| COGconnected |
Doug Mercer |
79 / 100 |
08-11-2021 |
When it’s all said and done though, Dodgeball Academia is much better than I was expecting. I enjoyed the style, the zaniness, the characters, and only got frustrated by the gameplay a couple of times. Given my childhood history with the sport and my general anger over not being able to win in every game, a couple of times of frustration is a MASSIVE win. While the RPG elements to it are a little on the light side, the open-ish world and all of the side quests/daily challenges you get to tackle on top of the story have you 3 hours deep into dodgeball games before you know it. The fun and light hearted aspects of the game outweigh the negatives, making Dodgeball Academia a good pick up if you’re looking to hear that SPLAT once more. |
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| Daily Mirror |
Eugene Sowah |
4 / 5 stars |
08-04-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia is a real gem that could easily have gone down the dark road filled with anime and gameplay tropes. But it manages to stand out from the rest with its witty writing and a fantastic battle system that was just a great experience from start to finish. |
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| Game Informer |
John Carson |
9 / 10 |
08-19-2021 |
Boredom is never allowed thanks to entertaining characters, diverse team compositions, and a steady difficulty curve |
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| GamingTrend |
Anthony Shelton |
80 / 100 |
08-25-2021 |
Much of the best parts of Dodgeball Academia are centered around playing dodgeball, but the story bursts with fun and positive themes, even though it does meander a little bit, and throws in a few themes that aren’t fleshed out enough. |
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| Geek Culture |
Jake Su |
8.3 / 10 |
08-12-2021 |
An interesting twist on the RPG formula, there is no doubt Dodgeball Academia will be a big hit with fans of the genre and sports. |
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| God is a Geek |
Lyle Carr |
9.5 / 10 |
08-04-2021 |
With engaging dodgeball gameplay and enthralling RPG elements, Dodgeball Academia is one of the best games of the year so far. |
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| Hardcore Gamer |
Kyle LeClair |
4 / 5 stars |
08-04-2021 |
While Dodgeball Academia isn’t a perfect RPG, the intense and amazing dodgeball combat combined with a cast of terrific and charming characters and an eye-pleasing blend of visuals to back them up still make for one quick and enjoyable burst of fun in the end. It might end up only getting second place when it comes to this year’s dodgeball games, but it’s a close race, and it still deserves a trophy regardless. |
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| Hey Poor Player |
Andrew Thornton |
4 / 5 stars |
08-11-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia is a joy to play with hard-hitting, balls-to-the-face action. The tone of the story may be a bit too hyperactive for some, a shame when we’re talking about an RPG, but there’s still enough joy and genuine laughs to be found to be worth your time. |
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| Luis Alamilla |
Luis Alamilla |
9 / 10 |
08-04-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia is a charming sports-centric action RPG with a lot of heart and love put behind the gameplay, presentation, and quirky story. It may not be the longest RPG out there but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one clearly influenced by many popular JRPGs of the past. If you’re looking for a fun new RPG to sink your teeth into that won’t take you hundreds of hours to finish, here’s one that you should keep on your radar. |
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| Nintendo Life |
Stuart Gipp |
6 / 10 |
09-03-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia does admittedly come together in a rather compelling way, but we’re critical of the independent elements that make up this package. You might find yourself caught up in the storyline, which could potentially make up for its other shortcomings, but we found it a little disposable. It’s clear that love has been poured into this adventure and it’s absolutely superb to look at and listen to |
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| NintendoWorldReport |
Neal Ronaghan |
9 / 10 |
08-04-2021 |
The best part of Dodgeball Academia though is when everything clicks as an RPG. It’s a joy to figure out the right strategy to win a tough fight. I love exploring the world and seeing what happens next in the goofy story. This isn’t just a great sports game, it’s also a superb RPG that, like the likes of Golf Story, should appeal to those who aren’t inclined to sport. |
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| Noisy Pixel |
Colin Buchanan |
8.5 / 10 |
08-04-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia has a quality that is difficult to find in many titles that try to capture the retro vibe. It’s absolutely a game created by a team that grew up with the classics, and it boasts those inspirations on its sleeve. What compelled me to this game was that despite its roots in the past being readily apparent, it still manages to carve out a distinct identity of its own rather than solely relying on playing to my nostalgia. It’s a title that succeeds at virtually everything it tries to do and does so with tons of charm and polish. |
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| PC Invasion |
Logan Broadley |
6.5 / 10 |
08-04-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia has all the potential to be an epic, superpowered sports RPG. The dodgeball battles are lively and fun, but the story never reaches the fantastical heights it alludes to at the beginning of the game. It’s enjoyable but not one for the record books. |
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| PSX Brasil |
Thiago de Alencar Moura |
85 / 100 |
08-16-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia takes a common sport in Brazilian schools and uses this setting to deliver a fun and challenging Sports RPG. Whether for its gameplay or story, there is a lot of fun to be had from this unique experience, tempered with a special Brazilian flavor. |
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| Push Square |
Robert Ramsey |
8 / 10 |
08-05-2021 |
It takes obvious cues from Pokémon and other genre classics, but Dodgeball Academia is a great little RPG in its own right. Packed with charm and boasting a unique dodgeball-based battle system, it makes for a thoroughly enjoyable journey to the top. |
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| RPGamer |
Alex Fuller |
3.5 / 5 stars |
08-24-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia is] a title bursting to the seams with a Saturday morning cartoon charm. While the light amount of content betrays the fact that the gameplay likely lacks enough depth to carry it much further, it nonetheless provides a ten-hour story with enough humour and speedy battles that make the time fun. |
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| Screen Rant |
Leo Faierman |
3.5 / 5 stars |
08-06-2021 |
Min-maxers can prioritize equipment and stat upgrades to further sabotage any challenge, but everyone else can just jump into Dodgeball Academia’s matches and glide through the snappy story. By the end, a full roster of characters unlock for use in a versus mode pack-in, albeit with no online multiplayer available. Super Dodge Ball fans will immediately respond to what Pocket Trap is up to here, but Dodgeball Academia should also prove an easygoing delight to anyone looking to sink into a very specific type of sports RPG. |
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| TheSixthAxis |
Reuben Mount |
7 / 10 |
08-05-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia provides a huge amount of fun with it’s easy to learn, difficult to master gameplay, and Saturday morning cartoon vibes. Throwing together a roster of excellent characters with fourth wall-breaking writing and some great story beats, Dodgeball Academia honestly shines far brighter than we ever expected. This is the best thing to happen to dodgeball since that Ben Stiller movie, although how much of a compliment this is is up for debate. |
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| Use a Potion |
Unknown |
8 / 10 |
08-09-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia blends RPG and dodgeball mechanics in an enjoyably stylish manner, with the combination making for a super fun gameplay experience. I had a really good time seeing Otto’s tale unfold, whilst the varied dodgeball mechanics and unpredictable opponents ensure that the action remains exciting from start to end. I didn’t think the sport of dodgeball could have so much depth, but the range of abilities and arenas on offer ensured it never grew tiresome when playing. |
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| Video Chums |
A.J. Maciejewski |
7.1 / 10 |
08-20-2021 |
Dodgeball Academia’s campaign that’s full of distinct characters and rewarding RPG elements is quite a treat to progress through. With that in mind, I thought the core dodgeball gameplay was too needlessly limiting to provide consistently engaging gameplay. |
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| WayTooManyGames |
Leonardo Faria |
9 / 10 |
08-06-2021 |
This game might sound like a tremendous mess on paper, but it perfectly manages to mix arcade-like dodgeball matches with JRPG mechanics and cartoonish visuals to create something completely unique. |
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