When Knockout City was first announced earlier this year, I confused it with Rocket Arena, the other stylized 3-on-3 multiplayer game published by Electronic Arts in 2020. However, unlike the latter, Knockout City was praised by fans and critics alike when it was released earlier this year. And while it’s a pretty unique pick for Game Informer’s Best Sports award, Velan Studios’ wacky dodgeball is a standout game in a year where most sports franchises are passing.
The game’s map exists in a classic futuristic metropolis filled with flying cars, neon signs, and 1960s-inspired equipment, creating distinct arenas for competition. Each area is home to powerful weapons like the Moon Ball, which has a low impact on the user, or the Cage Ball, which immobilizes unlucky players for easy removal. Not less than those balls, my favorite is the Sniper Ball, a laser-equipped ball capable of firing high-speed skills.
Knockout City’s gameplay is equally attractive. Each player has a set of techniques worth mastering, including curving throws, hard hitting, aggressive shooting, robbing, dodging, etc. At any time you can pass the ball to your teammates to increase it speed up the throw of the projectile or roll the ball so that your teammates throw you a powerful AOE. However, you have to be careful with the second strategy because enemy players can easily catch you and throw you off the map.
Knockout City blends the accessibility of traditional sports games with the high skills of fighting games, and the results are sublime. With a unique stylized set of cosmetics to mull over, you’ll spend hours playing this innovative sports title with your friends. | Our review
