Dodgeball Academia

I remember seeing this during a Nintendo Direct and thinking it looked like a ton of fun. A day later I forgot about it because I’m a dum dum. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago and I’m browsing XBOX GamePass and what do I see? Well if the name of the review hadn’t given it away I saw Dodgeball Academia.

I immediately started downloading this charming little indie RPG. It’s a short playthrough, about 12-13 hours depending on how much time you want to spend smashing faces in an underground tournament. Spoiler: I spent a lot of time smashing said faces with my mad ball throwing skills.

This game was definitely a blast to play. With good writing filled with corny and not so corny humor. There were also some good serious messages about being happy with who you are and pushing yourself to be the best version you of yourself you can be.

You start off the game as Otto, the child of a professional referee, whose goal is to become the best dodgeball player in the world. He runs away from home after secretly applying and being accepted into the world’s foremost dodgeball school. There he teaches others the power of positivity, friendship and sportsmanship… oh and how to absolutely cream your opponents with a Kamehame-ball. Seriously, his super power is like if Goku gave up fighting to be a gym teacher.

The art style is wonderful and fluid. The music isn’t anything special but it’s definitely a step above your normal low budget indie game. With a wonderful cast of characters, this game is easy to enjoy.

I do wish there was a little bit more in the exploration department, or that the game was honestly a little longer. They did set it up for a sequel so maybe we’ll see one?

If you’ve got GamePass there’s no excuse to not check this one out. It’s also available on pretty much everything.