Ballz 3D

n/a

Ballz 3D

System(s): Sega Mega Drive

Publisher: Accolade

Developer: PF Magic

Distributor: SF Interactive Media (SE rental)

Sound driver: GEMS

Genre: Action

Number of players: 1-2

Release	Date	RRP	Code
US	1994-10^[1]	$59.9659.96^[2]	T-119126
EU	1994-09^[3]^[4]		T-119126-50
PT	1994		MD119126
UK	1994-09^[3]^[4]	£39.9939.99^[5]^[3]	T-119126-50
SE (Rental)	199x
AU	199x	$109.95109.95^[6]	FBAL04SMC
BR	1994		046650

Non-Sega versions
Super NES

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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 or 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

Game Design and Concept: Keith Kirby
Producer: Ted Barnett
Lead Programmer: Keith Kirby
Lead Animator: Frank M. Saxon Jr.
Main Character Animations: Adam Frank, Will Friedewald, Kyle Kirby, Dan Lopez, Lon Richter
Character Design: Adam Frank, Will Friedewald, Kyle Kirby, Bill Maher
Creative Producer: Curtis Norris
Shell Programmers: Larry Garner, Matthew Hubbard, Rich Young
Shell Art: Connie Braat, Chris Donovan, Charles Hacskaylo, Richard Hermanson
Instant Replay Programmer: Matthew Hubbard
Arena and Background Art: Chris Donovan
Intro and Belt Ceremony Art: Connie Braat, Richard Hermanson
Music and Sound Effects: Neuromantic Productions, Mark Miller, Jason Scher
Voice Casting and Coaching: SmarTalk, Beth J. Kaufman
Voices: Colin Hussey, Heather McClure, Shawn Owens
Edge 16 Support Programming: Lee Powell
Manual Text - Jester's Worlds: Flint Dille, Buzz Dixon
Lead Tester: Mike Palser
On-Site Testers: Travis Boatman, Stefan M. Nelson
Scoreboard Text: Flint Dille, Reed Kirk Rahlmann
Ballz slang written and created by: Reed Kirk Rahlmann
TV Art: Connie Braat, Chris Donovan, Richard Hermanson, Dan Lopez, Rick Lucy
Executive Producers: Rob Fulop, John Scull
Technical Director: David Feldman
Chief Financial Officer: Jim Guerard
Marketing Coordinator: Brooke Boynton
Special Thanks to: Fox Hughes, Paul Wilkerson, Brenda Ross, Barbara Hryniewicz, Thena MacArthur, Gay Littlepage, Futurescape Productions, Studio Brazil

Accolade Credits

Producer: Todd Thorson
Product Marketing Manager: Karen Safran
Testers: Alex V. Cabal, Randall Hauser, Ty Johnson, Chris Nash
Marketing: Larry Wiesler, Melinda Mongelluzzo, Shirley Sellers

Source:

US manual^[7]

Magazine articles

Main article: Ballz 3D/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #62: "September 1994" (1994-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #21: "October/November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:

GamePro (US) #64: "November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)^[8]

Print advert in EGM² (US) #5: "November 1994" (1994-1x-xx)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #65: "December 1994" (1994-xx-xx)^[9]

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #22: "December/January 1994/1995" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:

GamePro (US) #66: "January 1995" (199x-xx-xx)^[10]

Print advert in Hobby Consolas (ES) #37: "Octubre 1994" (1994-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)

60

^[11]

Consoles + (FR)

87

^[12]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

87

^[5]

Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US)

NTSC-U

58

^[13]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

62

^[14]

Game Players (US)

NTSC-U

73

^[2]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

90

^[15]

Gamer (GR)

83

^[16]

GamesMaster (UK)

PAL

79

^[17]

GamesMaster (UK)

PAL

80

^[18]

Games World: The Magazine (UK)

PAL

77

^[19]

Game Informer (US)

NTSC-U

75

^[20]

LeveL (CZ)

60

^[21]

Mega (UK)

PAL

80

^[4]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

84

^[22]

Mega Fun (DE)

PAL

63

^[23]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

PAL

91

^[3]

Player One (FR)

74

^[24]

Play Time (DE)

75

^[25]

Power Up! (UK)

76

^[26]

Sega Magazine (UK)

PAL

71

^[27]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

80

^[28]

Sega Pro (UK)

PAL

90

^[29]

Sonic the Comic (UK)

PAL

86

^[30]

Todo Sega (ES)

83

^[31]

Tricks 16 bit (RU)

90

^[32]

Video Games (DE)

PAL

81

^[33]

VideoGames (US)

80

^[34]

	78
Based on 28 reviews

Ballz 3D

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE rental (SF)

Mega Drive, AU
Cover

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Ballz 3D/Technical information.

References

↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 99
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 9 September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 80
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Mean Machines Sega, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-08-xx), page 80
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Mega, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-08-18), page 44
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 Computer & Video Games, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-15), page 91
↑ Sega Megazone, "January 1995" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 32
↑ File:Ballz MD US manual.pdf, page 19
↑ GamePro, "November 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 190
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 136
↑ GamePro, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 19
↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 24
↑ Consoles +, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100
↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 72
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 38
↑ GamePro, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 58
↑ Gamer, "Dekémvrios 1994" (GR; 1994-xx-xx), page 1
↑ GamesMaster, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-08-25), page 46
↑ GamesMaster (UK) "Series 4, episode 1" (1994-09-20, 24:00) (+8:25)
↑ Games World: The Magazine, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-08-25), page 12
↑ Game Informer, "September/October 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 24
↑ LeveL, "Leden 1995" (CZ; 1995-01-24), page 41
↑ Mega Force, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 110
↑ Mega Fun, "11/94" (DE; 1994-10-19), page 77
↑ Player One, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100
↑ Play Time, "11/94" (DE; 1994-10-05), page 106
↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, October 01, 1994" (UK; 1994-10-01), page 1
↑ Sega Magazine, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-15), page 88
↑ Sega Power, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-01), page 54
↑ Sega Pro, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-08), page 50
↑ Sonic the Comic, "November 25th 1994" (UK; 1994-11-12), page 10
↑ Todo Sega, "Octubre 1994" (ES; 1994-xx-xx), page 60
↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 18
↑ Video Games, "10/94" (DE; 1994-09-28), page 98
↑ VideoGames, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 62

Ballz 3D
	Main page \| Comparisons \| Hidden content \| Magazine articles \| Video coverage \| Reception \| Region coding \| Technical information \| Bootlegs Prototypes: 1994-06

[:File:EGM_US_062.pdf_p99-1] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 99

[:File:GamePlayers_US_0709.pdf_p80-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 9 September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 80

[:File:MeanMachinesSega24UK.pdf_p80-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Mean Machines Sega, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-08-xx), page 80

[:File:Mega_UK_24.pdf_p44-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Mega, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-08-18), page 44

[:File:CVG_UK_155.pdf_p91-5] 5.0 ^5.1 Computer & Video Games, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-15), page 91

[:File:Megazone_AU_47.pdf_p32-6] Sega Megazone, "January 1995" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 32

[:File:Ballz_MD_US_manual.pdf_p19-7] File:Ballz MD US manual.pdf, page 19

[:File:GamePro_US_064.pdf_p190-8] GamePro, "November 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 190

[:File:EGM_US_065.pdf_p136-9] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 136

[:File:GamePro_US_066.pdf_p19-10] GamePro, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 19

[11] 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 24

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_035.pdf_p100-12] Consoles +, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100

[:File:ElectronicGames2_US_24.pdf_p72-13] Electronic Games (1992-1995), "September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 72

[:File:EGM_US_063.pdf_p38-14] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 38

[:File:GamePro_US_062.pdf_p58-15] GamePro, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 58

[16] Gamer, "Dekémvrios 1994" (GR; 1994-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:GamesMaster_UK_021.pdf_p46-17] GamesMaster, "September 1994" (UK; 1994-08-25), page 46

[gamesmastertv4x01825-18] GamesMaster (UK) "Series 4, episode 1" (1994-09-20, 24:00) (+8:25)

[:File:Games_World_The_Magazine_UK_04.pdf_p12-19] Games World: The Magazine, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-08-25), page 12

[:File:GameInformer_US_018.pdf_p24-20] Game Informer, "September/October 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 24

[:File:Level_CZ_01.pdf_p41-21] LeveL, "Leden 1995" (CZ; 1995-01-24), page 41

[:File:MegaForce_FR_31.pdf_p110-22] Mega Force, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 110

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1994-11.pdf_p77-23] Mega Fun, "11/94" (DE; 1994-10-19), page 77

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_045.pdf_p100-24] Player One, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100

[:File:PlayTime_DE_1994-11.pdf_p106-25] Play Time, "11/94" (DE; 1994-10-05), page 106

[26] Power Up!, "Saturday, October 01, 1994" (UK; 1994-10-01), page 1

[:File:SegaMagazine_UK_10.pdf_p88-27] Sega Magazine, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-15), page 88

[:File:SegaPower_UK_59.pdf_p54-28] Sega Power, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-01), page 54

[:File:SegaPro_UK_37.pdf_p50-29] Sega Pro, "October 1994" (UK; 1994-09-08), page 50

[30] Sonic the Comic, "November 25th 1994" (UK; 1994-11-12), page 10

[:File:TodoSega_ES_19.pdf_p60-31] Todo Sega, "Octubre 1994" (ES; 1994-xx-xx), page 60

[32] Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 18

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1994-10.pdf_p98-33] Video Games, "10/94" (DE; 1994-09-28), page 98

[:File:VideoGames_US_72.pdf_p62-34] VideoGames, "January 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 62

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Ballz 3D

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Characters

Versions

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Technical information

References