Developer - Vivarium Publisher - Nintendo Features 1 Player Memory card - 3 blocks Progressive Scan Compatible Gamecube Microphone When I think of old school pinball games I usually think of “Pinbot” from years gone by as this is one of my favorite as it was a ton of fun and a bonfire quarter eater. When I think of videogame pinball games “Devils Crush” for my old Turbo Duo comes to mind as I wasted many hours playing this one. Both of these titles are something that I consider premier games of their day as both were able to take up so much of my time. Since then there have been many other pinball games, both old school and video versions, as game makers have continued to market to pinball fans. Nintendo has recently taken the pinball idea and added some new twists and turns to it. This game, entitled Odama, is probably one of the most obscure and innovative pinball games I have ever played. Developed by Vivarium, who is noted for the unique game Seaman for the Dreamcast, I was curious to see how the title would play out on the Gamecube. Graphics I found the visuals in Odama were on one hand just adequate but yet on the other hand quite appealing. Vivarium was able to communicate the sentiment of the game through the graphics with a rather genuine sense of feudal Japanese aesthetics. Though some of the war machinery is a bit far fetched I thought everything matched the games time period and feel quite well. When you play Odama the feeling of authenticity is quite great and the landscapes and characters grant the game a level of meticulous detail that is generally ignored. I actually found myself basking in the glory that is feudal Japan as the portrayal of this time period had me in awe of some the graphics. That's not to say everything in general is perfect though, as they are not, especially when the camera zooms in for a closer look. Low-res textures and lower-polygon models seem to get muddy and or blurry when this occurs. The Gamecube is powerful machine and the game utilizes some of the features (e.g. progressive scan), however to see the framerate stutter and slowdown puzzled me as I know the ‘cube is capable of so much. On a more positive note there are some nice particle effects as the game goes through its paces, but nothing else spectacular really stands out. I suppose gamers looking for some real graphical eye candy would be disappointed in Odama but one should also realize there are a lot worse looking games out there. Sound The sound in Odama is an interesting mix of both music and voice. Your unseen commander will constantly bark orders at you in the heat of battle. At first I thought this would become repetitive and annoying as the game progressed, but the voice work is so well done it adds a layer of excitement to the game. In fact, all of the voice work in the game is incredibly well done and very authentic. The musical score matches the gameplay style, although it can get annoying and uninteresting. The unique overtones set the pace and the mood while and the sound effects are more in tune with the overall Odama experience as the sounds of war emanate throughout and are quite excellent. Everything from the fallen and dying soldiers on the field of battle to the bouncing and crushing effect of the giant ball will boom out from your speakers. Speaking of boom, it is also worth mentioning the loud and deep drum smacks that become evident as the game is in full tilt. If you have a subwoofer in your stereo system you may want to turn it down at first in preparation for a very “boomy” effect of these drums. Having played this game I have to say that the full sound package works out quite well. Gameplay Even slightly odder then the game itself is the fact that somebody has actually come up with a storyline behind the game. Odama’s story has you playing the role of a legendary general who plans to avenge his father’s death through the invention of “the most ingenious weapons to ever hit the medieval battlefield”. The title of the game is actually not just some random name either. During gameplay you discover that the Odama is actually an item in the game. It is essentially a gigantic ball that is powerful enough to destroy whatever it strikes, be it friend or foe. Players have to propel the Odama throughout the battlefield using giant flippers in an identical fashion to playing pinball, however rather then activating flashing LED’s and the usual bells and whistles associated with most pinball games, you have to pulverise enemy installations and wipe out opposing soldiers while narrowly avoiding your own. The realtime stratgy aspects of the title come from how you instruct your troops. Commands such as “charge”, “retreat”, “defend position” and many more are to be yelled out to your handy Gamecube Microphone that comes packaged with the game. The mic itself is plugged into the second player controller port and clips onto your controller with a provided plastic clip. Surprisingly the mic does an excellent job of instantly recognising speech commands, and the player really doesn’t have to yell to get his or her commands executed. I was impressed with the voice recognition of the game and I was happy that I did not have to repeat myself on too many occassions during gameplay. The overall goal of each stage (a total 12 in all) is to advance through each one while at the same time destroying the enemy gates with the Odama and directing a group of soldiers carrying a giant bell to pass through the opened gates. Unfortunately it’s not that simple and isn’t helped by a 7-minute timer counting ominously down. I found that some orders go unanswered and a somewhat clunky controller feel make the task at hand frustraing at times. Pinball games are always about speed and a “fly by the seat of your pants” type of control. However when playing Odama I found the gameplay quite slow and somewhat lumbering at times. It probably would have moved quicker if you did not have to continually watch out for not killing your own men with the ball. Maybe the developers wanted this way as it adds a more strategy like feel to the game while not just letting be an all out ‘flipper fest’ style pinball game. Regardless of the reasoning though people looking for a speedy and fast playing game will have to take a step back when playing this title. Conclusion I thought Odama is one of the most original games I have played in a long time. Everything from the time period it portrays to the strategic feel the gameplay, this game seemed to have a lot going for it from the start; however, there are a few roadblocks that stop this game from being a real good title. Such things as clunky control, the hit and miss graphics, the relatively short time to finish the game, and the need for a little more tweaking on the overall implementation of a great idea really hold Odama back. After my experience with this title I think that this game may become one of those cult classic favorites and this would be unfortunate because even with its faults Gamecube owners should at least give Odama a try.