Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get back into some classic console gaming lately. Specifically, I had this craving to play a volleyball game. I dusted off the old console, hooked it up, and then realized…I didn’t actually have any volleyball games.
So, first thing I did was hit up some online forums. I wanted to see what other people were playing, what the recommendations were. I scrolled through a bunch of threads, saw some names I recognized, some I didn’t. It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest.
After looking at the suggestions I decided on a game. I found a copy of the game at a reasonable price, and ordered it.
A couple of days later, the package arrived! I was pretty excited. I ripped open the box, grabbed the game, and popped it into the console.
The intro screen came up, all pixelated and glorious. The music was exactly as cheesy as I remembered console game music being. I navigated the menus – pretty simple stuff, just “start game,” “options,” that sort of thing.
Getting into the Game
I chose my team (went with a classic, of course) and started a match. The controls were…well, let’s just say they took some getting used to. I fumbled around for a bit, missed a few easy shots, and generally looked like a total noob.
- Bump: It is a lot easier than I recall, just hit the button.
- Set: Another button, easy to use, hard to master the positioning.
- Spike: Figuring out the timing was the trickiest part. I kept hitting it too early or too late.
- Block: This was mostly about anticipation, trying to guess where the opponent was going to spike.
After a few rounds, I started to get the hang of it. I managed to string together a few points, even won a couple of games! It wasn’t pretty, but it was progress.
Overall, it was a blast from the past. It definitely scratched that retro gaming itch. It’s not the most sophisticated game, but it’s fun, and that’s all that really matters, right? Now I just need to practice my spiking…
