Ballz 3D

From Sega Retro

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Ballz title.png

Ballz 3D
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Accolade
Developer:
Distributor: SF Interactive Media (SE rental)
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
$59.9659.96[2] T-119126
Videogame Rating Council: MA-13
Sega Mega Drive
EU
T-119126-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Mega Drive
PT
MD119126
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[7][3] T-119126-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU
$109.95109.95[8] FBAL04SMC
OFLC: G8
Sega Mega Drive
BR
046650
Tectoy: 13+
Non-Sega versions

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Ballz 3D: Fighting at its Ballziest, known in Europe as Ballz 3D: The Battle of the Balls, is a Sega Mega Drive fighting game developed by PF Magic and published by Accolade. Released in 1994 to positive reviews, the game is most notable for constructing its characters entirely with spheres to simulate three-dimensional animation, similar to Vectorman.

Gameplay

Fighters can punch, kick, and jump, with the height of the jump controlled by holding the button longer. Pushing Up or Down strafes fighters around the three-dimensional playfield. Fighters also have the ability to morph themselves into different forms.

While coming out after Street Fighter II, the game's simple controls and mechanics are more akin to early fighting games such as Power Athlete. Additionally, due to many sprites being drawn at once, the game suffers from sprite flickering.

Characters

Kronk
Boomer
Bruiser
Turbo
Tsunami
Yoko
Divine
Crusher

Versions

Ballz 3D was released simultaneously on the Mega Drive and Super NES, and while the two share similar gameplay, the visuals differ significantly.

In addition to making use of the wider colour palette, the Super NES version of Ballz 3D utilises the DSP-1B maths co-processor, allowing for more advanced "mode 7" scaling and rotation than many other SNES titles. This subsequently means the floor in the SNES version of Ballz 3D is textured, while backgrounds are able to make use of alpha transparency, neither of which are supported by standard Mega Drive hardware. The Mega Drive version instead uses an untextured surface for its floor, comprised of a single gradient of colour (though interestingly, the later 3DO "Directors Cut" version also opts for a similar style).

The Mega Drive version runs with a higher screen resolution and at a higher frame rate than its Super NES counterpart.

Production credits

PF. Magic Credits
Accolade Credits
Source:
US manual
Ballz MD US manual.pdf
[9]

Magazine articles

Main article: Ballz 3D/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #62: "September 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #21: "October/November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #64: "November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[10]
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #5: "November 1994" (1994-1x-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #65: "December 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[11]
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #22: "December/January 1994/1995" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #66: "January 1995" (199x-xx-xx)[12]
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (ES) #37: "Octubre 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
(RU)
60
[13]
(FR)
87
[14]
(UK)
87
[7]
(US) NTSC-U
58
[15]
(US) NTSC-U
62
[16]
(US) NTSC-U
73
[2]
(US) NTSC-U
90
[17]
(GR)
83
[18]
(UK) PAL
79
[19]
(UK) PAL
80
[20]
(UK) PAL
77
[21]
(CZ)
60
[22]
(UK) PAL
80
[4]
(FR) PAL
84
[23]
(DE) PAL
63
[24]
(UK) PAL
91
[3]
(FR)
74
[25]
(DE)
75
[26]
(UK)
76
[27]
(UK) PAL
71
[28]
(UK) PAL
80
[29]
(UK) PAL
90
[30]
(UK) PAL
86
[31]
(ES)
83
[32]
(RU)
90
[33]
(DE) PAL
81
[34]
(US)
80
[35]
Sega Mega Drive
78
Based on
27 reviews

Ballz 3D

Mega Drive, US
Ballz3D MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Ballz3D MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Ballz MD US manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
Ballz3D MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Ballz3D MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Ballz MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE rental (SF)

Mega Drive, AU
Ballz3D MD AU cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, BR
Ballz3D MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
Ballz3D MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Ballz 3D/Technical information.

References

  1. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 99
  2. 2.0 2.1 Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 9 September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 80
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mean Machines Sega, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-08-xx), page 80
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mega, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-08-18), page 44
  5. Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1994-09-19), page 21
  6. File:DailyExpress UK 1994-09-23 46.jpg
  7. 7.0 7.1 Computer & Video Games, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-15), page 91
  8. Sega Megazone, "January 1995" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 32
  9. File:Ballz MD US manual.pdf, page 19
  10. GamePro, "November 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 190
  11. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 136
  12. GamePro, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 19
  13. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 24
  14. Consoles +, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100
  15. Electronic Games (1992-1995), "September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 72
  16. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 38
  17. GamePro, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 58
  18. Gamer, "Dekémvrios 1994" (GR; 1994-xx-xx), page 1
  19. GamesMaster, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-08-25), page 46
  20. (UK) "Series 4, episode 1" (1994-09-20, 24:00) (+8:25)
  21. Games World: The Magazine, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-08-25), page 12
  22. LeveL, "Leden 1995" (CZ; 1995-01-24), page 41
  23. Mega Force, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 110
  24. Mega Fun, "11/94" (DE; 1994-10-19), page 77
  25. Player One, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100
  26. Play Time, "11/94" (DE; 1994-10-05), page 106
  27. Power Up!, "Saturday, October 01, 1994" (UK; 1994-10-01), page 1
  28. Sega Magazine, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-15), page 88
  29. Sega Power, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-01), page 54
  30. Sega Pro, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-08), page 50
  31. Sonic the Comic, "November 25th 1994" (UK; 1994-11-12), page 10
  32. Todo Sega, "Octubre 1994" (ES; 1994-xx-xx), page 60
  33. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 18
  34. Video Games, "10/94" (DE; 1994-09-28), page 98
  35. VideoGames, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 62


Ballz 3D

Ballz title.png

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Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: 1994-06