Disc Jam Review
Disc Jam by High Horse Entertainment is best described as a pong/tennis game using a frisbee. Just like in tennis, there are 1v1 Singles and 2v2 Doubles matches. Instead of using a ball and racket, players launch a giant frisbee at each other until one player misses and concedes the goal.
Release Date: February 8, 2018 (Switch)
Platform(s): Playstation 4, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch*
Developer: High Horse Entertainment
Price: $14.99
Disc Jam by High Horse Entertainment is best described as a pong/tennis game using a frisbee. Just like in tennis, there are 1v1 Singles and 2v2 Doubles matches. Instead of using a ball and racket, players launch a giant frisbee at each other until one player misses and concedes the goal. Goals are worth differing amounts of points. The longer the rally goes, the higher the points awarded to the scoring player. There is a scoreboard in the middle of the net that shows how many points the current rally is worth. The first player or team to amass 50 points wins the set, and the first to win two sets takes the game. It is a very simple, but addicting experience.
There are 4 characters to choose from when you first start Disc Jam, with 2 more characters that you can purchase using in-game currency. Every character has the ability to perform lob, power and curve throws, but each character has their own unique strengths. For example, Stanton has a lot of strength which allows him to excel at power throws, while Haruka has a lot of agility which allows her to quickly move from one side of the court to the other. You can definitely tell the difference between characters, but it has never felt like one character completely overpowers another. It more or less comes down to preference and skill.
The graphics and sound in Disc Jam are really good. Each character looks unique and their designs illustrate their playstyle. For example, you can tell Stanton has brute strength just by looking at him. The animations and focus on detail are very good and the colors are vibrant.
Matches can be played in single player, local multiplayer and online multiplayer modes. Online multiplayer works like a charm. Games connect and load quickly and I experienced little to no lag, which is important in a game like this. New players are placed in ten placement matches with helps the system get a feel for your skill level. After these matches, you are put into a league of players of similar skill level. I found this system to work quite well.
In single player matches, Disc Jam has what’s called the Ghost Arcade. This is very similar to racing ghosts of other players in Mario Kart in that you play against the ghosts of other players which helps keep the skill level of your opponent fairly even. I never really found myself blowing out an opponent or getting absolutely demolished myself.
As I mentioned before, there is an in-game currency that players can use to unlock items for use in online play, such as new skins, discs and characters. Everything is unlocked from the very beginning in single player mode, so you can test out the different items to help decide what you want to spend your hard earned currency on for online play. You only earn the currency when playing online matches, so you could say this currency is a form of leveling up.
Overall, Disc Jam is a very fun and addicting game. The game plays very well in both docked and undocked modes, with very little to no difference. Online play is very smooth and balanced, and single player and local multiplayer is just as fun. If there is one downside to Disc Jam, it would be that I found the battery life on my Switch to fall drastically while playing. If you enjoy this kind of over-the-top action-sports games, Disc Jam is a steal at $14.99 on the Nintendo eShop.
Pros
Unique characters and playstyles keep matches interesting.
Great looking graphics with gameplay that runs smoothly.
Online play runs like a charm.
Fun to play in single player and local multiplayer as well.
Cons
Seems to drain the Switch’s battery life substantially faster than most games.
A special thank you goest out to High Horse Entertainment for providing us with a review copy.
Strikers Edge Review
Strikers Edge, developed by Fun Punch Games, is basically a game of Dodgeball with weapons combined with classic arcade visuals and sound. Two or four players are put in an arena that is divided down the middle and contains barricades, which can be broken. Depending on the characters chosen, players throw swords, axes, arrows and more at their opponents to try to eliminate them.
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Platform(s): PS4*, Steam PC
Developer: Fun Punch Games
Price: $14.99
Strikers Edge, developed by Fun Punch Games, is basically a game of Dodgeball with weapons combined with classic arcade visuals and sound. Two or four players are put in an arena that is divided down the middle and contains barricades, which can be broken. Depending on the characters chosen, players throw swords, axes, arrows and more at their opponents to try to eliminate them. The gameplay is extremely simple, you control your character with the left analog stick and aim with the right. Players can also dodge, block and use a special attack. The action is very fast-paced and can get quite intense.
Each character offers slightly different movesets, but the only way to learn each one is simply by playing as each character. While there is a tutorial that shows the basics of the game, there is no training mode that allows you to practice. With that said, there is a campaign mode that contains a storyline for each character. These storylines are pretty thin, but it helps make the somewhat repetitive single player mode a little more enjoyable.
Multiplayer is where Strikers Edge really shines and playing with others is a much more enjoyable experience than facing the AI over and over. Online multiplayer features cross-play with the PC version, but finding an opponent can take a while. The online matches I played were quite fun, but there was definitely some noticeable lag, which is a bit of a problem in a game that has you aiming precise shots and second guessing your adversary's movements.
Local multiplayer is definitely the best experience. Playing with 4 players on the couch, throwing, dodging, blocking and yelling at each other can get pretty hectic and fun. I played several matches that had everyone in the room watching and yelling as me and my foe were both down to our last bit of energy and one of us would dodge just before getting hit. Moments like that are what makes Strikers Edge fun. Unfortunately, after a few matches, it does get a little repetitive and old. Strikers Edge is very light on content, with only four arenas in which to fight and very few modes to try. The stages alter things slightly with different obstacles and hazards, but you'll quickly grow tired of them.
Overall, Strikers Edge is a good, fun couch multiplayer game. The pixel art style and sound are almost perfect for this type of game since there is so much going on at all times. The controls are easy and fluid, but the gameplay gets boring after a little while. Having more modes, such as a free-for-all, as well as more variety in arenas would be a great addition. With improvements, I could see this being a big multiplayer game.
Pros
Local multiplayer is lots of fun
Unique characters
Pixel art style fits the game very well
Cons
Gets repetitive after a short time
Lacks content
Campaign lacks depth
A special thanks goes out to Fun Punch Games for providing us with a review copy on the PS4.