"Time is right" for Speedball 2 remake
The Bitmaps pipe up.
Bitmap Brothers' managing director Mike Montgomery has told Eurogamer that now is the right time for a Speedball 2 remake, one that will go head-to-head with the biggest and best the games industry has to offer.
"No one has yet made a clone of Speedball 2 that works," Montgomery told us. "I have been asked so many times to bring back Speedball 2 and now the time is right. With all the enhancements we're adding, it will appeal to old and new players."
"The key to Speedball 2 is that it's quick to learn and immediately fun to play. Get a few beers, pizza, and some friends, then you can have a great competition all night."
The secret to its promised success is the online master plan, which is designed around a unique game-centre, speedball2.com. This acts as both a communication and information platform for the title, offering news, matchmaking, and a marketplace to buy new armour and equipment for your team.
"Players not only read the latest news on the message board, they also see a list of their friends connected and the list of public games created. They can directly get in touch with their friends and send an invitation to a player or a clan," he added. "On the marketplace within Speedball2.com players will be able to acquire features like special armour, items and weaponry, or purchase cool merchandising and fan articles."
"I expect to see players getting together in all parts of the world, joining each other in clans to compete in world tournaments."
The game is due out in the autumn and we can expect a demo this summer. Whilst this remake will only be available on PC, Montgomery says he has designs for each console and that it won't be long until we hear about them.
Originally released on the Amiga back in 1991, Speedball 2 is a brutal futuristic sport played by two teams of nine with a steel ball on a steel court. There are virtually no rules, so fierce melee attacks that smash through the opposing lines and faces are a solid and text-book tactic.
Keep an eye on the Speedball 2 website for emerging information.