Ballz

Although the game was not a major success, it was generally well-received by critics, and PF.Magic reused its graphics technology in the Petz line of virtual pet titles (Dogz, Catz and Oddballz).

• Title — Ballz 3D • Developer — PF.Magic • Platforms — Genesis/Mega Drive, Super NES, 3DO • Released — Genesis/Mega Drive Super NES 3DO • Genre — Fighting • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer

The idea to use spheres to represent characters in the game was proposed by lead programmer Keith Kirby; the development team decided on implementing the idea as it would save processor power, as well as the fact that characters would look the same regardless of the angle the camera is situated at when they are constructed from spheres, which are also relatively quite easy to represent in the game's code. The Genesis/Mega Drive version was originally intended for use with the Edge 16, a modem system for multiplayer gaming which was eventually cancelled. The opening PF.Magic developed for the game stated "To be the champion, you gotta have Ballz!". Due to its racy double-entendre ("balls" may be used as a slang term for testicles), Nintendo demanded the wording be changed for the SNES version. The SNES version of the game states "...you gotta play Ballz", while the Sega version uses the original intro. The game was also notably bizarre for its lineup of fighters, which included a farting monkey, a jumping clown, a sumo wrestler, an ostrich, a caveman, a bodybuilder, a ballerina, a rhinoceros, and a "superhero".

These are the characters in the game's lineup of fighters: • Boomer: A clown from the circus. His air jumps and the tricks up his sleeves make him the most humorous fighter. • Bruiser: A bodybuilder who gets quite a workout. His buffed-up body and powerful blows make him a formidable fighter. • Crusher: An enraged rhinoceros who prefers to charge at his opponents directly. • Divine: A ballerina dancer who twirls around gracefully. She's the only female fighter and will sometimes give a spanking. • Kronk: A caveman from the dawn of civilization. He uses his club to cut his opponents down to size and hits them like a baseball. • Tsunami: A sumo wrestler who enjoys leaping on top of his opponents. • Turbo: A superhero who glides along the arena and blows as strongly as a hurricane. • Yoko: A monkey who often breaks wind. He enjoys ganging up on the opponent and slapping them silly. • Zombie: Only appears in the Director's Cut version of the game. He stalks and slashes at his enemies.

These are the bosses who appear in One-Player mode. Each boss defeated earns a different colored belt, and these change the fighter's coloring scheme. • Guggler: The first boss in the game. Guggler is an ostrich who pecks at her opponents and tosses them around with her beak. Her "jump and kick" ability also makes her a boss to be reckoned with. Defeating her wins the Red Belt. • Bounder: The second boss of the game. Bounder is a kangaroo who wears boxing gloves and uses punches and kicks. He often jumps around and balances on his tail while using his legs to fling opponents across the arena. Defeating him wins the Green Belt. • T-Wrecks: The third boss in the game. T-Wrecks is a gigantic dinosaur who relies on an aggressive temperament as an attack. He will grab opponents in his jaws and creates devastating ground shock waves with a powerful tail. Defeating him wins the Blue Belt. • Lamprey: The fourth boss of the game. Lamprey is a mystical genie whose swift attacks and magical powers make him a formidable foe. He possesses the ability to turn himself into a variety of animals, such as El Ballz the bull, Spike the scorpion, or Byte Viper the snake. Defeating him wins the Black Belt. • The Jester: The ultimate boss. The Jester is the one who challenged the fighters to duel in the tournament at the start. He dons a "black-and-white outfit and can be seen juggling balls in the opening. As the final boss, he is the most difficult character to beat. He can disassemble himself and move about the floor, and has physical attacks that are very strong. The damage he does can take off much of the player's health. After being defeated for the first time, he reassembles and comes back for more. When the Jester finally falls, he grants the fighter's wish - to play as the bosses.