Ball X Pit Switch Review

Ball X Pit Switch Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch

Every once in a while, a game comes along that breaks the mould of genres to offer something truly unique. Ball X Pit is one such game, blending ideas into an action puzzler that was first revealed during a recent Nintendo Direct, which probably didn’t do enough to show what it’s really about. Now that it’s here, I’ve sunk more hours into Ball X Pit than I care to admit. What’s it like? Build your town, fight off hordes of enemies, and grab your balls as we review Ball X Pit on Nintendo Switch.

As mentioned, Ball X Pit is a mash-up of several genres, but it is probably best described as a brick-breaking game in the style of Arkanoid. You progress through several levels, fighting waves of enemies that slowly approach your position. Your weapon of choice is a set of balls that bounce back to you, with occasional special balls that have abilities like bleed or area of effect attacks, helping you break through enemy ranks. The story itself is simple: you take on the role of a hero tasked with defending and expanding a small settlement after a mysterious event causes enemies to invade. As you clear the pits and defeat enemies, you gather resources and recruit new characters, growing your town from humble beginnings with wheat and wood into a thriving hub complete with status-enhancing buildings and upgraded facilities. The combination of combat and settlement management gives the game a satisfying rhythm between intense action and strategic planning, making each run feel like you’re making solid progress even if you wipe out early.

And wipe out you will. My first hour with Ball X Pit made me wonder what I was missing, as I could barely last a minute or 2 before being completely overrun. It turns out I was missing a major feature, which was using the right stick to aim where your balls bounce. Upon learning this, the game went from frustrating to fantastic, carefully bouncing balls behind the ranks to inflict some serious damage, before levelling up to add some more powerful balls to my arsenal. This upgrade system starts out similar to Vampire Survivors, allowing you to level up an existing ball or add a new one to your arsenal. You can then meld balls together to make even more powerful ones, while adding space back to your inventory to allow higher damage output. The depth of the game became apparent when I figured out you can have multiples of the same status effects in your repertoire, making me stack lightning and earthquake area of effect attacks to devastate the enemy ranks. Melding certain balls can then be upgraded further to create almost super weapons, which drastically turn the tide of battle. Even knowing this, RNG played a part, and sometimes I would have ot retreat to my village with my tail between my legs, hoping the next run would be different. Even then, wiping out was just another opportunity to build a new building from a plan a sub-boss dropped, or a way to level up my selected hero to make them stronger. Each hero offers different starting balls, shooting styles, and stats, and since you have to clear pits multiple times with different characters, experimentation is rewarded, and gameplay stays fresh.

Beyond the pits, the settlement-building aspect adds another layer of strategy and reward. Each run, whether victorious or wiped out, contributes resources and plans that you can use to expand your village. You start with the basics, like wheat and wood, but over time you unlock new buildings that enhance your heroes’ abilities, generate valuable items, or unlock additional gameplay features. Assigning workers to different tasks each turn lets you carefully plan your growth, turning the village into a hub that feels alive and directly tied to your success in the pits. This blend of action and management gives Ball X Pit a satisfying rhythm: intense, chaotic runs are balanced by calm, deliberate planning back in the village, and every new structure or upgrade reinforces the sense of long-term progression.

Ball X Pit is presented in an almost PS1-themed art style, with heavily pixelated textures and low-poly characters and enemies that give it a nostalgic charm. The visual simplicity works in its favour, keeping the action clear even when the pits are full of bouncing balls and swarming enemies. Each new pit introduces fresh elements to challenge the player, from slippery ice floors that make movement tricky to quicksand traps that slow progress, keeping the gameplay varied and unpredictable. Boss designs are a highlight, often resulting in chaotic sieges where precise dodging and smart use of special balls become essential. The aesthetic not only makes the game visually distinctive but also ensures it runs smoothly, even in hectic moments. It’s also worth noting that a Switch 2 upgrade is in development and expected to be released this week at no additional cost to current owners, promising enhanced performance and possibly sharper visuals. All of this action is backed by an atmospheric soundtrack that leans into spooky and eerie tones. The music sets the mood for each pit without ever overwhelming the player or interfering with the intense action. Coupled with sound effects for bouncing balls, enemy hits, and special abilities, the audio design reinforces both tension and satisfaction, making every run feel dynamic and alive.

For my Pit Knights looking into accessibility options, I’m pleased to report that there are a lot of settings here to make your time with Ball X Pit more enjoyable. These range from changing pixellated text to sharper, high-resolution text for readability, reducing screen shake, reducing flashing colours, adding a visual hitbox on your character, reducing clutter on screen, being able to change just about any audio source to customise the game to your liking, as well as slowing the game speed without penalty. It’s amazing to see a game developed by just one person, including such a thoughtful and useful suite of accessibility options. Once again, indies lead the way with accessibility. At just under $23 AUD, Ball X Pit offers a lot of replay value and a lot of great gaming for a budget price. Despite my initial frustrations, I found myself pulled into the addictive gameplay loop, and the more fusions and evolutions I discovered helped push me further through the game.

Ball X Pit is one of those rare games that come along and subvert both genres and expectations to deliver a unique and fun experience that features addictive gameplay and replayability. The strategy slowly reveals itself to the player, changing their behaviour from damaging everything to planning out a long run. The settlement aspect is fun and enhances your time in the pit. Unlocking and upgrading remains exciting, and with each new character comes an interesting way to play. Ball X Pit is simply fantastic, and I have no trouble highly recommending this to anyone looking for the next Balatro.

So, What’s it Like? Ball X Pit is like Arkanoid, crossed with a bit of Tetris and Vampire Survivors.

Ball X Pit is a What’s it Like Certified Exceptional game.

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