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maxcriden · Jul 21, 2016

Developed by: Next Level Games
Published by: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo 3DS (eShop)
Release Dates: July 21, 2016
Genre: Multiplayer FPS Arcade / Space Football / Rocket League-like
Multiplayer: Yes, 3-on-3 local & online
Download Play Support: Yes!
amiibo: Yes (skins for mechs: Samus, ZSS, Mario, Bowser, etc)
New Nintendo 3DS enhanced: Yes (ZL/ZR supported, C-Stick aim/camera)
Price: ZERO SPACEBUCKS (=free)
eShop download file size in blocks: 1,565 blocks
Why is this now standalone?: I HAVE NO IDEA STOP LOOKING AT ME AND DOWNLOAD IT!
Game Download/Official Site: Europe | North America | Japan
Special Thanks: TheMoon as always

Subtitle: The last BlastBall is in captivity. KingBroly and ElectricBlanketFire are at peace.

Up now for free on the eShop in NA (demo) and EU (free full game). Online play included.

(Unclear if the NA and EU versions are the same, will update.)

Info

Go head-to-head with other players in a futuristic sport set in the Metroid Prime universe!
Use your blaster to fire a gigantic ball into your opponents' goal, and give yourself an advantage with power-ups!
Try to best your foes in 3 vs. 3 match-ups via Local Play, Download Play** or even online*![/

Gameplay and Features

Blast into action

Climb aboard your Mech and buckle up for adrenaline-pumping sports action in Metroid Prime: Blast Ball, available to download for free* from Nintendo eShop only on Nintendo 3DS family systems! Go head-to-head in exhilarating, 3-on-3 multiplayer matches in this unique futuristic sport, combining the end-to-end thrills of football with mechanised mayhem and power-ups aplenty.

A competitive team sport for up to six players, Blast Ball forms part of the basic training for the Federation Force. Players pilot their Mechs around the arena and shoot the ball using their blaster, with the ultimate objective of scoring three times in the opposition goal within the five minute time limit.

Play your way

Metroid Prime: Blast Ball can be enjoyed by up to six players simultaneously via Local Play, Download Play** and even online*! With fast-paced gameplay and quick-fire matches, Blast Ball is the perfect pick-up-and-play multiplayer experience. For those who prefer to play alone, Blast Ball can also be enjoyed in single-player mode, with computer-controlled players filling out the teams.

Lock onto the ball to keep track of its location, strafe around it to find the perfect firing position, then refine your aim using motion controls to hit the ball home. Move about the arena to defend your goal or launch assaults on the opponents net, and keep in communication with your team using set voice commands on the +Control Pad.

Fire quick, successive Power Shots to dribble the ball, or wind up a Charge Shot to send it soaring! The ball reacts differently depending on where you place your shots, so aim carefully using motion controls to pass and shoot with precision. You could target the underside of the ball, then unleash a massive blast to lob it right over the heads of the defending team!

Being aware of your surroundings, aiming accurately and, most importantly, working closely with your team is all part of being a Federation Force soldier using all of these skills in an action-packed sport is a great way for a would-be soldier to prepare for life in the field!

Dodge ball

Should the ball hit you, itll hurt! When your energy is reduced to zero, youll be temporarily taken out of the game, giving the opposition an advantage until you drop back in. If you feel like playing dirty, smash the ball into your opponents to cause some serious damage and get the upper hand! You can even blast your opponents directly, but dont get so distracted that you lose track of the ball

Moving the goalposts

In a devious twist, scoring a goal causes the oppositions goal to narrow, making it much more difficult to score again. When this happens, youll have to place your shots more accurately and launch the ball just right to get another goal!

Supercharge your Mech

Power-ups add another layer of strategy to the action, too! Use the Shield when youre under pressure, or get an Adrenaline rush to counter-attack with incredible speed and force. Grab the Eject power-up to boot rival team members out of their Mechs: when the opposition are on foot, they wont be able to defend or shoot back for a few seconds, so you can take advantage of an unguarded goal!

Team up, take down

Drop into Versus matches for straight-up, competitive Blast Ball action against friends and rivals, locally or online*. Versus matches are always 3-on-3, but dont worry if you cant find enough players any empty slots will be filled by computer-controlled Mechs.

Grab your friends and work as a team to take on the co-operative Challenge mode, which pits you against progressively tougher computer-controlled squads across a series of five matches. Its important to work together if you want to emerge victorious! You can train freely in the Practice mode until youre ready to take on the top teams.

Your rating appears on your Blast Ball profile, showing your prowess for all-comers to see. Itll rise and fall as you win and lose games, while impressive performances will also unlock new paint jobs, which you can use to customise your Mechs appearance.

Discover New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL

On New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL, you can use an alternative control scheme, allowing you to lock on or use additional weapons with the ZL and ZR Buttons, or aim with the built-in C Stick.

Info Via: Nintendo UK's Official Blast Ball Page

--

Amiibo Info

Per the announcement thread:

JoeM86 said:
So far, here's what I've got amiibo wise

Bowser, Bowser Jr, Mario, Luigi, Samus unlock unique costumes

All Pokémon, Link, Sonic, Inklings, Wolf Link, Toad, Yoshi, Wario etc. unlock a special Skull emblem

Magnalon said:
All the Splatoon amiibo seem to unlock the Skull as well, and a Squid Kid icon on the body of the mech.

ElectricBlanketFire · Jul 21, 2016

I want to say wrong forum but it's kind of fitting considering which game it is.

Penguin · Jul 21, 2016

Hmm well someone will have egg on their face

maxcriden · Jul 21, 2016

:'( Wrong forum....

Consider me good and egged.

toadsworth · Jul 21, 2016

This is free? I may give it a spin. My expectations are pretty low though.

ElectricBlanketFire said:
I want to say wrong forum but it's kind of fitting considering which game it is.

My thoughts exactly!

Sgt. Kabukiman · Jul 21, 2016

The hate is so strong this thread was kicked out of Gaming.

maxcriden · Jul 21, 2016

ElectricBlanketFire said:
I want to say wrong forum but it's kind of fitting considering which game it is.

Look at the subtitle.

afternoon delight · Jul 21, 2016

EXACTLY what I imagined when I spent a summer playing Super Metroid- this is gonna be great!

wild wild rice · Jul 21, 2016

This is free? This is out? Dahell

yoonshik · Jul 21, 2016

I've lost my first match : (

The movement it's too slow for my tastes but it's fun.

maxcriden · Jul 21, 2016

wild wild rice said:
This is free? This is out? Dahell

Yep!

Announcement thread here:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1250190

TheMoon · Jul 21, 2016

but max why!

DeathSparks · Jul 21, 2016

Tried this out for about 10 minutes with one match, it's not a bad game though it seems like a watered down version of Rocket League but in first person.

I can imagine that you'll find more enjoyment by playing this with others rather than playing with bots

Sgt. Kabukiman · Jul 21, 2016

Ouch, very negative first impression after a couple of practice matches. Those default controls are rough and clunky and the second stick option on the new3DS doesn't help, that stick was never meant for first person shooters. And yes, I've only been playing for a few minutes but this looks extremely shallow and boring so far and i'm not saying this because I'm an angry Metroid fan.

Åkami · Jul 21, 2016

Done a couple of matches, game is a lot of fun.

Too bad my team sucked.

Tregard · Jul 21, 2016

Metroid Prime: Freederation Force

Okami Haundo · Jul 21, 2016

I see that the "New" 3DS models support ZR and ZL as well as the C-stick. Anyone have a chance to test whether the Circle Pad Pro is supported here as well?

Sgt. Kabukiman · Jul 21, 2016

Played a couple of matches, won both. One of my goals was counted for somebody else for some reason, I didn't even get assist points even though I did it almost entirely by myself as my teammates were on defense, weird.

This game is okay and better than expected but I'm still puzzled as to who it's for. It would have been better served as a free-to-play downloadable game on the Wii U, it's really not the type of experience I'm looking for on the 3DS and the control options are too limited.

I feel bad for Next Level Games as I loved Punch-Out on the Wii but I don't think I will buy Federation Force unless the reviews are incredibly positive.

bobbychalkers · Jul 21, 2016

played 1 match againts bots.

yo this shit is fun

Diablohead · Jul 21, 2016

Played my first ranked game and we tied 2 - 2 which gave me +1 MMR

Really fun game, feels really slow but 3 on 3 is much better then the 1 on 1 training.

Sammy Samusu · Jul 21, 2016

Played two rounds. It's horrible.

I loved the random Spanish shouts though.

Shiggy · Jul 21, 2016

The game features German voices, I am surprised.

Not really my cup of tea though, don't like the controls much. I need the Wii Remote for 3D Metroid games.

catmario · Jul 21, 2016

Actually I don't want to admit this, but this is really fun than I expected.

Regiruler · Jul 21, 2016

Can someone see if online is region-locked?

TheMoon · Jul 21, 2016

catmario said:
Actually I don't want to admit this, but this is really fun than I expected.

Wrong game, you're supposed to irrationally hate Federation Force.

blu · Jul 21, 2016

"Welcome to the Bermuda system" /mech license acquired

Mr-Joker · Jul 21, 2016

While I did find the control to be okay I just found the game to be slow, clunky and boring.

AcademicSaucer · Jul 21, 2016

Just played 4 matches, this is a good game guys.

Nia · Jul 21, 2016

I suppose I'll try it for the sake of fairness, but I still don't plan on buying it.

blu · Jul 21, 2016

Mr-Joker said:
While I did find the control to be okay I just found the game to be slow, clunky and boring.

Did you obtain the mech license? The final encounter is actually intense.

Hyperfludd · Jul 21, 2016

Can anyone connect online at all? NA here, I keep getting error codes about the server.

AcademicSaucer · Jul 21, 2016

CanspamgermanHighpitchedvoices / 10

Effect · Jul 21, 2016

blu said:
"Welcome to the Bermuda system" /mech license acquired

This. There is a training aspect to the game that covers how Federation Force plays.

Diablohead · Jul 21, 2016

I always liked the look of blast ball and playing it just as I expected though I do feel like the main ball is a little too heavy to knock around.

In one round we had a lightweight ball in play and it was a lot better to play then the regular heavy ball.

blu · Jul 21, 2016

Effect said:
This. There is a training aspect to the game that covers how Federation Force plays.

Also where people can catch a glimpse of Samus.

Vena · Jul 21, 2016

Did the training, and played a match over lunch.

Pretty good actually. Its a bit weird playing Prime with a 3DS over a Wiimote+Nunchuck though but the game definitely works.

Shiggy · Jul 21, 2016

So is this the full (mini) game or a timed offer? I cannot find any information on the online mode being axed in September on Nintendo.de/the shop description, despite reading that in the other thread.

KingBroly · Jul 21, 2016

*Looks at screens in the OP

Adam Shields, huh?

Nope

Vena · Jul 21, 2016

KingBroly said:
*Looks at screens in the OP

Adam Shields, huh?

Nope

You should try it, at least.

Boney · Jul 21, 2016

KingBroly said:
*Looks at screens in the OP

Adam Shields, huh?

Nope

How upset are you that people are enjoying it?

blu · Jul 21, 2016

Shiggy said:
So is this the full (mini) game or a timed offer? I cannot find any information on the online mode being axed in September, despite reading that in the other thread.

It's a full mini game and a FF tutorial (in PAL at least).

blame space · Jul 21, 2016

man what the fuck

Diablohead · Jul 21, 2016

Scored a goal within 5 seconds and unlocked a kraid skin.

wrowa · Jul 21, 2016

Well, that came out of nowhere.

Darrenf · Jul 21, 2016

Game isn't as bad as I was expecting. My hands are so fucking sore from playing it. Don't think I'll be playing much because of it.

Diablohead · Jul 21, 2016

Some of the textures and camera angles are really low res, can someone with a new 3DS tell me if it looks better then a N64 game texture wise?

Darrenf said:
Game isn't as bad as I was expecting. My hands are so fucking sore from playing it. Don't think I'll be playing much because of it.

90% of the time you need to hold left bumper and right bumper to aim ahead of the ball, thankfully I own a 2DS so it's comfy to hold like that.

TheMoon · Jul 21, 2016

Just played two online matches.

"Achievements" come in the form of customization (paint job) rewards.

So far I've gotten:

Win your first match
Score within 5 seconds
Score 3 goals in one match

(stealth brag)

Neiteio · Jul 21, 2016

"Rocket League with guns" is a tantalizing proposal, but this game murdered Samus

-shadow- · Jul 21, 2016

It's basically Rocket League with guns, but it works and it's not terrible. Can't say the same for the single player going by the trailer however. That still looks dread-ful.

blu · Jul 21, 2016

Neiteio said:
"Rocket League with guns" is a tantalizing proposal, but this game murdered Samus

Samus is in the demo. Well, her model, at least.

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