Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure

A fun dodgeball party game with a Minecraft aesthetic. In every mission you'll be trying to take out your enemies with a ball (as well as mushrooms, exploding boxes, and jellyfish) until you're the last player standing. And it all takes place on a beach, an oil rig... and even in Hell. A great game for the family.

Here's a game that doesn't look like much, but one that’s so much fun it's definitely worth playing. Behind its retro look and cuboid characters, Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure serves up a fantastic and totally off-the-wall party game.

Stikbold! is a game that looks very much like the dodgeball you played at school, with a few important differences.

Up to three teams face off in a round arena, with the aim of knocking the opposing players out of the game with a carefully aimed throw of the ball. Hit a player once, and stars appear above their head; then you need to hit them again – before the stars disappear – to knock them out of the game. The first team to win three rounds wins the match.

Your coach (who serves as a tutorial) will gradually teach you the more advanced techniques, like the trajectory of your shots.

Our favourite part? That the controls are as straightforward as the rules, and immediately intuitive. This is a game that anyone can play, even people who don't usually play video games.

We loved the story mode. You play on the same team as Bjorn (a clone of Bjorn Borg, who even gets a mention in the credits), and Jerome. Your team lost the championship last year, and your trainer is now pushing you to walk away with the trophy in this year's competition. But then your opponents in the final, and the previous year's champions (a team that includes Bjorn's girlfriend), are kidnapped by the devil himself... and so starts your perilous quest to save them.

In some scenarios you'll need to hit a minibus with your ball, before taking on all of the passengers. In other levels, you'll be fighting with a giant great white shark, before finally confronting the devil in person. What more could you want?

As you'll no doubt have noticed, this is in no way a realistic sports sim!

Our tip to help you on your way? If one of your teammates gets knocked out, you can bring them back into the game by giving them a high five, but be warned: it takes a bit of time.

The story takes about three hours to complete the 12 missions, and there's no time to get bored. The pace is maintained through a variety of crazy boss fights, and then there's the environmental dangers to avoid, as well as the features that you can use as cover and items to pick up.

If you fall over after getting hit in the back, you can always exact your revenge from beyond the grave by taking control of obstacles from outside the ring and making life hard for those still in the game.

You can play the campaign in single-player, but it's much more fun in co-op mode on the sofa. And the fun doesn't end when you complete the campaign. There's a "versus" mode where up to four players can compete in different team configurations. Versus mode also includes a series of different arenas, and a whole selection of playable characters to unlock.

The colourful graphics are a cross between Minecraft and South Park, but don't let that put you off: we guarantee you'll love this polished party game experience.