Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe update

It's been over a year since we've heard anything new on the GBA version of Speedball 2, but today publisher Wanadoo has released updated game information and a selection of new screenshots.

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe was originally released on the Amiga and Atari ST around 12 years ago, and in many gamers' eyes, it's yet to be bettered in the future sports genre. The game is set in the year 2100, when, after the original Speedball league has degenerated into corruption and violence, a new 16-team Speedball World Championship has been formed, along with a players association that will attempt to cut down on the number of fatalities on the field.

The sport itself, which is vaguely reminiscent of the one featured in the 1975 movie Rollerball, sees two teams of five heavily armored players attempting to score points with a heavy metal ball. The goals at either end of the arena are guarded by keepers, but, like a pinball table, the field of play features a number of different ways to score, including bumpers, bonus multipliers, and wall stars--all of which need to be hit with the ball to be activated. Points can also be scored for injuring opponents, which is made even easier by collecting some of the many power-ups that randomly appear.

As players progress through the various knockout, league, and cup competitions in the game, they'll earn credits that can be spent buying upgrades for existing players or on the transfer market. The lowest-ranked team in the game, and the only one available at the start, is Brutal Deluxe--the same team that players had to succeed with in the original game. One major new feature for the GBA version is that any teams beaten in the knockout competition will become available for play in the quick start and, presumably, two-player link-up modes.

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe is scheduled for release in September. For more information, check out our previous coverage of the game.