Dodgeball Academia is a hodgepodge of a lot of different ideas from video games to other media like anime. The best way to describe it would be to liken its style and gameplay to My Hero Academia, Pokemon, and Mario. The My Hero Academia reference comes into place as the main character, Otto, attends a school full of weird characters with special skills in the dodgeball field.
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They’re not exactly superheroes like Deku, but they are pretty close. The music and tone are very reminiscent of Pokemon minus the collecting of monsters. The Mario comes into play as the game is reminiscent of the series’ many whacky sports spinoffs, though Nintendo has never done anything involving dodgeball to this degree. That game almost happened though via Super Mario Spikers. That’s the basic setup but let’s get into how Dodgeball Academia is actually played as well as some early tips for this new Switch RPG.
10 It’s Not Just A Dodgeball Game
Dodgeball Academia is a hodgepodge of many genres but the most basic way one can explain it is to call it an action RPG. Otto, the main character, is transferred to this dodgeball enthused school and instantly thrust into a series of adventures.
Instead of turn-based combat, battles are fought out through quick dodgeball games. It really is quite the packed RPG with a really unique idea for a story that’s funny too, thanks to the charming diverse cast of characters.
9 There Is Multiplayer, But It’s Not That Kind Of A Game
If one was hoping that the story mode was secondary to the multiplayer mode, think again. Right now there is only local multiplayer and it’s only one mode so far.
The more one plays through the story, the more one will unlock in the versus mode including new characters and ball types. It’s fine aside from the core game, but don’t pick this up expecting it to be the next whacky sports game like Rocket League.
8 Accessible Damage Settings
The game starts off pretty easy, but a few hours in players will really have to start earning their spot in this prestigious school. For those worried that this sports RPG may be too difficult, don’t worry.
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Dodgeball Academia can literally be as easy or as hard as one wants it to be thanks to a sliding scale of damage. At any time, even in the middle of a match, players can increase or deceased damage taken or damage thrown. The scale goes from 0 to 400 which makes this a very accessible RPG.
7 Learn To Maximize Rolling
There is no fast travel for the first couple hours of Dodgeball Academia which can be annoying. Thankfully Otto comes equipped with a rolling technique similar to Samus Aran from Metroid.
It’s funny to witness, especially if players crash into objects. Hitting the “A” button on Switch will start the momentum going which builds up over time. One may not know tapping “A” will further boost his speed as it adds a sort of bounce to the animation.
6 Do Every Quest/Challenge
Dodgeball Academia is very much like the Pokemon series in several ways. For example, every morning after waking up, the school will be littered with student challengers.
If players cross their path they will run after Otto and challenge him to a duel just like the encounters in the Pokemon games. The music intro is even similar. Don’t ever try to avoid these battles or the side quests. There are very few ways to level up or gain money early on in the game so every battle counts.
5 Retrying And Saving
Besides the adjustable damage scale, Dodgeball Academia is also very forgiving upon losing. If players die it is never game over. Players can retry the battle in defeat or at any time during the battle. The one thing they cannot do is back out right before the match.
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Players can do this if they save though, so always be diligent about manual saving. It doesn’t take very long and can help you out of a bind. One never knows how a match will be set up so it’s a good idea to be over-prepared in Dodgeball Academia.
4 Be Wary Of The Center Line
A one-on-one match can be pretty easy even if the opponent is strong. All players have to do is keep their eye on one other player. The more opponents or allies that are in a fight, the harder the game can become.
The number of effects onscreen can be daunting at times due to the sheer chaos. The center line is the most dangerous area of Dodgeball Academia. It may be tempting to go for a ball there, but it’s also very hard to react so close to the enemy’s area.
3 Master Dodging Before Countering
Dodgeball Academia shares a lot with Cris Tales which is another recent Switch RPG. The art style is one element, as is the action. That game is a turn-based RPG, but players can add an extra oomph to attacks or counters with the press of a button.
In this game, players can counter dodgeballs by catching or kicking them which is kind of close to Cris Tales’ idea. It takes a lot of to get these counters right so it might be best to actually master dodging before countering.
2 Look Out For Trashcan Chests
There are traditional RPG chests in Dodgeball Academia but they are locked for a portion of the game. There are other chests that are easier to grab, but they are not obvious.
These chests look like trashcans. In order to open them up, a dodgeball must be thrown at them. This is seemingly one of the reasons why there are so many dodgeballs scattered around the world. If one finds a dodgeball then chances are a trash chest could be nearby.
1 Strike From Above
The three main characters of Dodgeball Academia are Otto, Mina, and Balloony. Otto and Balloony can jump but Mina can roll in battle. She’s also the one that can counter dodgeballs with a kick rather than a grab. Jumping may not seem as valuable as a roll at first in battle but dodgeballs can indeed be evaded this way.
Another great thing about jumping is that players can strike from above which can leave opponents stupefied. There are even items that will increase damage if balls are thrown from above. Don’t discount this strategy especially for Balloony who has a long reach.
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