Videogame review: #IDARB - best of the old and new

Other Ocean

The thrills of retro gaming aren't to be taken lightly. These days, it might take lifelike graphics and fully realised worlds to entice modern gamers, but for those who've spent decades juggling an embarrassing number of controllers, few things are as classically competitive as an eight-bit clash.

#IDARB is a prime example, a release aimed largely at long-in-the-tooth players, but just as accessible for younger audiences. It's technically a sports game - think a bizarre hybrid of football, basketball, volleyball and hockey - but really, #IDARB is unlike any pastime you've ever seen.

In the game, available exclusively for the Xbox One, up to eight players battle it out in a ring, with just one simple rule: get the ball into the goal by any means possible. Points aren't based solely on scoring and victory depends on a complex formula: where you take shots, how the ball bounces, where competitors are during a play and other factors.

It all seems pretty random on paper, but a half-hour after being tossed into its throwback chaos, everything starts to make sense. Of course, many of the thrills come down to how many people are playing: with one player on each side, #IDARB is initially fun, but soon sinks into repetitive boredom.

With two, gameplay becomes fun and frantic, and only slightly chaotic. And with four, it descends into madness, with little sense of order, everyone desperately attempting to touch the ball and, soon enough, shouting matches ensue.