Speedball 2 - Tournament

 PC
Metascore
62

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. Games Master UK
    72
    A faintly nostalgic, merely good game, but hardly a classic return. [Feb 2008, p.82]
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  2. Eurogamer
    70
    The beloved and well-balanced gameplay has been approached with care and reverence, but changes and tweaks have been made to keep everything in line with modern expectations.
  3. AceGamez
    70
    A few little hiccups along the way could easily be resolved in a patch or two, and even though the game is published via Steam, Speedball 2: Tournament an essential purchase for those who fancy a trip down memory lane, while those who have never experienced the delights of the original would do well to pick up a copy and give it a try.
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  5. Jolt Online Gaming UK
    70
    Of course, we wouldn’t change the core gameplay for the world, and we’re glad it hasn’t been messed with here, but more options for tweaking and a few more game-modes wouldn’t have gone amiss.
  6. Play (Poland)
    70
    Smash hit of the 80s returns in style - and sadly suffers from the budget constrains that gave it the look and feel of a rushed release. Sound glitches, occasional crashes and awkward interface detract from the fun of the ruthless fight. [June 2008]
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  7. Gamer 2.0
    69
    On the whole, Speedball 2: Tournament is a solid game. It may have a few visual and aural quirks that may annoy some, but it makes up for it by doing what the original did all those years ago.
  8. PC Zone UK
    66
    An interesting, glitchy reprise. Our most solemn, sincere advice would be to wait for February's boxed version, when everything could - hopefully - be more stable and friendly. [Feb 2008, p.76]
  9. GamerNode
    60
    A decent attempt of a remake, but the gameplay -- along with technical issues and performance problems -- prevent this game from being a worthwhile title.
  10. GamingExcellence
    60
    So, the game does deliver its promise – upgrading a classic sports game while keeping the original gameplay intact – but it does it in such a way that introduces new problems and irritations.
  11. Boomtown
    60
    What's up with having an analogue controller that can only aim in the old style 8 directions? What's up with the huge loading times and rubbish user interface design? All these failings could be solved in patches in the future but they really shouldn't need to be.
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  12. PC PowerPlay
    60
    Speedball 2 Tournament is not the second coming of Brutal Deluxe. It is an evolution that will provide entertainment for people who are yearning for simple, accessible arcade fun. [Apr 2008, p.67]
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  13. PC Format
    56
    Could this ever have been anything but an utter disappointment? This misses the mark so much... it hurts. [Feb 2008, p.112]
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  14. Worth Playing
    55
    There are plenty of other games out right now that, while perhaps not being gloriously violent future-sports games, have simply pegged the feeling of constant fun a lot better than you do.
  15. PC Gamer UK
    52
    Lumbering sports behemoth. [Feb 2008, p.72]
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  16. Edge Magazine
    50
    Where there was charm and artistry in the old designs, choosing to detail those basic representations rather than reimagining them makes the look of the new game too generic by far. [Feb 2008, p.95]
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  17. Gamers' Temple
    50
    I suppose that if you have strong nostalgic feel for Speedball then the game may hold a certain appeal to you, but be forewarned that Speedball 2 - Tournament may tarnish some of your cherished memories of the game.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 26
  3. Negative: 5 out of 26
  1. mosquito5
    Sep 12, 2010
    8
    This isn't a Valve Game!This isn't a Valve Game! !… Full Review »
  2. ScottH
    May 8, 2009
    1
    This game is an appalling insult to the original. After buying this through Steam, I ended up digging out the original and playing it This game is an appalling insult to the original. After buying this through Steam, I ended up digging out the original and playing it instead. The new version is clunky, has poor views, plays terribly and has a menu system that couldn't have been worse if they had tried. All they had to do was remake the original, touch nothing and make it pretty. However they chose to add dodge and charge functions and they really messed up the gameplay. How this pile of rankness got released in this state is a mystery to me. Avoid like the plague, this is painful to play. I'm still playing the original by the way.… Full Review »
  3. JamesM
    May 17, 2008
    7
    This game is pretty, but has occasional stutter, and is a resource hog (1gb RAM, 512MB Vid card, and still running low on virtual memory... This game is pretty, but has occasional stutter, and is a resource hog (1gb RAM, 512MB Vid card, and still running low on virtual memory... might be a memory leak). Was a little disappointed that there was no manager game style, like there was in the PS2 version some years ago, as this would have been very easy to implement. Also, I disapprove of Powerups/Coins disappearing when a goal is scored. A very lackluster effort. The Bitmap Brothers must be rolling over in the graves (and they aren't even dead yet). Hope patches come out soon to fix these issues.… Full Review »
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