"Pong Quest" Review: 48 Years After The Original

By JT

Player(s): 1-4 (Certain Modes)
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC (via Steam) 

Developed originally by Atari in 1972, Pong helped to establish the video game industry as we know it. Since then, there have been numerous sequels, remakes, and mentions across all forms of media. Magazines have had Pong in their top games lists. Some developers have since referenced Pong within video games. TV shows have even featured Pong in certain episodes. Pong is the original arcade classic. After 48 years, is "Pong Quest" the revitalization this franchise needs?

What if Pong was turned into an RPG? The bottom line, if it is done correctly, then any concept can be turned into an RPG. "Pong Quest" is no exception. However, that's not to say this game is any different from a typical indie title. More praise could have been given if interest in dialog hadn't waned. There are too many puns and jokes related to Pong that do not land, even though some are kind of funny. If the story was good, the foundation of a good RPG, then it would be passable. The only story given is a king who fears the people and sends the main character out to look for keys to open a door. It has a basic concept of a story, but things feel almost meaningless until the final dungeon.

The main character is a paddle, hopping his or her way through each dungeon. There are a multitude of items to collect, from customization items to various different balls to help in battle. While many drop from enemies, some may be purchased using coins. There is a total of 58 different balls to collect, with the ability to hold up to 10 during normal progression. During a normal playthrough, expect to own most collectibles before the start of the final dungeon. My run consisted of a majority of health and defense items being used. Each time your own paddle gets hit with the ball during a fight, you lose 1 HP. Akin to some fighting games, you actually lose a small bit of HP when you block. In return, so does the opponent. This makes things very difficult pretty quickly. Time is the enemy, so each opponent must be dealt with fast or risk starting the dungeon over whenever you lose a fight. If that happens, everything resets and the dungeon is randomized once again. The dungeons change with every entry, and it's frustrating at times. Between the slowly draining of HP and dungeons resetting, bosses have become the worst thing in the game. If you lose to a boss who has a good amount of HP, that means going through a different dungeon with the same end goal all over again. Repitition is the word here.

Visually, everything is boring. It's a bit colorful, but Pong Quest has nothing much beyond that. Everything has that basic "dress your character" feel. Wigs, suits, and hats are nice to dress up in, but only for a short while. You're just a paddle from an almost 50-year-old game and you fight against other paddles. Not any one enemy or boss really stood out either. The whole top-down perspective is reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda that was released on NES 14 years after Pong. Although, Pong Quest is not nearly the same quality. The music and sound design is similar, in terms of being very bland and uninteresting.

For only $14.99 on Nintendo Switch, it's still difficult to recommend such a mediocre title. Pong Quest may be fun for some, but I would have to pass on that one. The gameplay would have to be stronger to make up for lack of story, or vise-versa. Nothing stood out as anything new or exciting. It's Pong with Adventure-RPG elements. Having different outfits and wigs to wear is fun for a brief moment, but that's the extent of customization. Dungeons are pretty much all the same when you strip away the random elements. Pong is pong, and that's all it really should be if this is the final product. The original version of Pong is able to be played through this game, and honestly it is probably the best version we've been given so far. It is a legacy game. It is the original arcade classic. Perhaps that's where it should stay for now.

For More Info On "Pong Quest":
https://www.atari.com/games/pong-quest/

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Gameplay/Story: C+
Art/Graphics: C+
Music/Sound: D-
Value: D

Overall: C

Pros:
+Customization is good.
+Can play against friends 1v1.
+Original Pong is included.

Cons:
-Everything, from story to gameplay is basic.
-Loss of HP with every block of the paddle.
-Enemies/bosses very forgettable.

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A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.