique rules
and fun, and Johann Sebastion Joust and BaraBariBall are each strong
enough to be sold on their own. Between DualShock controllers, Move
controllers, groups of players, and ample space, the hurdles to fully
enjoy Sportsfriends
are high, but clearing them gives way to an incredible party game full
of yelling, celebrating, fist-pumping, and innumerable expletives; the
combined cornerstone of all great parties.
Source: ign.com
Rating: 8.7
