SmartBall Overview
SmartBall is a side-scrolling action game where the protagonist, transformed into a gelatinous sphere, must navigate sixteen distinct segments across eight primary stages. The central conflict arises from a royal betrayal, with the player character Jerry seeking to reclaim his kingdom, rescue his wife, and reverse a magical transformation inflicted by his brother Tom.
Movement mechanics involve sliding, jumping, and the ability to adhere to and climb walls and ceilings. Combat utilizes the character's malleable form, allowing enemies to be defeated either by launching consumed projectiles or by using a jumping flattening maneuver. Scattered collectibles include health restoratives, extra lives, and special seeds that generate climbable beanstalks.
A secondary collection system rewards players who gather letters spelling "Jerry" within stages with additional lives. Each stage concludes with a boss encounter that must be overcome to progress. Regional differences exist, as the original Japanese release featured interactive town segments with narrative dialogue, content which was absent from the North American version.
