Ultra Hyperball (2017)

Ultra Hyperball puts the player hitting a ball as high as possible and winning medals for that...and it works, it's fun and addictive both on solo and on multiplayer. While it's not the most content-rich game out there, Ultra Hyperball succeeds at what it proposes when it comes to an intense, addictive experience.

I liked Ultra Hyperball, but your mileage may vary. The single player campaign can be completed in a couple of hours at most if you're trying to get silver or gold medals for all stages, but the Co-Op and Battle modes greatly increase the game's replay value. If you have 1-3 friends to join in on the activities, the mayhem that will follow will more than make this a good option for your collection. But if you don't like the repetitive nature of the game, then you certainly won't enjoy its dozens of stages.

Ultra Hyperball represents the variety of the eShop that Switch is quickly gaining: short, but highly playable and unique experiences that cost a fraction of the bigger games. Depth isn't the aim of the concept here; rather a highly accessible, if overly simplistic, game that truly shines in a group gathering.

Despite its visual and audio charm, Ultra Hyperball lacks any real depth and variety to make this a title worth remembering. The multiplayer modes can be fun, but it is a shallow experience that will wade out pretty quickly.

For everything it sets out to do and accomplishes relatively well Ultra Hyperball presents the same challenge in terms of recommending it that some of the other indie multiplayer games have had. If you and (probably more importantly in terms of long-term play) your friends buy into the hook of the game and will invest in getting the hang of the timing and controls there’s the makings of some fun local play. The problem, though, is that I’d consider it further in the direction of the people being key to the experience making it fun than the game itself. With simplicity can come accessibility but it doesn’t always equate to long-term challenge. At its relatively low price point people will just need to decide whether it is something that looks appealing to eat up some hours with on your own and with the other people you play with.