Super Ping Pong (Genesis)

Back when video game industry is juvenile, there's game where two player controls a white paddle each and bounce a ball until it passes one of their goal. Its name is "Ping Pong" and it's pretty iconic to this day. To honor it, i shall play (also review) Pure Byte's Super Ping Pong. 

 Here we have two paddles try to best each other at blocking the ball. But none of them has initiative to distort it so this match will takes a whole eternity to settle down. You probably thinking "What "super" about this game compare to the original?". For starter, it has pick-up items.

 

Term "pick-up items" is quite inaccurate. Because your paddle can only move up and down therefore it can't obtain them. Instead you have to direct the ball to get them. So the better term will be "shoot-at items" while the game refers them as objects. In this instruction (that appears at the attraction mode) you're introduced with "object" that can alter the ball. The most obnoxious/interesting/extraordinary/weird [scratch any that unsuitable in your opinion] : invisibleball, that certainly makes the ball goes invisible. But the "objects" spawn randomly in the field and at not-small numbers. So the combination of them are most likely to happen. That mean there's possibility that the ball will be invisible and also getting speed and/or become small. You can imagine how absurd the situation can be.

 

Here's other "object" types. "Ball jump" makes the ball "skip" up or down depends on its direction. Sik-sak ball makes the ball moves zigzag. Yes, pure-byte makes typo there. This power-up lives up the fantasy about secret technique of zigzag shoot that you often see at sport mangas.  While glueball will makes the ball sticky toward the opponent so later they can do free serve. This definitely not helping you, should you get it.

Next we have "Deadly Ball" which will make the ball turns into deadly spinning shuriken that's lethal to touch. If your opponent get it, his/her paddle will be withered and die also you will get a score. "New Ball" is basically reset the ball into starting condition. "Big Racket" and "Small Racket" are self-explanatory.

 

Things getting more complex with these power-up/down. "Gun Mode" allow your paddle change into paddle with gun that shoots paralyzing bullet. No, wait! It's not paralyzing. It's itching as the effect of the bullet: making opponent's paddle uncontrollable and move up and down a bit as if it get thousand ants on its back. While single shot makes the ball shoots an itching bullet at your opponent.

 

I hope you're not bored with the "objects" instruction, already. This is the last ones. "Wall" will grants the receiver with wall on slightly away from the center of the field. While "Front Wall" has the same effect except the wall's position is right in front of receiver's paddle. I mean, like really close from it. As if it can smells the paint that's used to furnish the wall. The wall can be vanish by 3 hit of the ball. "Block" will makes the ball reflected horizontally or vertically depends on the item type.

 

LOL. I'm kidding. This is really the last ones. I promise. :P

 

I know you're very eager to see the gameplay. But be patience for bit longer, please! Here's the option menu. First on the list is the game type. "Tennis" is your original ping pong type. The seconds ones is opponent adjustment. You can set it to player two or A.I with specified difficulty level. 3rd ones is setting to make the game either "super game" that has items or "original" that doesn't have items. I don't see the reason you choose for "original" except for patience therapy or you really respect the traditional. 4th ones is speed setting. Okay! All set and action!  

 

Here is what you're waiting for. I play as player 1 which is the paddle on leftside. I bet you know the basic rule: block the ball from passing your goal and try to shoot it pass your opponent's goal. To move your paddle up or down, use directional pad. The winner is the one who reaches score 10. I fare against computer 1 pretty well so far. 4-0

 

It looks like the opponent has managed to breach my goal. Actually, not. It's the way the paddle (auto-)serves. Yanking the ball from the goal by using the force from behind. Seems legit.

 

[Insert Shao Kahn's voice of "Flawless Victory" here]. 10-0. Computer 1 is really easy to defeat because it's spacing out very often and moves only a bit as if it has tons of debts/bills to pay and its salary doesn't cut them a little. Wishing it discover big treasure very soon instead of being tennis athlete forever. Poor sod.  

 

On to "Ice Hockey" type. The game is getting hectic here. You control both goalkeeper and striker at the same time. Kind of like soccer table, i could say. But it's pretty easier than you imagine. As the ball will passes your striker if your goalkeeper manage to pass the ball through the opponent's striker and vice versa. My plan here: to get the "Deadly Ball". If my striker has the ball, i let the foe's goalkeeper pass it so my goalkeeper has the chances to aim at the item.

 

Well that didn't go well. Instead, the enemy get the "gun mode" and it's eager to shoot my paddles. Even though, both paddles are transformed into crossbreed between paddle and Space Invader's ship. Luckily, the one who shooting is only the goalkeeper. Otherwise it turns fairly chaotic.    

 

The situation becomes more intense. The enemy got "Front Wall" power-up and ball become lethal projectile. Yes, my plan backfires me. How am i supposed to deal with this situation?

 

Through sheer luck, the enemy received the dead ball. There's another solution to previous dire situation: let the ball pass through my goal. It won't increase enemy's score. So you can tell that whenever the ball becomes deadly projectile, your priority: avoid it and let it passes goal which is the reverse of the basic rule. So the score is 4-4.

 

10-6. Game set! Do note that i changed the opponent to Computer-2. It's bit harder than the last ones, though it likes to be spacing out but not as often as its easier peer. As if, this one has feud with its mother-in-law or sort like that. Frankly, i'm getting anxious about my skill if Computer-2 can almost best me.

Next: "Soccer" type. In this game type: you control goalkeeper and defender at the same time. Even this one is simpler than the last one, my opponent team has managed to breach my goal once within a couple mins. My worriness is kind of proved.    

 

Oh, wait! I'm quite in the lead. 6-4. And i'm in firing mode. Yes, 'F' stands for "Firing away to your heart content". To shoot the bullet or do glued serve: press the 'A' button. 

 

Soldier_positivevocalization02.wav. Turns out, i'm quite better at "Soccer" mode than "Ice Hockey" mode. Because you only need to focus on one side of the field instead focus alternately on your side and enemy's side depend on the ball. Next is "Squash" mode. For those of you who don't know what squash (sport) is. It's indoor tennis with half the field is wall and the another half is for the players. They have to alternately smash the ball and also there's no net. I thought "How hard Squash type be?" thus i set the opponent into the most difficult: Computer-9. Yes, i'm pushing my luck badly. No messing around. Here we go...

 

Turns out, there's no opponent in "Squash" mode. Sniper_jeers02.wav.

You can treat this mode as practice mode. In this mode, you can memorize the item's effect and train on how to use them efficiently, mostly by combination. Or you can master your shoot here. You can make the ball go into the direction that you want and make it goes faster by hitting it while moving. Or you can slacken its speed by blocking it with your paddle's sharp edge while stand still. This variation of shooting is nice touch to make the game more dynamic.    

 

Then this happen. The wall play by itself. Great. *Medium Sarcasm*   

 

And then the wall manages to gain a score because the ball turned invisible and i'm out of enthusiasm to focus on playing. Mostly the latter. That's it! I'm done. -_-  

 

There's quite shameless advertisement at the end of attraction mode. It promotes Omega Race, which is Asteroid clone, if i remember correctly. Definitely, way more fun and easier than Sinistar. I'm sure i don't have anything else to convey about game's inside.

Relation between "Super Ping Pong" and "Ping Pong" is like "Super Mario Bros." and " Mario Bros ". Oh, wait! Both are significantly different. So, the better comparison: "Brutal Doom" and "Doom". It features advanced gameplay but stay true to the origin. I can't complain about the gameplay as "Super Ping Pong" has extend the origin's gameplay to its fullest. Except, about no opponent in "Squash" mode. But i think "1 goalside for 2 players" can't be coded at all in this rather simple script of the game. So i give Pure Byte a break. The item serve as complex feature of the game that are well implemented. The item spawns more frequently the longer the match goes on. Also "Deadly Ball" item and "One Point" suit as Tie-breaker role very well. The ball can grows its speed automatically if it blocked quite often but It can be slow again either by "Slow Ball" item or "Sharp Edge Hit" technique that i mentioned before. That's also good feature. The sounds are only "Beep", "Bop", or other classic digital soundchip can make. There's no music at all. So you have to provide it yourself. Play the game while play the music of "Dr. Mario", "Quake II", or whatever you have on your playlist. The variation gameplay mode is magnificent. I really like the idea of "Ice Hockey" mode and regard it as the best mode even though i'm quite sucker at it.

I can recommend you to play "Super Ping Pong" especially with your friend/relative/acquaintance as two-player mode is the strongest point on it. It doesn't require ping pong table/soccer field/ice hockey stadium/squash room and proper technique of the players. And of course, choose super mode. Original is really bland. Like, do you prefer hamburger or plain bun? Exactly.