Ball Boy is an infamous arcade bootleg that completely reskins the classic single-screen platformer gameplay of Snow Bros. with a soccer theme. Created to cash in on the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the game replaces the familiar snowballs with soccer balls. Player 1 takes control of a character wearing the Mexico national team uniform, while Player 2 wears the South Korea kit. Underneath the unauthorized themeโwhich notoriously features stolen background assets from various other gamesโthe core loop remains the same: trap enemies in balls and kick them to clear the stage.
How to Play
Your objective is to clear each single-screen stage by defeating all the enemies before the timer runs out. Instead of freezing enemies with snow, you pelt them with soccer balls until they are completely trapped in a giant ball. Once an enemy is fully encased, walk up and kick them to send the ball ricocheting around the screen, crushing other enemies in its path.
- Movement: Use the Arrow Keys to run and jump around the platforms.
- Throw: Press Z to throw soccer balls at enemies. Keep tapping to fully inflate them.
- Jump: Press X to jump.
- Start/Insert Coin: Use Shift to insert a coin and Enter to start.
Tips
- Combo Kicks: Try to trap a single enemy at the top of the level, then kick it so it bounces downward and takes out the rest of the enemies on screen. This rewards you with bonus items and extra points.
- Don’t Linger: If you take too long to clear a stage, an invincible ghost will appear and chase you down, forcing you to lose a life.
- Potions: Keep an eye out for colored potion bottles dropped by defeated enemies. These can increase your speed, boost your throw distance, or inflate your soccer balls much faster.
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