BALL x PIT channels many familiar traits from other games. The block-busting gameplay of Breakout, the automated action of Vampire Survivors, and the constructive strategy of city builders.
Where it succeeds is distilling these disparate elements down to their strongest, simplest elements and fusing them into an addictive rogue-like where it’s hard to resist just one more go.
Balls To The Wall
BALL x PIT is the newest game from Kenny Sun, the solo developer behind 2023’s action-platformer Mr. Sun’s Hatbox. This time, he’s got a larger team plus the backing of publisher Devolver Digital and the added resources shows in the scope of the game.
It’s easy to think of this title as two separate halves. The action-based ball blasting is the clear highlight of this game. You choose from varied characters with different abilities, sending them deeper into a dark pit to rebuild your lost civilisation of Ballbylon.
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Each level gives you around fifteen minutes to defeat waves of increasingly difficult creatures. Your character shoots a combination of ‘baby balls’ which simply deal damage, and special balls that can unleash devastating status effects. Defeating the final boss grants you a pathway to dive further into the pit.
While it superficially resembles arcade classics of yesteryear, it’s hard not to draw a comparison to Vampire Survivors and its many followers. The constant experience collecting, weapon evolutions, and automatic shooting (you can choose whether you want it to auto-fire, but once I selected it, I never turned back) all seem reminiscent of poncle’s mega-hit.
But with those comparisons in mind, BALL x PIT excels by enhancing the genre’s often passive gameplay and demanding more from you. You need to be considerate of where you’re shooting, not just choosing which enemy to target, but also how you want to bounce your balls for maximum impact. Different builds and upgrades can often change your strategic approach wildly, and some late-game upgrades almost push this game into different genres. It’s often compelling, and this need to stay on top of your action separates it from the often mindless gameplay of its contemporaries.
Pit Stop
Throughout these stages, you’ll collect gold and other resources that feed into the base-building gameplay. Using a grid-based system, you can construct buildings and structures that might add new characters to your roster, granting stat bonuses or gift you totally new abilities. You can also lay out foraging tiles such as wheat, trees and stone.
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Once you’ve laid out your architectural design, you shoot your characters into the base much like your balls, collecting resources or completing construction on tiles as they bounce around on a timer.
I found these mechanics engaging in the early to mid-game as the upgrades were quite generous. Towards the end, tedium settled in. You’ll eventually start incrementally boosting your character’s stats in a way that seems grindy. Also, the controls are solid enough, but constantly shuffling your tiles around becomes cumbersome as your base grows.
With that said, you only really have to engage with these mechanics to a point. If your balls-out shooting is on point, you’ll make it far enough without wasting hours designing the perfect base.
GOOD x LOOKING
The game’s art design is effective and charming, using basic 3D models with pixel outlines to evoke a retro vibe while benefiting from modern tech. The grimy, demonic visual stylings do wonders to conjure the feeling of going deeper and deeper into this never-ending pit.
BALL x PIT’s soundtrack is a delight, with propulsive tracks that build intensity as you creep closer and closer to success, while still sounding different from level to level. There is also particular care put into certain sound effects, whether it be the squeals of specific enemies or the jangling of coins when picking up and dropping a bank at your base. Not only does this help with the immersion of the experience, but it does help distinguish the small sprites when there is a lot happening on screen.
I played BALL x PIT primarily on my Steam Deck and this game is ideal for the device. The ability to quickly blast out a few levels on a handheld puts me in my happy place. The game performed wonderfully on my Steam Deck OLED, maintaining a constant 90fps, rarely dipping to around 60fps during a couple of my most diabolical builds. With the unmitigated chaos on screen, the slowdown felt almost appropriate.
Ball’s In Your Court
When BALL x PIT is at its best, it delivers the sort of satisfaction that only its finest peers offer. The ball-shooting bad-assery becomes extremely addictive, seeking out synergies and strategies that leave you feeling like you’ve outsmarted the game.
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It’s a shame that the base-building doesn’t maintain that same level of intensity. Towards the end, it felt like I was going through the motions, grinding out small boosts to try and brute force my way to the end.
That being said, with the amount of content on offer, accessible easy-to-understand gameplay and plenty of different combat options, BALL x PIT is a joyous rogue-like romp that is sure to leave players having a ball.
Quest Daily scores BALL x PIT:
8/10
BALL x PIT is available October 16th on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version releasing later this year.
A review code for BALL x PIT was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
