Ballistix
| Company type | Video game publisher (label) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Psygnosis |
| Products | Ballistix |
| Parent | Psygnosis |
Ballistix is a video game launched in 1989, developed by Martin Edmondson for the Amiga and Atari ST, and published by Psyclapse. Within the same year, it was swiftly adapted for various home computer platforms, followed by a release on the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 console in 1991. The gameplay revolves around a futuristic sport where players propel a puck toward the goal by shooting small balls at it.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Ballistix blends aspects similar to pinball, the board game Crossfire, and shove ha'penny. Players maneuver a cursor that launches small balls to steer a puck across the playing field to score. In multiplayer mode, competitors aim to score on opposing goals, whereas the single-player experience introduces gravity as an additional challenge.
Across its 130 courts (64 on the C64 and 30 on BBC/Electron), difficulty escalates with the inclusion of obstacles, mazes, and bonus items. Victory on a court is achieved by scoring three goals. Should the computer prevail in single-player mode, the game concludes but allows restarting from the current court. Scoring points depends on how far shots are taken.
The top-down view scrolls dynamically to track the puck within a confined section of the court.
Development and release
Martin Edmondson developed Ballistix initially for Amiga and Atari ST platforms. Psygnosis released it under their Psyclapse label in 1989, alongside ports for MS-DOS and Commodore 64. Peter Scott was responsible for adapting the game to BBC Micro and Acorn Electron systems, with Superior Software publishing these versions that same year. The TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine edition arrived in 1991, published by Psygnosis in North America and Coconuts in Japan. The cover art, created by Melvyn Grant, had been previously featured on the 1981 novel The Steel Tsar as well as the 1984 re-release of Judas Priest's album Rocka Rolla.
Reception
Computer Gaming World commented that while many levels lacked notable creativity, the game was recommended due to its impressive graphics, sound quality, and diverse options. Roland Waddilove from Electron User awarded it a 9/10 rating, describing Ballistix as "original, enjoyable, and highly addictive." Mark Heley of CU Amiga gave it a score of 76%, acknowledging it as consistent with Psygnosis’s reputation for quality. Zzap!64 praised its "sharp, attractive, and very fast-moving" visuals and found multiplayer mode particularly entertaining, though they were less enthusiastic about single-player gameplay, assigning it a 72% rating.