Skip to main content

Knockout City is a kid-friendly ‘shooter’ that trades guns for dodgeballs

Young audiences love Fortnite. It’s full of bright colors, dance moves, and cartoon characters such as a sentient banana man. But it’s not exactly “kid-friendly.” While it doesn’t have blood and guts, it’s still a third-person shooter where players gun each other down with snipers and shotguns.

Knockout City is a perfect alternative for worried parents. Developed by Velan Studios, the team behind Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, the multiplayer dodgeball game is squeaky clean family entertainment. Though what’s funny here is that the game isn’t fundamentally that much different from a traditional shooter.

This Is Knockout City: Official Gameplay Trailer

The basic premise is that two teams of three jump into a small map and try to hit each other with rubber balls. Throwing is an incredibly streamlined process designed in a way that players of all ages can understand. Hold down the throw button and the ball will auto-lock onto the closest target — no aim required. Players can counter each other by catching a ball before it hits them and sending it right back. Knock an opponent out, get a point.

It’s a deathmatch without the death.

Dodgeball is an inspired choice for the shooter framework. It’s a perfect deconstruction of the genre that gets at what’s actually fun about firing a digital gun. It’s not about the bullets and loud noises; it’s the same satisfaction that comes from landing a bullseye in a carnival game.

Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto hit the nail on the head when he spoke to The New Yorker back in December. Reporter Simon Parkin calls up an anecdote from the Nintendo 64 era where Miyamoto was reportedly “saddened” by all the killing in Goldeneye 007. When asked how he feels about how dominant the shooter is in today’s landscape, Miyamoto inadvertently describes the exact appeal that Knockout City carries.

“I think humans are wired to experience joy when we throw a ball and hit a target, for example,” Miyamoto told The New Yorker. “That’s human nature. But, when it comes to video games, I have some resistance to focusing on this single source of pleasure. As human beings, we have many ways to experience fun. Ideally, game designers would explore those other ways.”

A player throws a dodgeball bomb in Knockout City.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo itself is no stranger to twisting the idea of a shooter into something non-violent. The Splatoon series takes the core tenets of the genre and replaces bullets with ink. Knockout City is a successful experiment for EA that follows Splatoon’s delightful lead.

As someone who very much enjoys the genre, Knockout City leaves me questioning why so many games instinctually gravitate towards guns. The more you break down what’s fun about shooters, the less it actually has to do with artillery. What’s the difference between chucking a ‘Sniper Ball’ at someone to eliminate them and landing a headshot with an actual sniper rifle? It’s the same action with the same result; it just trades lead for rubber.

Knockout City is an imaginative twist on the modern shooter that proves there are still so many ways to approach the genre. What’s yet to be seen is whether or not it can rewire players’ brains. For decades, we’ve been taught that guns are what make popular games so fun. If EA ends up landing a surprise hit, “kid-friendly” games might actually become kid-friendly for a change.

Knockout City is currently free-to-play until May 31 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. It will be purchasable for $20 after that and will remain available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers through EA Play.

Giovanni Colantonio
As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…
Knockout City parts ways with EA and goes free-to-play
knockout city free to play june

Velan Studios unveiled season 5 of Knockout City today. Alongside that announcement, the developer also confirmed that it will take over publishing duties from EA and that Knockout City will go free-to-play with Season 6.
Knockout City season 5, which begins on March 1 and is titled Greatest Hits, is supposed to serve as a celebration of the first year of the game. While it won't add a new Brawl Pass, map, or ball, it will bring back Basketbrawl, Chain Reaction, and Superpowers! While Season 5 will be fairly low-key for Knockout City, some drastic changes are in store with Season 6.
Knockout City: Greatest Hits Season 5 Reveal Trailer
When season 6 starts on June 1, 2022, the game will go free-to-play. Previously, Knockout City only had a free trial and required players to purchase the game after they hit level 25. It is also part of EA Play and was previously a PlayStation Plus title, but Velan Studios is now simplifying its availability and making it free-to-play to anyone across all platforms. Anyone who bought the game before this transition will get a season 6 loyalty bundle that includes exclusive cosmetics, 2,000 Holobux, and XP boosts. 
As part of this transition, Velan will take over publishing duties from Electronic Arts. Previously, Knockout City was part of its EA Originals program. Once this transition is complete, all major decisions and the future of Knockout City are solely in the indie developer's hands. 
Knockout City is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, though players might want to wait until June 1, 2022, to try it. 

Read more
Splitgate: The best plays we’ve seen in the hit shooter
Shooting a portal in Splitgate.

First-person shooter game Splitgate is an absolute blast to play, and nearly as fun to watch. Since it exploded in popularity in July 2021, thousands of players have flocked to it, leading to lots of exciting gameplay clips being shared online. Something about the fast-paced nature of Splitgate makes it mesmerizing to watch, especially when players make good use of the portals. The portal mechanic allows players to traverse the map quickly, while also rewarding them for strategic planning and positioning. Other times, players are simply impressively accurate with their shots, which is just as satisfying to witness.

To show you just how exhilarating Splitgate can be to watch, we've rounded up some of the best clips on the internet, including a wide variety of expert plays across the board. From players who specialize in long-range battles, to fantastic uses of portals, and even some calculated rocket shots, these are the best Splitgate plays.

Read more
EA opens all of its accessibility patents, including Apex Legends’ ping system
ea accesibility patents apex ping system

EA announced a new Patents Pledge program, which will give competitors and developers free access to its accessibility-related patents and technology. The company is hoping to push other studios to incorporate accessibility features into their games and make them more inclusive for players everywhere.

This is a huge industry-first and a milestone for the video game industry at large. The technology being shared spans aa multitude of games and disabilities.

Read more