Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball

By adding new rules to the game of dodgeball, Blazing Lizard has removed everything that made the schoolyard game fun and replaced it with a bunch of arena brawling game ideas we've seen done better a thousand times over.

Attractive settings and cute little anime-inspired characters with oversized heads and eyes may distract youngsters for awhile, but Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball is an otherwise messy affair that, like Double D, isn't nearly worth the 800 Microsoft Points it'll cost you.

For the little enjoyment being offered and problems that are present, a 800 Microsoft point purchase just cannot be justified. There are too many negatives and scarce positives to be found.

With a frustrating yet easy single-player mode that can be exhausted in less than an hour, it falls to multiplayer to improve the score - and it's true that playing with other people does liven things up a tad.

As it stands, the “athletes” in Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball look like people lost in a vast sea.

It's a nice attempt, but ultimately falls short of the entertainment we'd expect from such a title. In a market saturated with similarly designed games, this one does little to stand out.

Either way I suggest steering clear of this title even if you are looking for a resurrection of some nostalgic dodgeball gaming.

Pirates and ninjas clash with other fantasy archetypes in dodgeball matches handicapped by a legion of drawbacks.

Ultimately, Pirates Vs. Ninja Dodgeball is a waste of time.

What we’re left with is a clever idea that was not executed to any satisfying end.

There are just four ‘arenas’ to choose from, four factions, with four characters in each, three similar modes and variable numbers of Balls present in each game. It won’t take long to exhaust the possibilities.

A virtual dodgeball tournament with pirates, ninjas, zombies and robots is just as dull as it sounds. Although the production values are high for an Live Arcade title the actual gameplay is several leagues from being fun in any way. The slow and monotonous gameplay even manages to turn the multiplayer mode into a dull experience. Spend your Microsoft points on something else.

Nothing other than nice graphics. [Dec 2008, p.103]