I’m always on the lookout for incredible roguelikes, and Go Mecha Ball started this year with a bang. You bounce around the levels in this fast-paced twin-stick shooter, flawlessly swapping between pinball and mech forms in some of the smoothest controls the genre has on offer. Drenched in bright neon and filled with banging tunes, you hit enemies, walls, and boost pads before quickly popping off shots and racing around the stage again. The Steam and Game Pass release was already a lot of fun, and now an update and sale make it the perfect time to dive in.
I’ve already lost too much time to Hades 2 this year while deciding to dive back into Enter the Gungeon, but this update has just enough to pull me back into Go Mecha Ball. There’s a frenetic pace to the game’s combat, and just enough weapons, upgrades, and abilities to keep each run feeling fresh. The core movement is what sells it though, as I’ve not played a twin-stick shooter with nearly as slick controls.
Go Mecha Ball’s new update adds an arcade mode to the roguelike game, so once you’ve beaten your first run you can go on a score-chasing mission. You’ll get permanent upgrades and new skins for each character by earning medals as well, so it’s the perfect way to master GMB’s truly incredible controls.
While a little smaller in scope than the likes of Dead Cells, Hades, and Slay the Spire, Go Mecha Ball actually uses this to its advantage. You’re not going to get lost in this roguelike for weeks, but that means it won’t overstay its welcome either.
If none of that has sold you on Go Mecha Ball yet, you’re cast as an anthropomorphic cat that pilots a mech that turns into a giant metal hamster ball putting Overwatch’s Hammond to shame. Think Super Monkey Ball if they gave AiAi a Glock, or Sonic if they gave him an MP5 – oh wait, they already did that back in 2005 with Shadow. My point still stands, though; it’s fast action in the vein of those games but with a lot more shooting.
Go Mecha Ball is 40% off on Steam until Friday June 14, so expect to pay $11.99 / £10.19 until then right here. The roguelike is also available on PC and Xbox via Game Pass, so you can play it at no extra cost if you’re a subscriber.
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