Super Dodge Ball (NES) Playthrough

A playthrough of CSG Imagesoft's 1989 action game for the NES, Super Dodge Ball.
In this video I play through both of game modes, both on the normal difficulty level. World Cup Play begins at 0:19, and Bean Ball at 18:46.
Super Dodge Ball is the NES port of Technos' 1987 arcade game, and as the direct follow-up to Renegade ( • Renegade (NES) Playthr... ), it was the second game in the Kunio-kun series. It's also notable for being the first game published by Sony Imagesoft (under the name CBS/Sony Group Imagesoft), the company that later came to be known as 989 Studios.
Instead of throwing down in the streets, this sequel tosses the hot-blooded crew of street toughs into an international competitive dodge ball league. Led by their captain Sam (originally Kunio), Team USA has to climb the ladder by defeating seven other teams in order to face the ultimate challenge, a throwdown against a team of shadow doppelgangers in the USSR.
The team has six players who can be assigned positions individually before the start of each match. Each has his own stats and moves, so there's a fair bit of strategy involved in setting them up to play to their strengths. Some have better throwing arms, some are better at catching and dodging, and everyone has a unique selection of special throws that can make short work of an opponent's life gauge when used in the right situation. There's a fair bit of nuance to it all, and the gameplay is much deeper than it first appears.
A double tap of the d-pad makes you run, the A button dodges, the B button catches and throws, and A+B is for jumping. The setup is simple to learn - timing is the key to everything - and the controls work well in spite of the game's choppy performance. It all makes for some excellent, fast-paced fun, especially against a friend.
The Kunio series' signature sprite work lends the game a huge helping of charm, too. The exaggerated facial expressions, like when someone gets nailed in the back of the head or is left standing slackjawed after a beating, are hilarious. Severe sprite flicker is a constant annoyance, however, but though it can be distracting, it doesn’t have much of an impact on the game's overall playability.
In the end, it's not hard to see why Super Dodge Ball is such a fan favorite. It's full of personality, it's stupidly fun to play, and it has enough substance to keep anyone coming back time and time again.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
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[@tanakinskywalker7089]

My childhood was rough and this game was one of my escapes. Love this game

[@NintendoComplete]

The second Kunio-kun game was one of my favorite versus-style 2P games on the NES.

[@CrimsonNick171]

2 things. 1. FUCK YEAH!!!! 2. If you're looking for an opponent that'll give you a run for your money in Dodgeball, I have it on PS5 (along with every possible device I can put it on). No joke, this is my #1 favorite game of all time. Loved it since I was a kid.

[@NintendoComplete]

​​@@CrimsonNick171It's such a great game, isn't it? I didn't know it had a re-release. I don't have a PS5 anymore, though.

[@RushJet1]

@@NintendoComplete If you like this, time to play Nintendo World Cup

[@NintendoComplete]

@@RushJet1 I certainly will.

[@Dorian_Scott]

The Kunio-kun series is great. Especially the over-the-top facial expressions and animations.

[@CrimsonNick171]

No joke, the very second I saw this was on Playstation Network, I. Did. Not. Hesitate. I cannot express hard enough that this is my absolute favorite game of all time.

[@BB-te8tc]

It's still weird to me seeing NES games on non-Nintendo platforms but that's the strange new world we live in nowadays I guess! :D

[@BJI82a]

Is it still available cause I played this game a lot back in the day and they really should try to remaster it and give it a storyline.

[@BB-te8tc]

I know its part of the Double Dragon + Kunio Kun Collection released in 2020.

[@OpoumConsumer]

I go way back with this game and watching the gameplay now hits harder than century old wine

[@ed0985587]

This game was my very first experience with “pvp” as a kid, or as close as you could to get to it. One of my all time favorites. My cousins and I used to play this for hours as a time..

[@rjcupid]

When you play another “expert” at this game you will have a pitch and catch match for 20 minutes without anyone taking any damage until someone messes up. I love all of the “super shots”, they’re hilarious. This, along with River City Ransom are probably my two favourite NES games. Fighting the Shadow Team and the awesome music at that point is so great.

[@metalpunk7945]

I couldn't have said it better myself. Yes, this game and River City Ransom are my two favorite NES games.

[@rjcupid]

@@metalpunk7945 Thanks, they are two endlessly fun games with the best gameplay. I checked out your channel and I see you like Crowbar - they rule. I used to listen to them a lot in my younger days. Saw them in concert and Down as well. Have a good one.

[@movieclipz5034]

This game is an absolute banger. There is a rom hack flaoting around that removes some slowdown and flicker

[@BJI82a]

The India stage was the toughest cause you hit them with a super attack and it barley does anything to their life bar. I really liked this game and it was so cool to have a dark mirror match as a reward for not loosing anyone. It was just so hard to decide who was the best lineup for offense all of the attacks were so cool.

[@kuniokun9117]

if you haven't got it already, there's a big collection of translated Kunio games available on the switch e-shop all in one game

[@xxHUNGRY4THETRUTHxx]

England theme... 🎵 Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner But he knew it couldn't last Jojo left his home in Tucson, Arizona For some California grass🎵 🎵When I'm home everything seems to be right When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight🎵

[@VahanNisanian]

Best Beatles reference in a game.

[@mindcrome]

I played the crap out of this game. Sam is my man.

[@moondogspot5442]

Sam was lethal

[@ArttuTheCat]

Before i played this game on my friend's Nintendo Switch in 2022, i had NINTENDO WORLD CUP for my NES, and me and my friends played it everyday back in the 1990's 😹😺👍🕹️🕹️.

[@liquidsnake741]

Im rooting for this game about 20 years.. tq

[@osakatales9228]

This is a game that can be replayed on a monthly basis, other than RCR/DNM and Renegade in the Kunio-kun series. It's too bad they haven't tried to bring this back along with the rest of their revivals for new generations to get into.

[@robwest5457]

It warms my heart to know that as of 2011, FINALLY all of these real life American Dodge Ball Legends are in the World DodgeBall & KickBall Hall of Fame! • Sam Johnston (Center Attacker) - 1994 • “Mystic” Mike Webber (Right Attacker)- 1997 • Randy St. Regis (Left Attacker)- 1999 • “Wild Bill” Szoke (StrongSide Lineman) - 2002 • Steve “Mongoose” Posner (Back Lineman) - 2007 • John “The Kid” Posner (OffSide Lineman) - 2011

[@robwest5457]

And before anyone says the Posner brothers should have went in the same year, I disagree. You honor one legend at a time and it was beautiful that John inducted Steve and vice versa! Really made the ceremonies special, especially in the wake of the tragedy of losing Sam the year prior. Rest In Peace, Sam.

[@wd6358]

These were based off real people???

[@BurrShotHam711Jenna]

someone plz pin this

[@simonmejia6896]

Sometimes a game of dodgeball can be very deadly. Kunio and gang proves it right there.

[@greenwave819]

so cool. We played this all the time when I was a kid!!!

[@graylingthompson8113]

One of the best music

[@brokelesnar1375]

Habitually late for school because of this game 😂

[@VahanNisanian]

In our version, they made America the heroes, and in what seemed like an attempt to make a Cold War reference, made the former USSR the final opponents, before the shadow team. Originally, it seemed like a Japan's revenge over Hiroshima & Nagasaki story, with the Japanese as the heroes, and the Americans as the final villains.

[@bearcattony00]

In super spike v ball, the ussr was the final opponent as well. In an American propaganda move, the US navy team before them was actually tougher

[@TonyM-zi9rq]

I wish there was a modern remake of this game, loved it back in the day on the NES.

[@zilla2006able]

this look like a fun games

[@Eric-t4j]

I was so good at this game.

[@robwest5457]

I always wanted to see in the Kenya games a sudden wild herd of hippos come and trample all the players

[@rickn4301]

Ah yes. Just run real fast and let it rip. Fun game.

[@junalee2034]

I remember this from kindergarten

[@JustinneDeGuzman]

Wow! Nice!

[@darkerfalcon3747]

I always played the Japanese Version: Nekketsu Kokou Dodgeball Bu in order to keep the Kunio-Kun's spirit in my heart.

[@KirksCORNER1983]

This was MY FAVORITE Game as a Kid and when my Cousin borrowed it and NEVER gave it back it broke me!..

[@stephennicoil5225]

I spammed the shit out of the super throws 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@NintendoComplete]

Didn't we all? Way more fun that way.

[@stephennicoil5225]

@@NintendoComplete Damn Straight 😁

[@fotoshopfin1105]

Epileptic final battle

[@MarcelisCool4you]

lol

[@Maki_Kirishima]

天使蠻可愛的😁ｗｗｗ Angel is so cute😁ｗｗｗ

[@Ohiobushcraft]

Memories

[@mercurry718]

Im black and had a white best friend named Brian when i was in the 6th grade...when i would go to his house we would play this all the time..

[@TotsNater]

Cool story.

[@KirksCORNER1983]

We don't need to know your race.

[@mercurry718]

@@KirksCORNER1983 then you missed the jist of the whole story....you only had a problem with me mentioning my race, but not mentioning his....lol

[@solarflare9078]

The main thing that's keeping me from fully enjoying the NES version is it's framerate. Technos weren't exactly the best coders in the world, but c'mon, 12 FPS? It feels more like a Micronics game in that regard

[@bassboi2001]

I love this game ❤❤❤

[@TheHonestPokemonTrainer]

Random question, only because this is the latest release. Could I use your power rangers gameboy footage for my podcast please?

[@NintendoComplete]

As long as you're only using pieces of it and you clearly credit the source, sure, go ahead.

[@natebeam9831]

lol the way the players fly all over the screen when they get hit is hilarious. The face when they are stunned is funny too!

[@Mr.MikeBarksdale]

The face a player makes when he is exhausted is always how I envision I look when my wife and I are spending all weekend indoors, and she wants one more bedroom session. I'm sure that is how I look: spina bifida, panting, clearly don't look smart.

[@florre]

Awsome game , but i must ask you all: How to stand all the flickering / flimmering ? Its so hard on the eyes

[@TK-ky5kh]

If there ever was a need for a remake, could you imagine mulitiplayer 3 vs 3?

[@yazidbougheda4257]

Do the Soccer version of this Game

[@darkerfalcon3747]

Nintendo World Cup

[@Lo0se369]

😱😱😱😱 My fav

[@ThomasMiller-c9i]

best game ever!

[@Rockymitsu2]

There is a difference between the drawing of the alphabet in this version compared to the original alphabet that the Japanese version has

[@abc27iir]

Same at Nekketsu dodgeball

[@TheVideoGuyfromOhio]

Aboboy's origin story

[@nguyenminhtien449]

Nekketsu dodgeball is a bit different

[@abc27iir]

I'm play at my NES game but all font is Japanese (英語)

[@JacobTremblayAndTheMultiverse]

Jacob Tremblay