Power Balls

Power Balls is a two-player ball and paddle game released in 1994 by Playmark. Players control paddles at the bottom of the screen to volley a ball against their opponent, aiming to score points by maneuvering it past the other player’s defense. The game utilizes a horizontal screen resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and a palette of 512 colors for its visuals. The gameplay is reminiscent of classic Pong titles, but with a modern twist designed for two simultaneous players vying for victory. Each player uses an eight-way joystick to direct their paddle, attempting to anticipate the ball’s trajectory and return it strategically. The game features a Motorola 68000 processor managing the main functions alongside an I8051 chip. Notably, Power Balls was also distributed as a conversion kit for the “Super Slam” arcade cabinet, allowing existing machines to be upgraded with its gameplay experience. A team of individuals including D. Marchi and L. Benvenuto contributed to the game's development, bringing together programming, graphics, sound, and hardware expertise.