Much can be said about King Oddball, and calling it boring is definitely not one of them. The small studio 10tons Ltd. have been on a roll recently giving us some awesome smaller games that have been keeping us busy while waiting on the train, or just trying to kill time at home. King Oddball joins games like Sparkle on the Xbox One platform. King Oddball takes on the same playstyle that made Angry Birds popular, but with some funny quirks added.
The main premise of the game is based on you, playing as King Oddball, a gigantic monkey ball with a massive tongue. You’re on a mission to conquer the world, and using your very elastic tongue you throw rocks at the armies of the world until you conquer one sector after the other.
The title offers several hours of gameplay, and the puzzles can become quite challenging. You start off each level with three rocks, and with some skill you can destroy up to 6 tanks, helicopters and soldiers with these rocks. If you play well, the game rewards you with additional golden rocks.
Beyond that, the game has several challenges that you can work towards. For instance there is a Diamond challenge. Each of these lay scattered across the map and will give you even more playtime beyond the main mission.
10tons Ltd. does not disappoint with King Oddball, and as a small indie studio they seem to know how to make games that are fun to play and complete. During my playthrough I didn’t experience any bugs, or strange physics. I would however suggest that they make the main map a bit more engaging. The standard grid of sectors is very efficient but does not make you want to explore further. Add some flair!
Summary
King Oddball is fun and engaging, and will give anyone who wants to take it on several hours of gameplay. It gives you challenging puzzles that are satisfying. Achievements aren’t too hard to unlock if you’re looking for a few hundred Gamerscore. Graphics and sound aren’t the best I’ve seen but suit the title well. If Angry Birds is your cup of tea, then King Oddball will be there to fill your cup. It’s very addictive.
Dreyer was a regular ICXM contributor between 2016–2017, publishing 139 articles across opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news. Their work focused on hands-on reviews, platform commentary, and breaking-news reporting during the Xbox One X launch year and Microsoft’s wider Play Anywhere / UWP gaming initiative. They post on X as @dreyer_smit.