Aeolis Tournament

Aeolis Tournament is an awesome game that, sadly, has nothing to do with aioli…

When it came out, Aeolis Tournament slipped by me.  The name didn’t clearly tell me what the game was and, honestly, I’m still not sure what it means.  However, I’m extremely glad that I picked this one up!

Gameplay

Aeolis Tournament is centered around a one-button game mechanic.  Each of the goofy characters has a vacuum that they can use to suck things up or to shoot blasts of air. Initially, I was very skeptical that a vacuum with a single button could work with eight different game types.  I’m happy to report that I was wrong!  

The developers did an excellent job tailor fitting the game modes to the game mechanic.  They approach games like hockey, dodgeball, and capture the flag in such a way that using a vacuum seems like second nature. Additionally, the physics engine of the game is slippery enough the keep the game feeling fun and goofy, but solid enough to stop anyone from feeling like the game is cheating them out of wins.

Variety

Aeolis Tournament has eight game types:

• The Perfect Storm (a battle royale)
• Sportsball
• Explosive Dodgeball
• Snowball Battle
• Marble thief
• Air Hockey
• Capture the Orb
• Raft Racing

Each game mode has a few different options to keep them fresh.  They can be played:

• With a time limit or point limit
• With 6 or 8 players (computers have varying skill levels)
• With or without “chaos mode” (which adds elemental obstacles throughout the level)

Extra Content

Another fun thing about Aeolis Tournament is the way that it rewards players.  As an incentive, the player earns points after each mini-game, after each tournament, and for hitting certain goals.

The player can then spend those points on fun, silly, and stylish new colors and accessories for their characters.  These aesthetics require NO microtransactions.  Very refreshing!

Value

Aeolis Tournament is a must-buy for people who are looking for a new party game.  It’s a natural addition to the “Kart-Smash-Party” game night rotation.

I just spent several hours of a Saturday night shouting and laughing with five friends (and two computers), and already have plans to do the same thing next Saturday.

Thanks to Big Fun Studio for making this game and sending us a review code. You should definitely buy this one here on the Nintendo eShop!