July 12, 2016: Put a Hat On, Buddy.
by Diamond Feit
If you follow my activity on social media or you have a good memory for the anecdotes I share in these pages, you know I love sports. I played baseball and soccer at a young age and fell off when I showed no sign of improvement or even basic competency, but that didn't kill my interest in athletics as a concept. No, as a teen I actively decided to edify myself about all four of America's big leagues and here I sit, many decades later, still excited when my teams win and quietly devastated when they lose.
Despite deliberately choosing to embrace sports in the 90s alongside an era of rapid technological innovation, my interest in watching these contests has not translated into any interest in playing sports video games. I've dabbled in a few titles over the years, such as Baseball Stars Professional for the NEO\u2022GEO and NFL Quarterback Club for the Nintendo 64. Like everyone with a pulse I shot many a round of golf when the Wii arrived but I'll take the dingiest IRL minigolf course over anything bearing the Golden Tee name.
I've never quite understood the reasons behind my aversion to sports video games, but I think it's similar to my distaste for driving or racing games. I find the connection between my inputs and the events on screen to be uncanny, and I prefer when developers aim for absurd interpretations of a sport rather than any attempt at realism. Hence my enthusiasm for NBA Jam, an arcade game that bears a resemblance to the sport of basketball but it takes place in an arena where the laws of gravity are really more of a suggestion.
This line of thinking would also explain my delight at the subject of this week's column, an indie sports title that functions like a sporting contest but has no real-world counterpart. Part football, part twin-stick shooter, and guaranteed fun at any party or social function: That's Videoball.
Videoball represents a throwback to the early days of gaming when a title doubled as a complete summary of its content. Much like we once bought cartridges called Baseball or Tennis, Videoball perfectly describes itself as a ball-based sport played on a video monitor. Each match takes place in an arena perfectly sized to fill modern 16:9 displays.
Videoball includes 32 different field configurations with varying layouts, but all sharing the same fundamentals: Each side has a goal line which players seek to attack while attempting to defend their own from their opponents. Scoring requires delivering a ball across a goal line, making football (American or Association) Videoball's closest analog out here in meatspace.
Rather than controlling little people, players guide pointy icons shaped like mouse cursors. Balls spawn on the court at regular intervals with options allowing for more than one ball at a time if you prefer your action fast and furious. Importantly, players cannot carry or move the ball directly; pressing a button will \"launch a triangle\" which moves the ball. As the official website advises, \"Balls are circular. Impact point matters.\"
The nature and execution of launching those triangles are where things really get interesting. Players can tap the button to fire off little shots which will nudge the ball or stun other players\u2014and yes, friendly fire counts. However, players can also hold the button to charge up more powerful, larger triangles. Charged shots will send the ball careening at high speed, bouncing off walls like an air hockey puck. Players cannot perpetually hold down a button though, as reaching the maximum charge creates not a triangle but a defensive square which lingers on screen until destroyed.
There are more details to consider such as reversing an incoming ball with a well-timed triangle or adjusting options to assign different point values to different kinds of goals, incentivising in-your-face Slams at the line or Home Runs from your own zone. Yet at its core, Videoball eschews complex controls or meters in favor of a clean user interface and one-button gameplay. The easiest way to learn Videoball is to play Videoball.
As an active freelance journalist and frequent Tokyo Game Show attendee, I had the privilege of first seeing Videoball in a very early state at a private Sony event in 2013. Alongside other upcoming indie titles such as Hyper Gunsport and Galak-Z, Videoball impressed me the most due to its accessibility and straightforward nature. In a week where I played a lot of video games for the first time and had to get used to them in a hurry, Videoball presented the gentlest learning curve.
At this point I should mention Tim Rogers, the creator of Videoball. I became a fan of his lengthy essays about games, both on his own personal site and major outlets like Kotaku. I distinctly remember buying a used copy of God Hand entirely based on his endorsement. Rogers also spent many years living in Japan so I viewed him as a senpai\u2014both as a writer and as an ex-pat American.
We added each other on Facebook by virtue of having an abundance of mutual acquaintances, even though I don't think we actually met in person until 2013 at the Tokyo Game Show. I bring this up for two reasons: First, I wish to dispel any misconception that I love Videoball because of my friendship with its creator. Tim Rogers has made a number of video games at this point and while I respect his ambitions, I'm not a fan of every choice he's made.
Secondly, I think Videoball really reflects Tim Rogers' particular tastes. Reading his many, many words on the medium, I've often heard him exalt friction in video games. He once penned 13,000 words on the subject and broke down different subsets of friction, including Chunky, Sticky, and Meaty. Playing Videoball invokes a gamut of individual frictions as every action offers instant feedback. Landing a full-power triangle on the ball feels fantastic whether it reaches the opposing goal line or not. I don't see myself ever dunking a basketball without using a stepladder but I must assume it offers a similar sensation.
It took almost three years for Videoball to get from that party in Tokyo to general release. Along the way I saw it multiple times in different settings and everyone who picked it up hooted and hollered with excitement. Tim even came to Osaka once and we set up Videoball in the game bar Space Station for a long night of pizza and virtual touchdowns.
Videoball launched in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam. At the time, Nintendo had yet to formally announce the Switch and no version for the console ever came together. While Videoball requires two analog sticks to move and aim in different directions, I do think the single-button format would have suited Nintendo's now-famous Joy-cons. However, Tim suggested on Twitter \"it is a game for large televisions only.\"
Videoball fans exist and continue to play it online and off. They champion the game on Discord and stream replays on Twitch. They have modded the software to tweak connectivity, customize the ball, and even add new voices\u2014although I don't think you can top original announcer Jenn Frank. I haven't hosted a party in over a decade but if I did, I would certainly have Videoball in my rotation of Large Television Spectacles to show my guests.
In the end, I don't know what became of Videoball as a commercial product. It got limited press attention at launch due to its indie status, but every critical assessment I can find on the web recommends the game. Steam reviews are Very Positive with most negativity directed at online issues. I suspect that people who knew Tim or thought the game looked fun bought a copy and the rest of the world did not; sadly the latter group outnumbers the first by a substantial margin.
As of this writing, Videoball has never been discounted on Steam, but at $10 US I don't think it needs to cost any less. You don't have to watch sports or even like sports to enjoy Videoball. It contains no star athletes, regional team names, or adorable mascots. It is, according to its launch trailer, a \"digital sporting good\" ideally suited for any social gathering like a Nerf football or lawn darts, albeit one guaranteed* to never result in any broken limbs or punctured lungs.
Writer/podcaster/performer Diamond Feit has written professionally since 2009 and contributed to Retronauts since 2018. Look up feitclub on social media or visit Diamond's lofi website.
*not a guarantee
", "contentSnippet": "July 12, 2016: Put a Hat On, Buddy.\nby Diamond Feit\nIf you follow my activity on social media or you have a good memory for the anecdotes I share in these pages, you know I love sports. I played baseball and soccer at a young age and fell off when I showed no sign of improvement or even basic competency, but that didn't kill my interest in athletics as a concept. No, as a teen I actively decided to edify myself about all four of America's big leagues and here I sit, many decades later, still excited when my teams win and quietly devastated when they lose.\nDespite deliberately choosing to embrace sports in the 90s alongside an era of rapid technological innovation, my interest in watching these contests has not translated into any interest in playing sports video games. I've dabbled in a few titles over the years, such as Baseball Stars Professional for the NEO\u2022GEO and NFL Quarterback Club for the Nintendo 64. Like everyone with a pulse I shot many a round of golf when the Wii arrived but I'll take the dingiest IRL minigolf course over anything bearing the Golden Tee name.\nI've never quite understood the reasons behind my aversion to sports video games, but I think it's similar to my distaste for driving or racing games. I find the connection between my inputs and the events on screen to be uncanny, and I prefer when developers aim for absurd interpretations of a sport rather than any attempt at realism. Hence my enthusiasm for NBA Jam, an arcade game that bears a resemblance to the sport of basketball but it takes place in an arena where the laws of gravity are really more of a suggestion.\nThis line of thinking would also explain my delight at the subject of this week's column, an indie sports title that functions like a sporting contest but has no real-world counterpart. Part football, part twin-stick shooter, and guaranteed fun at any party or social function: That's Videoball.\nVideoball represents a throwback to the early days of gaming when a title doubled as a complete summary of its content. Much like we once bought cartridges called Baseball or Tennis, Videoball perfectly describes itself as a ball-based sport played on a video monitor. Each match takes place in an arena perfectly sized to fill modern 16:9 displays.\nVideoball includes 32 different field configurations with varying layouts, but all sharing the same fundamentals: Each side has a goal line which players seek to attack while attempting to defend their own from their opponents. Scoring requires delivering a ball across a goal line, making football (American or Association) Videoball's closest analog out here in meatspace.\nRather than controlling little people, players guide pointy icons shaped like mouse cursors. Balls spawn on the court at regular intervals with options allowing for more than one ball at a time if you prefer your action fast and furious. Importantly, players cannot carry or move the ball directly; pressing a button will \"launch a triangle\" which moves the ball. As the official website advises, \"Balls are circular. Impact point matters.\"\nThe nature and execution of launching those triangles are where things really get interesting. Players can tap the button to fire off little shots which will nudge the ball or stun other players\u2014and yes, friendly fire counts. However, players can also hold the button to charge up more powerful, larger triangles. Charged shots will send the ball careening at high speed, bouncing off walls like an air hockey puck. Players cannot perpetually hold down a button though, as reaching the maximum charge creates not a triangle but a defensive square which lingers on screen until destroyed.\nThere are more details to consider such as reversing an incoming ball with a well-timed triangle or adjusting options to assign different point values to different kinds of goals, incentivising in-your-face Slams at the line or Home Runs from your own zone. Yet at its core, Videoball eschews complex controls or meters in favor of a clean user interface and one-button gameplay. The easiest way to learn Videoball is to play Videoball.\nAs an active freelance journalist and frequent Tokyo Game Show attendee, I had the privilege of first seeing Videoball in a very early state at a private Sony event in 2013. Alongside other upcoming indie titles such as Hyper Gunsport and Galak-Z, Videoball impressed me the most due to its accessibility and straightforward nature. In a week where I played a lot of video games for the first time and had to get used to them in a hurry, Videoball presented the gentlest learning curve.\nAt this point I should mention Tim Rogers, the creator of Videoball. I became a fan of his lengthy essays about games, both on his own personal site and major outlets like Kotaku. I distinctly remember buying a used copy of God Hand entirely based on his endorsement. Rogers also spent many years living in Japan so I viewed him as a senpai\u2014both as a writer and as an ex-pat American.\nWe added each other on Facebook by virtue of having an abundance of mutual acquaintances, even though I don't think we actually met in person until 2013 at the Tokyo Game Show. I bring this up for two reasons: First, I wish to dispel any misconception that I love Videoball because of my friendship with its creator. Tim Rogers has made a number of video games at this point and while I respect his ambitions, I'm not a fan of every choice he's made.\nSecondly, I think Videoball really reflects Tim Rogers' particular tastes. Reading his many, many words on the medium, I've often heard him exalt friction in video games. He once penned 13,000 words on the subject and broke down different subsets of friction, including Chunky, Sticky, and Meaty. Playing Videoball invokes a gamut of individual frictions as every action offers instant feedback. Landing a full-power triangle on the ball feels fantastic whether it reaches the opposing goal line or not. I don't see myself ever dunking a basketball without using a stepladder but I must assume it offers a similar sensation.\nIt took almost three years for Videoball to get from that party in Tokyo to general release. Along the way I saw it multiple times in different settings and everyone who picked it up hooted and hollered with excitement. Tim even came to Osaka once and we set up Videoball in the game bar Space Station for a long night of pizza and virtual touchdowns.\nVideoball launched in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam. At the time, Nintendo had yet to formally announce the Switch and no version for the console ever came together. While Videoball requires two analog sticks to move and aim in different directions, I do think the single-button format would have suited Nintendo's now-famous Joy-cons. However, Tim suggested on Twitter \"it is a game for large televisions only.\"\nVideoball fans exist and continue to play it online and off. They champion the game on Discord and stream replays on Twitch. They have modded the software to tweak connectivity, customize the ball, and even add new voices\u2014although I don't think you can top original announcer Jenn Frank. I haven't hosted a party in over a decade but if I did, I would certainly have Videoball in my rotation of Large Television Spectacles to show my guests.\nIn the end, I don't know what became of Videoball as a commercial product. It got limited press attention at launch due to its indie status, but every critical assessment I can find on the web recommends the game. Steam reviews are Very Positive with most negativity directed at online issues. I suspect that people who knew Tim or thought the game looked fun bought a copy and the rest of the world did not; sadly the latter group outnumbers the first by a substantial margin.\nAs of this writing, Videoball has never been discounted on Steam, but at $10 US I don't think it needs to cost any less. You don't have to watch sports or even like sports to enjoy Videoball. It contains no star athletes, regional team names, or adorable mascots. It is, according to its launch trailer, a \"digital sporting good\" ideally suited for any social gathering like a Nerf football or lawn darts, albeit one guaranteed* to never result in any broken limbs or punctured lungs.\nWriter/podcaster/performer Diamond Feit has written professionally since 2009 and contributed to Retronauts since 2018. Look up feitclub on social media or visit Diamond's lofi website.\n*not a guarantee", "guid": "163489888", "isoDate": "2026-07-12T11:00:09.000Z", "itunes": { "duration": "772", "image": "https://c10.patreonusercontent.com/4/patreon-media/p/post/163489888/f1213fd732144b9ca7702f643819624b/eyJkIjo3MiwiaCI6MzAwMCwic3RyaXBfYWxwaGEiOjEsInciOjMwMDAsIndlYnAiOjB9/1.jpg?token-hash=XzXuJDYoNZ6db3xmanyAlN--UX2Mxco8Mc9RzN2F_M0%3D" }, "itunes_duration": "0:12:51" }