Speedball 2 remake on the way

A remake of Bitmap's 16-bit classic Speedball 2 is coming to the PC this Autumn, Frogster Interactive has announced.

Once again you'll be able to customise your brutal team of steroid-pumped athletes, and participate either offline against the computer, or online in international leagues. You'll be rewarded with a place in a large-scale ranking system, plus you'll also be able to blow your hard-earned cash in an online marketplace.

All the charm of the gory original will be re-created, and Bitmap Brothers' Mike Montgomery is set to lead development of the game.

There's no word on console versions just yet, though a spokesperson for Frogster told Eurogamer this morning it was something the publisher was keen to do, particularly for Xbox 360.

Originally released on the Amiga back in 1991, the game is a brutal futuristic sport played by two teams of six with a steel ball on a steel court. There are virtually no rules, so fierce melee attacks that smash through the opposing lines are a solid and text-book tactic.

The aim of the game is simply to throw the ball in the goal at the other end of the court, picking up power-ups and cash as you do, which allows you to improve your team's stats and equipment as the season progresses.

We loved the original, so our fingers are well and truly crossed for this remake.