I have no hesitation in expressing my love/near-fanboy-level obsession with Technos’ family of rough and tumble titles. Check the company’s credentials: Crash N’ The Boys, Double Dragon, Renegade, River City Ransom, and many, many more. One of my favorites, which seems to only be remembered by retrogamers and grumpy old men like myself, is Super Dodge Ball.

If you’re reading this site, chances are that you too know and love Super Dodge Ball. But for 2D noobs, or those that overlooked this sports gaming classic, here’s a recap. Super Dodge Ball is a game of, well, dodgeball played with immensely cute (yet scrappy) super deformed characters that sport Technos trademarked big head/big eyes/tough guy features. The goal’s to eliminate opposing players by whacking them with the ball, but with the added kickass element of juiced-up super throws that do massive damage to a character’s lifebar should they be unable to evade the incoming orb.

The game made it big on the NES and PC Engine, but it also made stellar appearances in the arcade and on the Neo Geo (the latter is a hybrid fighter with a greater use of  Kunio-like graphics). Most recently, after Million acquired the license, Super Dodge Ball migrated to the Game Boy Advance as Super Dodge Ball Advance, and to the Nintendo DS as Super Dodgeball Brawlers. Many Super Dodge Ball fans were left deflated by the non-Techno published titles, but they may find a lot to like in Miracle Kidz’ Downtown Smash Dodgeball. A lot.

Downtown Smash Dodgeball is the product of Miracle Kidz, a development team that consists of several ex-Technos programmers, which makes this game, in a way, a true sequel to the classic Technos Super Dodge Ball titles. This is immediately evident by the visuals which cling tightly to the earlier 8-bit games. The athletes retain their squat builds, but the game has a brighter color palette, 720p resolution, and perhaps best of all, is completely flicker-free.

Super Dodge Ball maniacs should feel right at home with the familiar control scheme, which is as follows:

• A: Shoot/Catch
• B: Pass/Dodge
• A + B: Jump
• LB/LT: Lock control direction when used in conjunction with the D-pad
• RB/RT: Dash

The Character Attributes:

• Attack: Offensive Power
• Curve: Ball movement
• Dash: Running Speed
• Shot: Ability to Make Nice Shots
• Catch: Ball-catching Ability
• Dodge: Evasion
• Body: Defense Strength
• Life: Energy Meter

The action can get surprisingly fast and furious, especially after you mastered the controls, which, fortunately, are pinpoint accurate. I had no problems dashing, picking up the ball mid-sprint, passing it to a teammate, and then delivering a big hit on an opposing player. Each hit erodes a bit of a player’s life , which you can keep track of via the energy meters located at the top of the screen. Some intrepid button exploration will uncover not so obvious moves like jumping catches, walking dodges, and more.

At the bottom of the screen you’ll find a black, letterbox-like bar that keeps a running dialog of the in-game action. Athletes will shout (via text) victorious outbursts when landing a hit, or cry in defeat when they’re nailed. Obviously, it’s hard to keep track of the words while in the heat of battle, but when you’re watching a bud play, they prove mildly humorous. Loopy music helps complete the retro feel.

There are several teams to choose from, but they all appear to be of Japanese origin, unlike the NES Super Dodge Ball which featured a cast of characters  from around the globe. When you select a team, you’re asked to place players into positions on the playing field, which may initially seem tedious to those that just want to jump in and play. That freedom of choice, however, allows you to place your strongest players wherever you like: Against one team it may be prudent to keep your arm-cannons on the sidelines, while facing  another may require them to be placed right on the front line of the battle. It’s a small dose of strategy that manages to elevate the game above being a simple button masher.

Downtown Smash Dodgeball is designed first and foremost for one type of player: those that grew up playing the original titles. Madden fans that bark and drool over stats and simulation elements will surely dislike this extremely basic title, but any sports gamer looking for an extremely fun throwback game that’s dipped in today’s modern sensibilities will appreciate the care and effort that Miracle Kidz put into this unofficial franchise revival. Here’s hoping that a Downtown High School Brawl is coming down the pipe.