Ever since Indie games started to become more and more relevant, we have seen all kinds of games, action, adventure, and RPG to name a few.  If there is an indie game in said genre,  I couldn’t be happier. Because I really love Indie games, they offer affordable takes on multitude of genres.  They are not only affordable, but they are games that show that you don’t need cash loads of money to make a memorable and successful game. Among those games, there are some unique and quirky releases.  One of those is Slam Land.

Slam Land fuses the mechanics of a versus battle game like Smash Bros. with sports-like objectives like getting a ball across a hoop similar to basketball. Honestly, I am really surprised by the fluid game play and wacky characters in this unique iteration on the party genre.

Slam Land has four different game modes: Slam Tour, Peanut, Horse, and Trash.  In Slam Tour, you are pitted against three more players (human or CPU) in five different stages that are chosen randomly in a best out of five format.  You have no input on the options except for choosing the CPU level and time between stages.  Slam tour is a sample of the different modes that you can play and is certainly the place to start. All game modes follow a simple rule: throw either the other player or an item depending of the mode to the score a hoop. Doing so grants you points and, depending on the mode, the one who scores more points when the time is up wins.

The control scheme used in Slam Land is similar to Smash.  You jump with either A or B.  You do an evade with L or R, pressing forward or backward while pressing L or R.  Your character will do a evading roll. With X, you can do an uppercut to throw another player to the air, and with Y you can do a grab. The grab is Slam Land biggest mechanic, since whenever you grab another player, an arrow will appear that you can move to control the direction in which you can throw it.  If you do an uppercut first and you manage to hit multiple players, you can do a double or even triple dunk, giving you more points.

Each of the different modes follow this set of rules but with different twists.  In Peanut, instead of dunking other players, you need to grab a peanut that randomly appears on the stage.  When you have it, a number appears and increases for as long as you have it.  Higher numbers grant more points. In Horse, letters randomly appear on the stage, and the player who can spell HORSE in the time granted.  In Trash, you pick trash bags, earning more points the more bags you have.  However, with many bags your speed decreases, so you need have a balance between speed and earning the maximum amount of points.  And in Quick Slam, you can choose between all different modes and options and there is even a Stock mode for those who like to show supremacy since the beginning.  With the different modes Slam Land has to offer, there is surely something to appeal to everyone.

Graphically, Slam Land is colorful and full of details, like the giant worm and the different hues on each background.  Even the characters are in a whole other level, from a cosmic looking human to a mandragora-like character, to a dog covered in moss (the best boy), a spider and even a skeleton king with different skins.  There is surely a character for everyone.  Also, the animations are really fluid, and I really like when you grab another player and do a back dunk like a NBA star.  It is so funny.

The music and sound effects are really cool.  I really like the soundtrack used here with all the action happening on screen.  It really complements it.

Now, my only issue with Slam Land is the lack of options for single player, a story mode even.  If it was weird and nonsensical, it would have been welcome since playing against the CPU alone can only get you so far.  There is also no online, so this is a local multiplayer festival only.

Bottom Line: Slam Land is  a fun game with different modes and new twist in the party genre.  This is a game that would definitely become the soul of a party. It is fun simple and addictive.  However, with the lack of single player story mode, I can only recommend it to fans of the genre who care more about the multiplayer than the story.

By Ramon Rivera

Just a guy that loves all videogames, jrpg master, fighting game sensei jack of all games, master of most.