SpiritSphere DX
Nintendo Switch

Reviewed by Brett

Publisher – Fabraz
Developer – Eendhoorn
Music – 1312
Category – Arcade, Multiplayer, Action
Release Date – July 02, 2018

Move Over Mario Tennis, There’s A New King On The Court

Spiritsphere DX by eendhoorn and published by Fabraz is unique competitive local multiplayer battle tennis hybrid. With a crazy amount of modes and styles available, this is one the coolest games for playing the Nintendo Switch With Friends on the go.

The story in SpritSphere DX is very short, you play as Lin, growing up in a small village Lin learned to wield a sword early in life. You see a sphere descend near your village and head out to find your missing sister and hopefully bring her home.

The story in Spiritsphere DX is the potatoes, lets get to the meat.

Gameplay is fairly straightforward, there is a sphere in the center of the arena and just like in tennis your trying to get the sphere past your opponent. In spiritSphere DX however instead of a racket you will be using physical attacks you smack the sphere back and forth with your opponent.

Sounds pretty simple right?

Wrong!

Things start out simple but escalate fairly quickly thanks to increasing challenging adversaries, items and a multitude of game modes.

In Campaign mode you set out to find your sister and go trough ten randomized battles to get to the end boss Baphomet, by far the most challenging battle. Match types in Campaign mode include regular versus match, squash match, target matches and challenge areas.

Regular versus matches are played by getting three spheres past your opponent to score but there can be variants of more points to win.

Squash matches play a little different. You and your opponent both play in the center of the field and hit a sphere at the same side alternating turns. If you miss your hit or hit when your not supposed to your opponent gets a point. This mode is also usually played to a score of three.

In target matches you control both characters and try to hit as many of the targets in the center as you can, this ends when the sphere hits either end three times.

Challenge matches have Frisbee’s coming in for a landing and you have to catch them before they hit the ground.

Plus all of these modes can be played right off the main menu and depending on the mode with up to three friends!

Besides the already mentioned game types there is also a boss mode which is a three player mode. In this mode two player face off against another player controlling a boss character.

There is also a secret game type when you connected a third controller during a two player match that lets the third player interact with items on the field adding to the chaos.

The real star of the show here even though I had a great time with all the other modes is Hand2Hand mode.

This mode is quite novel and the first time i have seen this done. Two players hold the switch undocked and each player uses one joycon while its still attached to the switch for a vertical match that’s an amazing amount of fun. It can be quite intense especially when staring your opponent directly in the eyes! Its challenging, fun and really quite a unique way to play.

During most game types you will also accumulate coins that can at the sphere fountain on the main screen. By throwing a hundred coins into the fountain you can unlock skins for characters and new sphere types for even more ways to play.

Vibrant Classic Shapes and Sounds

The art in SpiritSphere Dx lovingly looks like an original nes game. Vibrant colors and great design all around. If you have not played a nes game in awhile it will surly make you remember what you love about the classics and if you have never played a nes game this will make you see why the rest of us love them, plus get your life together.

The Music by 1312 will similarly bring your brain back to a time of greatness. Every tune in the game fits great and is super catchy, 1312 did a fantastic job and i cant get enough of these bleeps and bloops.

Verdict

SpirtSphere DX is a phenomenally crafted retro experience. The overall aesthetic seems to be crafted of joy and love and the soundtrack by 1312 is killer and fits the game exceptionally well. I had a blast with this game by myself and the multiplayer is some of the most fun I have had with a friend on the Switch thus far, plus the Hand2Hand mode is a revelation and a great way to share the fun with others and show off why the Switch is so cool. So weather your looking for the next great multiplayer game or a fun experience for one SpiritSphere DX has you covered. pick this one up its fantastic!