Odama
Encyclopedia
is a video game for the Nintendo GameCube
developed by Vivarium
and published by Nintendo
in 2006. The game was designed by Seaman
creator Yoot Saito
.
Odama blends tactical
wargaming
with pinball
gameplay. The game takes place in a feudal Japan setting. The main character is a young general named Yamanouchi Kagetora, who is intent on avenging his father's death by reviving the most ingenious weapon ever to hit the medieval battlefield: the Odama. The Odama is a gigantic ball powerful enough to destroy whatever it strikes, friend or foe. Using giant flippers, players aim the Odama to bowl over enemies, shatter their defenses and wreak havoc on the battlefield. With the Nintendo GameCube Microphone, players direct their soldiers out of the Odama's way and into the fray by charging the enemy, defending positions and seizing the enemy gates.
, which is a philosophy that means "The way of heavenly duty". With this philosophy to guide him, he finds that his individual soldiers can band together to create a force strong enough to defeat even the most powerful enemy, a general named Karasuma Genshin. Genshin betrayed Lord Yamanouchi Nobutada, Kagetora's father, in a coup, leading Lord Nobutada to take his own life in order to avoid the shame of defeat. Kagetora exacts his revenge, using only limited resources against a vast army. One of these resources is a sacred object protected by his clan: a legendary weapon called the Odama.
game: they strike the Odama back into the battlefield, directing it into targets and away from soldiers. Between the two flippers, the commander stands guard, hacking down any soldiers who attempt to pass. Players can tilt the battlefield, allowing them to alter the course of the Odama. The goal is to shatter the enemy gates with the Odama and direct a crew of men carrying a giant bell to pass through the opened gates. Players' soldiers will defend their crew and seize enemy positions to protect their men on the mission.
The Nintendo GameCube Microphone included with the game is the most important addition to this title. Using the Microphone, players direct soldiers by giving voice commands. There are 11 commands, ranging from generic (moving left and right, advancing and retreating) to map-specific and special moves.
and chiefly designed by Yoot Saito
, the creator of Seaman
for the Dreamcast. According to Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto
, the publisher was initially taken aback by the game's curious mix of pinball and real-time tactics and Saito's initial pitch, "I want to make a pinball game set in feudal Japan." However, Saito eventually convinced them after creating a demo of the game.
Odama debuted at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2004. This version of the game showcased the use of the DK Bongos
, which allowed a second player to raise troop morale and distract enemy troops by repeatedly beating the drums. However, this feature was absent from its E3 showing the next year and dropped prior to the game's release.
However, many believe the game's generally average critical response, especially with regard to common criticism of the relatively high difficulty level, is unjust. For example, Spong wrote, "Show Odama the dedication that those games required back in the day, and its complicated gameplay will eventually become second nature...", referring to the often more unforgiving computer and arcade games of the 1980s. Gamer7 wrote, "Odama’s difficulty level is admittedly extremely high by current standards, but by more traditional standards, it's a walk over."
Odama won IGN
's Most Innovative Design for a GameCube game in 2006.
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
developed by Vivarium
Vivarium
A vivarium is a usually enclosed area for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research...
and published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
in 2006. The game was designed by Seaman
Seaman (video game)
is a virtual pet video game for the Sega Dreamcast. It is one of the few Dreamcast games to take advantage of the microphone attachment. The narration is voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the English-language version....
creator Yoot Saito
Yoot Saito
is a Japanese game designer famous for designing innovative video games, often featuring the use of voice recognition technology, such as Seaman for the Dreamcast. In 1996, he founded his own video game development company, Vivarium...
.
Odama blends tactical
Real-time tactics
Real-time tactics or RTT is a subgenre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics...
wargaming
Wargame (video games)
Wargames are a subgenre of strategy video games that emphasize strategic or tactical warfare on a map, as well as historical accuracy.-History:The genre of wargame video games is derived from earlier forms of wargames...
with pinball
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
gameplay. The game takes place in a feudal Japan setting. The main character is a young general named Yamanouchi Kagetora, who is intent on avenging his father's death by reviving the most ingenious weapon ever to hit the medieval battlefield: the Odama. The Odama is a gigantic ball powerful enough to destroy whatever it strikes, friend or foe. Using giant flippers, players aim the Odama to bowl over enemies, shatter their defenses and wreak havoc on the battlefield. With the Nintendo GameCube Microphone, players direct their soldiers out of the Odama's way and into the fray by charging the enemy, defending positions and seizing the enemy gates.
Plot
The main character in Odama is Yamanouchi Kagetora, a young general struggling to avenge his clan and preserve the Way of Ninten-doNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
, which is a philosophy that means "The way of heavenly duty". With this philosophy to guide him, he finds that his individual soldiers can band together to create a force strong enough to defeat even the most powerful enemy, a general named Karasuma Genshin. Genshin betrayed Lord Yamanouchi Nobutada, Kagetora's father, in a coup, leading Lord Nobutada to take his own life in order to avoid the shame of defeat. Kagetora exacts his revenge, using only limited resources against a vast army. One of these resources is a sacred object protected by his clan: a legendary weapon called the Odama.
Gameplay
The player controls flippers, which operate exactly like those in a pinballPinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
game: they strike the Odama back into the battlefield, directing it into targets and away from soldiers. Between the two flippers, the commander stands guard, hacking down any soldiers who attempt to pass. Players can tilt the battlefield, allowing them to alter the course of the Odama. The goal is to shatter the enemy gates with the Odama and direct a crew of men carrying a giant bell to pass through the opened gates. Players' soldiers will defend their crew and seize enemy positions to protect their men on the mission.
The Nintendo GameCube Microphone included with the game is the most important addition to this title. Using the Microphone, players direct soldiers by giving voice commands. There are 11 commands, ranging from generic (moving left and right, advancing and retreating) to map-specific and special moves.
Development
Odama was developed by VivariumVivarium
A vivarium is a usually enclosed area for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research...
and chiefly designed by Yoot Saito
Yoot Saito
is a Japanese game designer famous for designing innovative video games, often featuring the use of voice recognition technology, such as Seaman for the Dreamcast. In 1996, he founded his own video game development company, Vivarium...
, the creator of Seaman
Seaman (video game)
is a virtual pet video game for the Sega Dreamcast. It is one of the few Dreamcast games to take advantage of the microphone attachment. The narration is voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the English-language version....
for the Dreamcast. According to Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
, the publisher was initially taken aback by the game's curious mix of pinball and real-time tactics and Saito's initial pitch, "I want to make a pinball game set in feudal Japan." However, Saito eventually convinced them after creating a demo of the game.
Odama debuted at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2004. This version of the game showcased the use of the DK Bongos
DK Bongos
DK Bongos are bongo-like controllers for the Nintendo GameCube video game series Donkey Konga, Donkey Konga 2, Donkey Konga 3, and Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat. There are two bongos, each shaped like a classic Donkey Kong barrel with a rubber drumskin fastened on top...
, which allowed a second player to raise troop morale and distract enemy troops by repeatedly beating the drums. However, this feature was absent from its E3 showing the next year and dropped prior to the game's release.
Reception
Most critics did not like the short lifespan, poor graphics and difficulty of this game, yet generally praised the attempt at gameplay innovation. Netjak referred to it as "the third-best console game that involves rolling a giant ball over people."However, many believe the game's generally average critical response, especially with regard to common criticism of the relatively high difficulty level, is unjust. For example, Spong wrote, "Show Odama the dedication that those games required back in the day, and its complicated gameplay will eventually become second nature...", referring to the often more unforgiving computer and arcade games of the 1980s. Gamer7 wrote, "Odama’s difficulty level is admittedly extremely high by current standards, but by more traditional standards, it's a walk over."
Odama won IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Most Innovative Design for a GameCube game in 2006.