Fairy Tail: Beach Volleyball Havoc

FAIRY TAIL: Beach Volleyball Havoc has a lovely pixel art summer vibe with a large roster of characters from the anime series to choose from. However, no native online play holds it back, and there are no single-player offerings besides the magic volleyball matches with AI players. On the upside, its sole mode is not only fun but keeps you coming back, thanks to the character's unique attributes and their magic spells. In short, this game may not be as grand as 2020's FAIRY TAIL or the upcomi...

When I first received FAIRY TAIL: Beach Volleyball Havoc, I immediately began thinking of when I could play this without anyone I knew or cared about seeing me. I only knew two things about FAIRY TAIL, and both of them were Lucy, so a game based around swimwear was alarming. In the past, whether it was Dead or Alive or even Senran Kagura PEACH BALL, you never knew how lascivious these things could become in the name of fan service. However, after putting in several hours of gameplay with my d...

FAIRY TAIL: Beach Volleyball Havoc lives up to its title with plenty of havoc, but this fanservice-laden sports title isn’t quite an ace. Fans of the time-tested series will appreciate its chaos, but don’t expect to spend too much time on its shimmering sands.

It’s not for everyone, but this magical game of beach volleyball is silly, easy to learn, and practically impossible to master. It can be a bit of a mess, but it looks dang good doing it.

I know volleyball and dodgeball are totally different activities, but the inspiration is pretty obvious here. And if you want to play a sports game like this that’s wacky, over the top, and still has a competitive element, Mario Tennis or the Kunip-kun Dodgeball games are much more fulfilling in every way. And if you’re just a Fairy Tail fan looking for something fun to play with these characters, Fairy Tail: Dungeons or the GUST-developed RPG from a few years ago (with a sequel coming soon) are much more successful in nailing their own concepts. It’s a shame, but aside from some fun visuals a...