I can’t imagine a scenario where I would ever say I was surprised by Beastieball. Greg Lobanov—and his development studio Wishes Unlimited—has put his talent behind so many deeply creative games that it’s almost a guarantee that his involvement will produce a banger. I guess I could say I didn’t expect him to take a crack at Pokémon, but if anyone was going to do something creative with the idea, it was definitely him.
Pokémon is definitely a hard series to emulate. Even though Nintendo doesn’t really own the concept of catching monsters and battling with them, I’ve seen games like Nexomon or TemTem catch flack for being cheap attempts at recreating Pokémon. Even at its best, some…let’s say, less ambitious creators will make the boring version every Redditor says Nintendo should make—slap it in Unreal Engine, replace the art style with gritty realism and add survival crafting mechanics to it for good measure.
But, as I’ve said in the past, “No inspiration without evolution.” Games like Cassette Beasts, Ooblets and now Beastiball take the concepts that were popularized by Pokémon but build on them in new and inventive ways. Beastieball definitely evoked in me the same feeling I felt the first time I played Pokémon because it so wholly understands the fundamentals of what made Pokémon so big and exciting when it was first released in 1996—an inventive premise, creative creatures and show-stealing “battle” mechanics.
“I was genuinely amazed by the level of strategic involvement required to effectively play Beastieball.”
Now, I should mention up-front that Beastieball is technically an Early Access game. However, Lobanov and Wishes Unlimited have worked incredibly hard to ensure it doesn’t feel like one. What’s on offer at launch is a game that is fundamentally feature-complete—with a full world, finished story mode, online PVP (friends only), and a ton of Beasties.
However, as it states on the game’s Steam page, “Our aim is to continue adding new Beasties, bosses, story events and characters to the game such that the full release is an even greater experience.” But this does mean that the game has some placeholder assets, and some Beasties require enhanced animations—there’s actually an in-game joke where a character resembling Greg basically tells you not to worry about it.
And as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Even in its current Early Access state, Beastieball is an incredibly well-built and deeply engaging game that you can’t help but get sucked into. Taking place in a world where humans and monsters co-exist and frequently engage in the titular sport. However, when the Beastieball League authorizes the construction of a new stadium on a Nature Preserve, it’s up to the player to put a stop to it once and for all.
How, you ask? Why by playing Beastiball, of course! What I like about the story though is unlike something like more recent Pokémon where every problem is both caused and solved by Pokémon, there’s a bit more playful realism in Beastieball. Because the Beastieball League is a bureaucracy, they won’t listen to any random kid from a backwater town, so players need to travel across the land in order to be the very best (like no one ever was) so they can earn the social and professional standing high enough that the CEOs will comply.
It’s sweet and silly and surprisingly poignant in a way that all of Wishes Unlimited’s games have been so far. There’s always a quiet criticism around the nature of art and creation and where business interests clash with the two, and it makes the game so much more meaningful and compelling. Not only that, but it’s also backed by a cornucopia of creative and fun characters that really bring the whole world to life.
But it’s the game itself—by which I mean the game that is the name of this…game—that really hooked me. The ways “battles” play out in Beastieball is a combination of Pokémon and volleyball and despite its seeming simplicity, there’s a nuance to it that makes it incredibly deep and strategic.
“Beastieball just oozes style from its incredible aesthetic featuring bright colours, characters that look like they were pulled straight from one of Cartoon Network’s classic shows…”
Teams of two will take the field—although players get a maximum of five Beasties—and attempt to score points against each other taking turns on attack and defence. This can be done in two ways. First, by knocking out one of the opponent’s Beasties by draining the stamina with different kinds of shots. The second is by scoring a “No Touch Point,” where the ball hits an unoccupied lane.
I was genuinely amazed by the level of strategic involvement required to effectively play Beastieball—both the game and the game that is the title. Players need to constantly be considerate of where they place their Beasties, how their opponents may attack or move, going for unoccupied lanes instead of straight physical assaults, how and when to use buffs, or when to sub in a different Beastie.
Honestly, I could go on and on for longer than what’s usually appropriate for an Early Access preview, but I genuinely couldn’t get over how incredibly engaging and consistently fun Beastieball games are. This is expanded by other game elements that help add layers to matches—like forming bonds with friends to teach Beasties new moves, the way Beasties form bonds with each other to learn combo moves, and so much more.
And Beastieball just oozes style from its incredible aesthetic featuring bright colours, characters that look like they were pulled straight from one of Cartoon Network’s classic shows, and a plethora of unique Beastiea—all backed by an amazing soundtrack from Lena Raine and sound design from A Shell In The Pitt.
As I said, even though it’s technically in Early Access, Beastieball feels so genuinely complete and so incredibly captivating it could’ve just been released as a full game. Any additional polish will just be the sweetest icing on an incredibly robust cake. If you trust me about anything, trust me on this: YOU NEED TO PLAY THIS GAME.
Now all I need is for this to come to the Switch…
