It would not matter that there aren’t any massive new video games in January as a result of you may simply play 744 hours of Ball x Pit as an alternative

After sinking method too many hours into a few of 2025’s large hits like Arc Raiders and Battlefield 6 over the vacation season, I might reached crucial fatigue and determined to step again and play one thing a lot smaller in scope. One thing fast and easy for a palate cleanser, you realize the drill.

Mistakenly, I picked Ball x Pit, an indie roguelike I might ignored when it launched again in October 2025 regardless of it promoting 300,000 copies in simply 5 days. What I assumed can be a small distraction from the principle meal has now utterly consumed me.

On the brilliant aspect, it is January, that means that whereas there’s solely a handful of video games popping out, I am sorted over right here taking part in a roguelike pinball model of Vampire Survivors.

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Ball X Pit assessment: A wild and extreme mash-up of roguelike motion, metropolis constructing, and an entire lot of ball-bouncing

Ball-bouncing, city-building, off-the-wall roguelike Ball X Pit is a large hit, promoting 300,000 copies in simply its first 5 days on sale

Ball X Pit is getting not only one however three free updates in 2026, including new characters, buildings, evolutions, and naturally extra balls

Mainly, you are consistently capturing bouncing balls at hordes of enemies earlier than they attain you, unlocking extra balls as you go till you are masking the display with vibrant pixels. It is easy, however determining the very best angle to get balls bouncing worms deep into your mind.

Every ball and passive merchandise is already artistic in its personal proper: Some move by means of enemies, inflict statuses, or have bonus results from bouncing. Most impressively, although, these balls might be mixed and advanced to make much more devilish combos, like mashing Bomb and Poison balls collectively to create a Nuclear Bomb, which explodes on contact and applies radiation to all enemies.

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What if I instructed you that the ball-bouncing slickness solely bought slicker from right here? Properly, it does, as a result of there’s (at present) 16 characters to unlock, and each has a novel trait that breaks the foundations. The Repentant, for instance, offers extra harm every time a ball bounces, however it’ll instantly return to you as soon as it hits the again wall. Being two individuals in a single, The Cohabitants shoot balls in mirrored instructions however deal half harm. The Shade shoots balls from the again of the map, making them a really dangerous character till you perceive what number of construct alternatives this distinctive trait opens for you.

There are additionally map-specific situations to throw a spanner within the works, just like the snowy degree that includes enemies with ice shields that block harm from completely different sides, encouraging you to grasp ball bouncing.

Oh, and it is also half city-builder. Between rounds, you will want to reap sources and assemble new buildings to both unlock characters or present everlasting upgrades. In fact, that is additionally a artistic recreation of pinball, as a result of why would not or not it’s? Optimally place your constructions, then lob your employees on the excellent angle to stumble upon as many objects as doable, then reap the rewards of your metropolis planning.

One of many primary explanation why I at all times need to do ‘only one extra’ spherical? I get to do yet another harvest run. If you may make what’s successfully an improve menu a enjoyable place that I truly need to be in, then you definately’ve struck gold.

Frankly, I assumed I used to be getting bored with the roguelike system, however as we have seen artistic combos like roguelike-meets-deckbuilder, there’s someway at all times a brand new spin to get you roped again in. Ball x Pit not at all reinvents the style, however it’s bought loads of recent concepts and spins on current ideas to have me glued to my ROG Ally over my extra highly effective PC.

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