Polemos expert Cavan “Caveman” Roe playtested team-based MOBA Sparkball recently and he was impressed. See the video below for a good sense of what Caveman describes as a “blend of League of Legends and Rocket League.”
Early reviews of Sparkball highlight the game’s strategic depth, with players engrossed in unique gameplay that emphasizes teamwork.
The game allows players to form a squad with three other friends, creating an engaging player-versus-player environment. There is also a tutorial mode that allows players to try out different heroes and learn combat mechanics. Each hero provides a distinct playstyle.
Visually, Sparkball is impressive. The game’s art is remarkable, and the audio quality is on par with the best AAA games in the industry. With its fresh win condition – your team has to put the ball in the goal – Sparkball offers a great gaming experience for casual players while keeping room for skill development that can fuel a robust esports scene. The game is also easy to comprehend for casual observers, an advantage compared to other games like League of Legends.
However, the game is not without its growing pains. Solo players have highlighted the challenges of competing against pre-made four-person teams, a lack of clear direction in the tutorial, and an unbalanced mechanic involving captains and goalies. Once a team loses their tower (towers must be destroyed before a goal can be scored), making a comeback becomes difficult. The developers say they are aware of these issues and are working on fine-tuning the game. Despite these early concerns, I believe Sparkball has the potential to be a hit. See for yourself in the video below.
The game is being developed by Worldspark Studios, which contains several former Riot (League of Legends) developers.
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