Space Squash
Developer(s)Tomcat System
Publisher(s)Coconuts Japan Entertainment
Platform(s)Virtual Boy
Release
  • JP: September 29, 1995
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single-player

Space Squash[lower-alpha 1] is a 1995 sports video game developed by Tomcat System and published by Coconuts Japan Entertainment in Japan for the Virtual Boy. The player assumes the role of a robot called Peatron to defeat a group of space pirates that have taken over the planet Animal Star on a intergalactic squash tournament. Its gameplay involves Peatron ricocheting a ball across a three-dimensional court and defeating the opponent on the other side in order to proceed further in the tournament.

Announced at E3 1995, Space Squash was one of four projects under development for the Virtual Boy by Coconuts Japan. The game was met with mixed reception from critics. The title has not been officially released outside Japan, although an English fan translation exists.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

Space Squash is a futuristic squash game played from a third-person perspective where the player assume the role of a robot called Peatron to defeat a group of space pirates that have taken over the planet Animal Star on a intergalactic squash tournament.[1] Peatron begins at the area A-1 and each area in the game has six stages filled with opponents.[2] A boss must be faced on every fifth area and finishing each area allows the player to play an extra bonus round, in addition of choosing the next route.[1][2] The player controls Peatron with the left d-pad, while the right d-pad is used for directional ball shots. Points are won if the opponent misses the ball or his energy is reduced completely.[1][2] If hit by the ball, an opponent is left stunned and open for scoring.[1][2] The arena's wall can be used to obtain drifts with the ball.[1][2] The player can use special power-ups, which are obtained by hitting boxes scattered in the arena, such as walls to protect Peatron's playing field, speed and health.[1][2]

Release

Space Squash was first announced at E3 1995 as one of the four projects under development by Coconuts Japan Entertainment for the Virtual Boy alongside Intercept, Proteus Zone and a 3D shooter.[3][4] It was developed by Tomcat System.[5] The game was published by Coconuts in Japan on September 29, 1995.[6] The title was also showcased in a playable state at the 1995 Famimaga Earth World show.[7] Although it was not officially released outside Japan, an English fan translation was released in 2015.[8]

Reception

Space Squash received a mixture of opinions from critics since its release.[10] Famitsu's four reviewers gave the game an overall mixed outlook.[6] Nintendo Magazine System noted that the title made decent use of the Virtual Boy's 3D effect but stated that it resembled tennis rather than squash.[11] The Japanese book Virtual Boy Memorial Commemorative Guidebook gave it a negative outlook, noting its low difficulty level and unispired character designs but commended the arenas.[12] In contrast, N64 Magazine's Jason Moore regarded it as a "very playable" game despite the concept, stating that its opponents offer considerable challenge.[9] Nintendo Life's Dave Frear commended the use of the 3D effect, stage variety, controls, effective audio and hidden settings but remarked that an additional difficulty setting would have been a welcomed addition.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: スペーススカッシュ, Hepburn: Supēsu Sukasshu

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Space Squash (スペーススカッシュ) Instruction Booklet (Virtual Boy, JP)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Frear, Dave (June 24, 2009). "Space Squash Review (VB) - Think 3D Pong, and you're halfway there..." Nintendo Life. Nlife Media. Archived from the original on 2020-07-27. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  3. ↑ "バーチャルボーイソフト最新情報をCHECK! - ココナッツジャパン エンターテイメント" [Check out the latest information on Virtual Boy software! - Coconuts Japan Entertainment]. 3D バーチャルボーイ Magazine [3D Virtual Boy Magazine] (in Japanese). No. 1. Tokuma Shoten. June 16, 1995. p. 34. Archived from the original on 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  4. ↑ "E-3 The Biggest And Best Electronic Entertainment Show Ever! — '95 Next Generation Software Listing: Virtual Boy - Bullet-Proof Software". GameFan. Vol. 3, no. 7. DieHard Gamers Club. July 1995. p. 41.
  5. ↑ Tomcat System (September 29, 1995). Space Squash (Virtual Boy) (in Japanese). Coconuts Japan Entertainment. Level/area: Staff roll.
  6. 1 2 3 "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: スペーススカッシュ". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 355. ASCII Corporation. October 6, 1995. p. 38. Archived from the original on 2017-09-23. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  7. ↑ Sekai-yusu, Nihon (November 1995). "Super Express - Live From Hell City". Super Play. No. 37. Future Publishing. pp. 24–26.
  8. ↑ Williams, Carl (October 21, 2015). "Space Squash for Nintendo Virtual Boy Now Available in English". Retro Gaming Magazine. Archived from the original on 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  9. 1 2 Moore, Jason (November 1998). "Planet 64 News - Retroworld: Space Squash - Coconuts". N64 Magazine. No. 21. Future Publishing. p. 19. Archived from the original on 2021-08-29. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  10. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (2021). "Space Squash: In the court of the crimson swing". Virtual Boy Works. Limited Run Games. pp. 64–69. ISBN 9781955183000.
  11. ↑ "Special Feature - Virtual Boy Update: Space Squash by: Coconuts - It's Just Not Cricket". Nintendo Magazine System. No. 40. EMAP. January 1996. p. 79.
  12. ↑ "世界の絶滅動物シリーズ - バーチャルボーイ 全ソフト一覧 (96年8月現在): スペーススカッシュ" [World’s Extinct Species Series - Virtual Boy List of All Software (As of August 1996): Space Squash]. バーチャルボーイ追悼記念ガイドブック [Virtual Boy Memorial Commemorative Guidebook] (in Japanese) (改訂第ニ版 [Revised Second Edition] ed.). Toyo Baphomet Council. January 31, 1998. p. 7. Archived from the original on 2019-05-29. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
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