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Madballs in Babo: Invasion

EMAIL PRINT xbox360

9.7 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 41 critic reviews
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Based on 18 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Playbrains

Genre(s): Action

Players: 16

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: July 15, 2009

Summary

[Xbox Live Arcade] Combat revolved! In Madballs in … Babo: Invasion, campaign across distant worlds either solo or with four-player online co-op, taking no prisoners in your wake. Challenge your friends (and your enemies) to see who's the baddest ball on the planet in no-holds-barred 16-player multiplayer arenas with freaky characters or with your own Xbox 360 Avatar! Or really push your limits and try your hand at Invasion Mode where combatants create the very worlds where they wage war. Dozens of unique character classes, weapons, special abilities, worlds, unlocks, secrets, maps, and game modes give you limitless gameplay! [Microsoft]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

MS Xbox World

When it’s all said and done, MIBI is a blast to play. The single player mode is robust, and the competitive multiplayer portion of the title will keep players coming back for more.

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XGN

Madballs is a fun game which is very accessible for every gamer. It looks good and plays really smoothly, it's absolutely worth every penny it costs!

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GameFocus

Madballs in Babo: Invasion is everything you want in an arcade shooter. The fast paced gameplay mixed with the abundance of online modes make this easily recommendable for any fans of hardcore shooting action. It’s just unfortunate that the Madballs license doesn’t play a bigger part.

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GameShark

Madballs in Babo's weapons offer a lot of variety and are the main source of fun in the game.

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GamingXP

Madballs in: BABO Invasion is a good game with small problems. The arcade title follows the slogan simple but clever. If you want to have a little fun and action with your friends, this game should do it.

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Cheat Code Central

If you like third-person arcade shooters, and you have found yourself getting board with the relative dearth of gameplay opportunities this summer, take a look at Madballs in… Babo: Invasion - you'll be glad you did.

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Games Radar (in-house)

You’ll find all the standard deathmatch and team options available alongside a few unique modes.

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GamePro

Madballs offers a complete package for $10 but because of a lacking online community you will be playing most of the game in single player mode. Overall, Madballs is worth a purchase if you are looking for a fast paced shooter.

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TeamXbox

At its very least, a very entertaining game with a tenuously attached license that few people probably care about. But at its best, it's an old-school type of shooter that rewards players hungry for beating their own high scores and those willing to try some very innovative multiplayer design.

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WonderwallWeb

Madballs in Babo: Invasion is a very unique game with some rather addictive, in not a little odd multiplayer gaming. It's welll worth the asking price.

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ZTGameDomain

Madballs in Babo: Invasion is chock full of fast-paced action that is certain to delight twitch gamers alike. If you enjoy online shooters and have a thirst for something a little different and inexpensive, this could easily satisfy your appetite.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

Surprisingly slick with excellent online play.

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DarkZero

It’s fast, colourful and most of all fun, and at the bargain price of 800 MS points (£6.40 in real money) you can’t really go wrong. A must buy for fans of fast paced arcade shooters.

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Totally360

It’s certainly not perfect, but the impressive visuals, straightforward yet complex gameplay and range of different game types ensure there’s something for everyone to get their teeth into.

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Gamervision

It's a meaty package, providing a lengthy singleplayer portion and a multiplayer that, if tweaked a bit, should provide a wealth of replayability.

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Impulsegamer

In conclusion, Madballs in Babo is an interesting game that throws a new spin on classic third person shooters and this game would not look out of place on a Nintendo Wii, however thankfully it’s on the XBox. An interesting game that unfortunately becomes a tad too repetitive, however it’s definitely worth the entry price.

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NZGamer

Madballs may not be the flashiest, most original game on Xbox Live, but it's certainly the ballsiest. Seriously though, the single player game is a decent playthrough that gets better with a couple more players.

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IGN

This simple arena shooter is surprisingly fun. It includes robust single- and multiplayer modes with lots to unlock, and just rolling around blasting stuff is entertaining.

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Console Monster

If you want a simple but yet responsive shooter with some cracking controls, then Madballs is the one to download. I still felt slightly under-whelmed overall however by the experience.

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Gaming Age

The game has a decent online and offline mode, enough action to keep everything interesting, and has enough characters and weapons to make it worth the purchase.

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GameSpot

Fast-paced multiplayer with a dash of strategic depth gets Madballs rolling, but stuttering visuals and lag issues may bring your fun to a screeching halt.

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Video Game Talk

The game is simply a blast to play and it’s one of those games where you can drop hours into and not even realize it.

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Edge Magazine

A simple, finely tuned and comprehensive shooter that only rarely wobbles. [Sept 2009, p.100]

RealGamer

As a single player experience Madballs isn’t a terribly exciting offering, serving a pretty much run of the mill gaming experience we’ve all seen before. However, it’s multiplayer component more then makes up for its shortcomings providing one of the most fun and frantic playing experiences I’ve encountered lately.

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X360 Magazine UK

In short, it's competent. [Issue#49, p.103]

Gamer.nl

Madballs is very enjoyable, but also very simple. While the singleplayer delivers with funny characters and great variety in weapons, the multiplayer is a letdown thanks to the fact that not enough people are online playing the game. It’s a shame, because it could have made the lasting appeal of the game that much longer.

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Eurogamer Portugal

Madballs in Babo: Invasion is a fun shooter that won’t last too long. And after finishing the main mode, there is no reason to get back to it apart from the Online mode, that won’t also last forever.

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Level7.nu

Madballs in Babo is as the name implies a quirky arcade shooting game. It doesn't bring anything really new to the table, and what's offered is in no way innovative or especially impressive. But if you're in the market for an oddball shooter, this title will entertain, if only for a little while.

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My Gamer

If you and three of your Live friends are looking for a game to pickup that allows you to blow a lot of stuff up with fun weapons you can’t go wrong with this purchase.

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Gamers' Temple

Arcade shooter fans may enjoy taking this one for a roll and a spin.

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Official Xbox Magazine

It basically boils down to Marble Madness with guns. [Oct 2009, p.80]

Worth Playing

Altogether, Madballs in Babo: Invasion is a pretty decent shooter for XBLA, but it's something that I could only see myself playing as a temporary distraction from the heavy hitters available on the system.

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Destructoid

A relatively decent shooter that is better than it has the right to be, but certainly won't be considered a classic of the XBLA platform. If you absolutely love shooters and want to play every last one, then this will be worth a purchase.

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Gamer Limit

Unless you're a die-hard shooter fan, it's really hard to recommend picking up Madballs in Babo: Invasion. While the game controls like a dream, it just isn't much fun to play.

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Eurogamer

There's just not enough depth and nuance here to sustain prolonged play.

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AceGamez

Invasion manages to veer wildly over the okay line; occasionally brilliant, oft times frustrating and more often than not simply dull, there's a decent game somewhere beneath the surface, but it's lost amidst bad decisions, repetitive gameplay and a drivelling mythos that very few people will care about.

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Boomtown

Madballs in... Babo: Invasion isn't going to blow anyone away. The name is fairly ridiculous and the whole Madballs fad is long-gone, but there beats an enjoyable shooter underneath the bland, uninspired exterior.

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Everyeye.it

A standard action/platform. An old fashioned formula, with the twist of Multiplayer (partially ruined by lag).

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Gameplayer Sweden

The campaign is mediocre at best and the game is pretty ugly, but the online game modes are fun and bring plenty of entertainment. For what you get, even with the standard price of 800 MS points, it may hurt your wallet just a little too much though.

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Game Revolution

Madballs in: Baboo Invasion's main problem is that it feels generic, even though the characters are so different than you would expect in a shooter.

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Eurogamer Spain

The basic idea is quite good, but the way it's implemented in the game is highly doubtful.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.7 (out of 10) based on 18 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jacob A gave it a9:
For an Xbox Live Arcade game, this game is worthy of your 800 ms points. I had never heard of the "Babo" games, but i instantly fell in love with the demo, and bought the game 10 minutes later. The game is oustanding, probably one of the best arcade games i've ever bought, period. The campaign was decent, but the real fun is in the multiplayer. Although I wish there were more of a online community for this game. The graphics are outstanding, the gameplay is smooth, everything in this game comes together perfectly, like a puzzle. can't give this game a perfect 10, only because of the lag issues the game has, anyone that plays it knows what i'm talking about.

Dakota E gave it a10:
As a long time babo enthusiast I am very pleased with the game. Its rare that a company will go out of its way to constantly keep its fans thoughts in mind. This game at its very least is a great time killer, and at its most, THE best Xbox Live Arcade game to ever hit the marketplace. Looking forward to watching the community evolve as it has done with the BaboViolent 2 community. (Go check it out, for a nice prequel to Invasion). , Asmo out.

David C. gave it a10:
Wow. This was maybe the biggest surprise I've had gaming, really. Who thought a "Madballs" game was a good idea? It autodownloaded last night and I figured I would give it a few minutes before I deleted it. About 10 hours later I almost called in sick today to keep playing. The multiplayer is so addicting! Can't wait to play again tonight. I worry not enough people will buy it to keep enough people playing though.

Easy E gave it a9:
Honestly I thought this was crap until I tried it and it's so much fun!!! There is a lot of depth to all the characters, the crazy special abilities like vomit that gives you health, zapping weapons out of enemy hands, turning into a giant and rolling over other players and a science grenade!? This game is the most fun I've had on Xbox live for a long time. The single player is great and long, but the game really shines on multiplayer, you can even play your avatar, or play an invasion game mode where you build your map before you play. For 800 points this is the best game right now on XBLA, pick it up!!

Mandy G. gave it a10:
Easy to learn and hard to put down! The graphics are great, and being omeone who generally doesn't like shooters, I'm really surprised at how hooked I am on this game!

David V. gave it a10:
The feel of Marble Blast Ultra, with the 'run n gun' of Wipeout/MarioKart. A winning combination. Lots of unlockables, campaign chapters, multiplayer maps, game modes(4-player co-op!) and Avatar implementation! Ever wanted to know what it's like to decapitate a friend's Avatar and blow up their heads into a bunch of pieces of confetti? Download Madballs!

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Madballs in Babo: Invasion

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