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Waku Waku Volley
  PS1SportsJ  
  opened by paleface at 03:01:13 09/01/03  
  last modified by paleface at 12:25:50 03/05/24  
  paleface [sys=PS1; cat=Sports; reg=JPN]
           
Unusually happy little 6-on-6 volleyball game pitting national teams of cute super-deformed girls against each other in a battle for world domination. Or just to win a trophy or something.
 
Gameplay takes a bit of getting used to as it centers almost exclusively on timing and on which hitting button you use rather than positioning. Your players position themselves pretty much automatically, you see, so you just tell them how to hit it. You've got four choices of hits (bump, set, spike, long spike) and additionally on serves the longer you hold the button down, the further the ball goes. You have some aiming control but not a fine touch, basically you're hitting it left, center, or right.
 
Seems simple so far, eh? But now throw in blocks: you can do defensive or offensive blocks, using your whole front row or a single person. Be careful, 'cause if you still have to play the ball after going for the block, you may not have all your players in position to get it back over the net. This leads to some interesting rallies even against the rather predictable CPU. Throw on a multitap though and I bet you'll be having some good four-player fun.
 
From the screenshots on the back of the case I thought the game was 2D and was disappointed to find that they threw in an extra dimension: the arenas look colorful and bright but the players are really pixellated, like they tried to get in too much detail on such tiny characters. And when the camera lurches to show close-ups in a replay... bluh! But the game moves swiftly enough and the bright colors and happy sounds of girls cheering perks you right up no matter what you may think of those unsightly jaggies.
 
You can play several modes with a full six-person squad (plus subs you put in between matches to relieve tired players) and a two-on-two "Beach Mode" where they have tiny jaggy swimsuits. Good stuff, now I'm gonna have to get the PS2 sequel (which makes me wonder why I got this older one first, but oh well).
    
references:
· Waku Waku Volley 2 (PS2)

 
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