Basketbelle Review

The power of basketball will bring my family back together

I’m not a person that’s big on sports. I find them boring to watch. The only time I actually went to a live game was due to it being a school trip so why not go. When I did try a sports game years ago I did not see the appeal to buy it and keep playing it. I’m not sure why I decided to pick up BasketBelle when I did, but I do not regret it.

While this may be a sports game, it does not primarily focus on Basketball, but the story. You play as the older brother whose father just gave him his own basketball and afterwards a game of Basketball with your little sister, Basketbelle. In the middle of the game, the basketball bounces out of the court and while you were retrieving it, Basketbelle goes missing. Not wanting to go in without Basketbelle, and feeling something wrong is happening, you follow a trail to bring her back.

Each chapter has it’s own way of incorporating Basketball directly with what is happening. You might be going against an opponent traditionally, but it will occasionally change that depending on what happened. Such as when you were swallowed, you transverse the insides that would turn into a short puzzle platformer section so you can pave an empty path to throw your basketball. No matter what, you will get what you have to do easily and the game is responsive enough for you to do move at the last second. Which is good considering there will be many situations where you will have to slide under something, or someone, and jump over obstacles to throw or dunk your basketball to score a point.

This is a very beautiful game, both in sound, visuals, and the story it provides. As someone that do not seek to play sport games, this was one that I couldn’t help but finish in one setting. I had to see what happened to Basketbelle and the hardships you had to face to get to her. You also easily get the strong feeling of family and the love that they all have for each other that drove your character to seek out his sister as far as he does. Granted this might not be worth $5 with how short this is, I do recommend picking this up.