Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure

With a bold name like Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure, publisher Curve Digital has not skimped on the exclamation marks usage in their press release. Danish developer Game Swing‘s first retail game is a strange mix of stick shooter, dodgeball simulator and 70s buddy film that will be hitting the PS4, Xbox One and PC in about a month. The game contains a single player or 2 player co-op story mode and a slew of multiplayer modes that will certainly contain dodging hijinks across 5 different circular arenas. The character design is reminiscent of Minecraft and Minecraft: Story Mode and matches the silly atmosphere of the game. The full press release plus a few screenshots are provided below.


 

Curve Digital and Game Swing Confirm Multi-platform Release Dates for Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure

 It’s Balls Out this April in this Wacky, ’70s Inspired Dodgeball Frenzy,

Headed to PC on April 1 with PlayStation®4 and Xbox One to Follow Shortly After

LONDON—March 10, 2016Copenhagen-based developer Game Swing and indie publisher Curve Digital look forward to welcoming PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC gamers to the fantasy sports world of the ’70s this April with the brilliant, bonkers sports game Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure. Hitting PC on April 1, PlayStation®4 on April 5, and Xbox One on April 8, Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure brings a stylish and perilous reimagining of the classic ball game to players of all ages.

Using simple twin-stick controls and featuring a vibrant, ’70s inspired art style, Stikbold! is a fast-paced approximation of the game of dodgeball, complete with off-court hazards, random events and boss battles. Up to four players can partake in brutal yet outlandish rounds of dodgeball, where fast reactions, tactics and teamwork combine to create a sports game unlike any other. Always enjoyable but truly shining as a local multiplayer game, Stikbold! is slated to become the next couch multiplayer game of choice.

The game originally began as an entry into the Nordic Game jam three years ago, winning the award for being the “most fun” out of all submissions. Realizing that they had created the framework for something special, the team decided to develop the prototype into a full game, and three years later, Stikbold! is the result.

 “From game jam to console – it’s been quite the ride,” says Jacob Herold, CEO and founder of Game Swing. “Whether it’s been at PAX or GDC, everyone who’s had the opportunity to play early builds of Stikbold! has enjoyed its accessibility, playability and sense of humor, comparing it to old school multiplayer games likeBomberman. We can’t wait to get it into the hands of console and PC players this April.”

 Stikbold! tells the story of Bjorn and Jerome who set out on a heroic mission in the name of love and glory. When a rival team is kidnapped by a man dressed as the devil, our dodgeball-loving superstars begin a journey that pays homage to the best buddy movies of old. The story mode can be enjoyed in single or co-op mode, and details Bjorn and Jerome’s quest to restore glory to their team, encountering all manner of weird and wonderful characters and scenarios along the way. Spread across five levels, each with multiple dodgeball battles, Stikbold! is a beautifully-paced adventure lasting around three hours, with multiple playthroughs offering plenty of bonus unlockables.

Developed by Game Swing and published by Curve Digital, Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure will launch for $9.99/€9.99/£7.99 across PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and PC, with a 20 percent discount for two weeks post-launch. This game has been rated “E for Everyone” by the ESRB.

Key Features:

  • Single or co-op adventure mode
  • Up to four player multiplayer matches
  • 18 weird and wonderful characters
  • 12 single or multiplayer levels spread across five incredibly varied dodgeball arenas
  • Intuitive controls offer deeply tactical gameplay
  • Inventive story mode takes around three hours to play through each time, with additional content available to unlock via multiple playthroughs
  • Highly customizable multiplayer modes that allow for up to six players on screen (four humans, two bots), providing endless challenge
  • Players always involved in the action – even if they’re knocked out of the game

 

About Curve Digital

Curve Digital is the largest publisher of independent video games on console formats in the world. Working with high profile developers such as Mike Bithell (Thomas Was Alone), Dan Marshall (The Swindle) and Olli Harjola (The Swapper), Curve helps individuals and small teams bring their games to a larger audience. Curve actively publishes on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U and 3DS.

 

Website: curve-digital.com
Twitter: @CurveDigital
Facebook: Curve Digital

Leif Conti-Groome
Leif Conti-Groome is a writer/playwright/video game journalist whose work has appeared on websites such as NextGen Player, Video Game Geek and DriveinTales. His poem Ritual won the 2015 Broadside Contest organized by the Bear Review. While he grew up playing titles such as Final Fantasy VI and Super Double Dragon, he doesn’t really have a preference for genre these days except for Country; that’s a game genre right? Leif’s attention has been more focused on the burgeoning communities of niche Japanese titles, eSports and speedruns. He currently resides in Toronto, Canada and makes a living as a copywriter.