Super Volleyball
System: Genesis
Release Date: August 1991
Developer: Video System
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Sports
Be the strongest spiker in Super Volleyball! This port of the TG-16 game of the same name plays exactly the same, but may be slightly easier to control. Pick one of eight countries that you want to lead to the top of the World League, then bump, set, and spike your way to greatness.
It’s literally the same game that came out over a year before. Choose how many points you actually want to play to. The default is still starting a game at 10 – 10, which should really tell you plenty of how the developers even felt about the game. You begin each point with a serve, which the other side will bump by pressing the A Button. This is followed by an automatic set, and then you can jump and spike it. Holding a direction will change the trajectory and pressing up will dink it over if the defender is ready for it or the blockers are timing it correctly.
I could get a service ace half the time with the jumping serve. The other half of the time, I’d miss it completely… While technically, the game works, it’s just not exciting, which means it’s boring. The Japanese team players are all named after car companies. That’s silly.
Graphics: 1.5
The graphics haven’t improved in a year and a half.
Sound: 1.5
There’s some music now, which isn’t bad, but not worth listening to.
Gameplay: 1.5
I found it easier to pull spikes and blocks off this time around, but it’s still not good.
Difficulty: 2.0
I was able to beat on the computer, instead of getting murdered in three straight sets.
Fun Factor: 1.0
This isn’t a fun game, especially when there are other volleyball games that play well.
Overall Rating: 1.5
Super Volleyball earns a C-. Despite a worse score, it’s better than the TG-16 version. If you want to play this game, do it on the Genesis.