Ballblazer Champions
A PlayStation remake of the 1985 game Ballblazer.
Ballblazer Champions is an action-sports title for the PlayStation, developed by Factor 5 and published by LucasArts in North America, with CTO SpA handling the European release. It serves as a remake of the 1985 game Ballblazer, originally on the Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit computers.
The story involves a thousand-year feud among four races—the Kraytons, Mandalars, Thilibies, and Zaitecs—resolved through a Ballblazer knockout tournament. Each race enters two of its best rotofoil pilots into a series of one-on-one matches. The overall winning race gains control of the galaxy, and the top pilot is crowned Master Ballblazer.
Gameplay takes place on an asteroid hosting an intergalactic competition. Players choose from eight characters, each piloting a unique rotofoil with distinct stats for speed, handling, launcher, and energy. Armed with various weapons reminiscent of the 1975 film *Rollerball*, players race around an arena. The goal is to shoot glowing plasmorbs into the opponent's goal, with the first to five goals winning the round. Opponents use weapons to block scoring, and when a ship holds the ball, its top-speed energy drains.
Development saw the game initially scheduled for fall 1996, then delayed to early 1997.
Reception was mixed. In Japan, Bullet-Proof Software ported and published it on October 23, 1997, earning a 22 out of 40 from Famitsu. IGN's Adam Douglas noted it offered nostalgic updates for fans of the original but advised others to stick with normal sports. Ward praised the multiplayer mode for boosting replay value, and a Next Generation critic called it a good one-player game but better with two. Conversely, GamePro dismissed it as landing in the "who cares" bin. Electronic Gaming Monthly's Shawn Smith enjoyed the varied play modes, especially freeplay, while Dan Hsu criticized the choppy, speedy animation and loose controls, particularly in two-player mode. The lighting effects were the most praised graphical element, but the sound was widely considered uninspired. A common complaint was that the arenas were too large, leading to players driving in isolation from each other. Despite this, PSExtreme Magazine named it Best Multi-Player Game of the Year in its 1997 Extreme Awards.
- Developer
- Factor 5
- Publisher (North America)
- LucasArts
- Publisher (Europe)
- CTO SpA
- Platform
- PlayStation
- Genre
- Action/sports
- Original game
- Ballblazer (1985)
Lore & Background
The game is set in a future where a one thousand year feud between four races—the Kraytons, the Mandalars, the Thilibies, and the Zaitecs—is to be settled by a Ballblazer knock-out tournament. Each race enters two of their best rotofoil pilots for a series of 1v1 matches, with the victor crowned 'Master Ballblazer' and the winning race gaining control over the galaxy. Players select from eight characters, each with a unique rotofoil ship having differing stats in speed, handling, launcher, and energy. The object is to score goals by shooting glowing balls called 'plasmorbs' into the goal, with the first to five goals winning the round. Opponents use weapons to prevent scoring, and a ship's energy drains when it possesses the ball at top speed.
Reader's Guide
Ballblazer Champions received mixed reviews upon release. In Japan, where it was ported and published by Bullet-Proof Software on October 23, 1997, Famitsu gave it a score of 22 out of 40. Critics offered a wide range of opinions: Adam Douglas from IGN noted it provided a nostalgic update for fans of the original but advised others to stick to normal sports. The multiplayer mode was widely praised—Ward highlighted its replay value, and a Next Generation critic called it a good one-player game but even better with two players. Conversely, GamePro dismissed it as ultimately landing in the 'who cares' bin. Shawn Smith of Electronic Gaming Monthly enjoyed the different play modes, while co-reviewer Dan Hsu criticized the choppy animation and loose controls, especially in two-player mode. The lighting effects were the most praised graphical aspect, but the sound was often found uninspired. A common complaint was that arenas were too large, leading to players driving in isolation. Despite mixed reception, the game was named Best Multi-Player Game of the Year in PSExtreme Magazine's 1997 Extreme Awards.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally scheduled for fall 1996 but was delayed to early 1997.
- It features eight characters, each with a unique rotofoil ship having different stats in speed, handling, launcher, and energy.
- The object is to score goals by shooting glowing balls called 'plasmorbs' into the goal.
- The game was named Best Multi-Player Game of the Year in PSExtreme Magazine's 1997 Extreme Awards.
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