Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Balls of Fury on the Nintendo DS delivers an arcade-style ping-pong experience that closely mirrors its Wii counterpart, yet carves out its own identity through stylus-driven controls. The paddle movement is entirely managed by the stylus, allowing you to flick, angle, and slide your virtual racket with precision. Combined with the B and A buttons for topspin and backspin effects, the controls feel intuitive once you acclimate to the touch-screen interface.

The removal of the tournament mode in favor of a wireless two-player multiplayer option gives the game a fresh twist. Rather than progressing through a solo bracket, you can now challenge a friend in real time, adding a social layer to the competition. While the wireless battles are limited to two participants and lack the depth of a full-scale tournament ladder, they offer quick head-to-head matches that are ideal for on-the-go play sessions.

Between standard matches, Balls of Fury retains all the character-specific special shots, varied venues, and unlockable options from the Wii version, ensuring that the core gameplay loop remains engaging. The inclusion of two additional trophies gives completionists extra goals, and the gentle learning curve means casual players won’t feel overwhelmed. Overall, the gameplay strikes a balance between accessibility and a satisfying level of depth.

Graphics

Visually, Balls of Fury on the DS takes a more top-down perspective compared to the Wii’s lower-angle presentation, enhancing the strategic view of the table and your opponent’s position. Characters are rendered as clean, cartoonish sprites that capture the humor and personality of the movie’s cast. The environments—from seedy underground dens to high-stakes tournament arenas—are richly detailed for a handheld, though they naturally lack the visual polish of console versions.

Given the DS’s hardware constraints, the frame rate remains remarkably steady, even when multi-colored ping-pong balls are zipping across the screen with spin trails enabled. Background animations, such as cheering crowds and flickering neon signs, add life to each venue without cluttering the play area. The heightened perspective also ensures that your paddle and ball never get obscured by the environment.

Special effects—like motion blur on fast serves and glowing indicators when you execute a perfect shot—help communicate the impact of your timing and button combinations. While textures are a bit blocky under close scrutiny, the overall presentation feels polished and colorful, lending the game an upbeat aesthetic that aligns well with its lighthearted tone.

Story

True to the spirit of the film, Balls of Fury on DS doesn’t burden players with an overly complex narrative. You step into the shoes of an up-and-coming table tennis phenom seeking redemption after a scandalous past. As you advance, you encounter a gallery of quirky opponents, each with their own backstory and signature moves—ranging from the stoic samurai to the flamboyant showman.

Cinematic cutscenes, presented in simple 2D artwork and text-based dialogue, punctuate major milestones and tournament victories. These vignettes capture the comedic flair of the movie without interrupting the pace of the action. Though the storyline is largely linear, brief interludes between matches provide context for why you’re facing each challenger and hint at the ultimate prize: a showdown with the enigmatic villain, Master Wong Da.

While Balls of Fury leans heavily on familiar sports-movie tropes—underdog rises to the top, quirky mentor figures, and dramatic final rounds—it manages to keep players motivated through light humor and the prospect of unlocking bonus content. The simplicity of the narrative ensures that even those uninterested in the cinematic source material can jump right in and focus on the fast-paced ping-pong thrills.

Overall Experience

Balls of Fury on the DS shines as a portable rendition of the Wii original, offering quick pick-up-and-play matches balanced with enough depth to hold your interest. The stylus-based paddle control, while occasionally prone to sensitivity quirks, ultimately provides a tactile way to execute spin shots and smashes. Multiplayer via local wireless adds replay value, turning coffee-break sessions into impromptu ping-pong duels.

The addition of an end-credits mini-game—where you swat bees with Randy Daytona’s spoon—injects a whimsical bonus challenge that captures the film’s quirky humor. It’s a brief diversion, but it showcases the developers’ commitment to adding DS-specific touches rather than delivering a straight port. Collecting all medals and trophies can keep completionists busy long after they’ve seen the final credits roll.

For fans of casual sports titles or those seeking a lighthearted, on-the-go party game, Balls of Fury on DS offers solid value. While it doesn’t revolutionize handheld sports gaming, its faithful adaptation of the movie’s charm, combined with responsive stylus controls and varied match modes, makes it a recommended pick for Nintendo DS owners looking for fast-paced fun.

Retro Replay Score

5.8/10