Off the Wall Longplay (Arcade Game) - Level: Novice
3- Off the Wall Longplay (Arcade Game) - Level: Novice -
I've often praised Bally Sente, especially considering their development of Hat Trick, but this particular game is arguably their least appealing effort and undoubtedly ranks among the top ten worst titles to ever find a place in an arcade. Firstly, it presents an unusual, boring fusion of Tennis and Squash, reminiscent of 'Squash' (if you recall), which, at the very least, delivered a bit of enjoyment due to its unpredictability. Here instead, two players exchange lackluster shots with each other.
Notably absent are special hits, power shots, or the thrill of curved and unpredictable trajectories—features that could have injected excitement. Plus, players find themselves unable to hit the ball by merely pressing a button. It's the player's racket that moves with them, as they move back and forth, requiring precise positioning for an effective hit. This design is not only frustrating but also unpredictable, as it's challenging to gauge in advance if a hit will be successful. In essence, hitting the ball the way you desire becomes an elusive goal.
Compounding the frustration, players often lose points due to unforced errors rather than impressive plays. The erratic trajectory of the ball impedes the ability to position the player accurately. It's a constant struggle to align your player properly, as the ball tends to veer too far to the right or left, leading to missed opportunities and, ultimately, points lost.
Turning attention to the graphics, while I don't prioritize eye-candy over gameplay, the choice of a dull setting is perplexing. Even on glorious, but technologically limited machines like the Commodore Vic-20, I've witnessed better visuals. Unfortunately, the uninspiring graphics contribute to my overall disappointment with the game.
Regrettably, I must declare Off The Wall as an absolute fiasco.
P.S. The game offers three levels of difficulty: Novice, Skilled, and Pro. In this video, I am playing on Novice, and it's embarrassingly easy to the point that I had to toy with the CPU to make it more competitive.
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