Smart Ball

{{redirect|Jerry Boy|the similarly titled but unrelated SNES game|Jelly Boy}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = Smart Ball (Jerry Boy)

| image = Smart Ball Cover.jpg

| caption = North American cover art

| developer = Game Freak
System Sacom{{Cite AV media | title=【SFC】ジェリーボーイ（Jerry Boy）全１６ステージを攻略 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIwx-FV-6cE&t=1h26m19s&ab_channel=なんとなくゲーム |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/eIwx-FV-6cE |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live| date=15 February 2019 | format=YouTube video | publisher=なんとなくゲーム | time=1:26:19}}{{cbignore}}

| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP|Epic/Sony Records|NA|Sony Imagesoft}}

| director = Satoshi Tajiri

| artist = Ken Sugimori
Mucho Tanaka

| programmer = Mark Flint

| writer = Satoshi Tajiri
Ken Sugimori

| designer = Satoshi Tajiri
Ken Sugimori
Akihito Tomisawa

| composer = Yasuhiko Fukuda
Akira Yamaoka
Manabu Saito

| released = {{vgrelease|JP|September 13, 1991|NA|March 1992}}

| genre = Action-adventure

| modes = Single-player

| platforms = Super NES

}}

Smart Ball{{efn|Known in Japan as {{nihongo|Jerry Boy|ジェリーボーイ|lead=yes}}}} is a platform game developed by Game Freak and System Sacom. It was published by Epic/Sony Records and Sony Imagesoft for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_17#page/n48/mode/1up|title=International Outlook - Jelly Bean|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=17|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=December 1990|page=48}}{{cite magazine|title=Super NES Showcase - !Rumors!|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=24|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=May 1991|page=96}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_23#page/n77/mode/1up|title=International Outlook - Jerry Boy|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=23|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=June 1991|page=78}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com:80/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf|title=Super NES Games|publisher=Nintendo|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920223937/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/snes_games.pdf|archive-date=2008-09-20|url-status=live}} A sequel titled {{nihongo foot|Jerry Boy 2|ジェリーボーイ2|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} was in production, but was not released.

Gameplay

File:SNES Smart Ball (Jerry Boy).png

In that incarnation, the player plays as a little jelly bean with eyes, named Jerry, traveling across a grassy landscape. The game has graphics and terrain that are characterized as cartoony and cute, which attracts younger players.

The player is able to defend Jerry or attack enemies by controlling certain physical characteristics of Jerry, such as flattening or stretching his body in order to hit enemies, or by finding objects, such as balls, to throw at enemies. The player can also run by pressing the Y button on the controller. Jerry has the ability to stick to walls and ceilings which is activated by holding down the Y button as he jumps towards them, adding an advantage over Jerry's enemies. The player advances through each level along a filmstrip map, and can revisit previously-completed levels by "rewinding" the filmstrip. Each level is a romp up and down hills, jumping between platforms, and squeezing through pipes. Scattered around each level are a number of plants that open up to reveal balls, power-ups, 1-ups, seeds and jumping enhancers. Similar to Donkey Kong Country, the player must collect letters that spell "JERRY" in each level. Collecting them all will give the player two extra lives.

Plot

A young boy named Jerry was a prince and ruler of a kingdom but has been transformed into a blob by a mysterious witch at the behest of his jealous brother, Tom, who has a crush on the young princess Emi.{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:GamePro_US_025.pdf&page=32|title=16-bit Gamer's Guide (Part 3): The Super NES - Jelly Bean|magazine=GamePro|issue=25|publisher=IDG|date=August 1991|page=30}}

Development and release

Smart Ball was co-developed by Game Freak and System Sacom.{{cite book|last=Sugimori|first=Ken|author-link=Ken Sugimori|title=メイキングオブジェリーボーイ|work=Tokuma Intermedia Comics|series=Jerry Boy|volume=1|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=16 April 1993|pages=114|language=ja|isbn=978-4197930524}} ([https://www.chrismcovell.com/JBTribute/makingof.html Translation] by Chris Covell. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200521124911/https://www.chrismcovell.com/JBTribute/makingof.html|date=2020-05-21}}).{{cite book|title=メイキングオブジェリーボーイ：クリエイターへのインタビュー|work=Tokuma Intermedia Comics|series=Jerry Boy|volume=1|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=16 April 1993|language=ja|isbn=978-4197930524}} ([https://www.chrismcovell.com/JBTribute/interview.html Translation] by Chris Covell. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200521124952/https://www.chrismcovell.com/JBTribute/interview.html|date=2020-05-21}}).

The entire storyline from the game, as well as all the towns in levels, were removed in the North American version. However, there is an English fan-made translation patch that can be applied on a Japanese ROM and played on an emulator.{{cite web |title=Smart Ball |url=http://www.romhacking.net/games/312/ |website=Romhacking |accessdate=24 October 2019}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

|GR = 64.50%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588666-smart-ball/|title=Smart Ball for Super Nintendo|work=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=2019|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209015717/https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588666-smart-ball/|archive-date=2019-12-09|url-status=live}}

|Allgame = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|last=Weiss|first=Brett Alan|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=121&tab=review|title=SmartBall - Review|work=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|date=1998|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116142831/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=121&tab=review|archive-date=2014-11-16|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}

|CVG = 85%{{cite magazine|last1=O'Connor|first1=Frank|last2=Rand|first2=Paul|url=https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-121/CVG121_Dec_1991#page/n79/mode/2up|title=Review: Jerry Boy|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=121|publisher=EMAP|date=December 1991|pages=80–81}}

|Fam = 25/40{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/famitsu0145#page/37/mode/1up|title=NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ジェリーボーイ|magazine=Famitsu|issue=145|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=September 27, 1991|page=37|lang=ja}}

|NP = 12.9/20{{cite magazine|last1=Sinfield|first1=George|last2=Noel|first2=Rob|title=Now Playing - Smart Ball|magazine=Nintendo Power|issue=34|publisher=Nintendo of America|date=March 1992|page=104}}

|rev1 = ASM

|rev1Score = 9/12{{cite magazine|last=Rückert|first=Lars|url=https://archive.org/stream/Aktueller_Software_Markt_-_Ausgabe_1992.01#page/n128/mode/1up|title=Konsolen: Blobig - Jerry Boy|magazine=Aktueller Software Markt|issue=59|publisher=Tronic Verlag|date=January 1992|page=131|lang=de}}

|rev2 = Consoles +

|rev2Score = 89%{{cite magazine|author1=El Nionio|author2=Rocket|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=51&num=1211&album=oui|title=Super Famicom Review - Jerry Boy|magazine=Consoles +|issue=3|publisher=M.E.R.7|date=November 1991|pages=40–42|lang=fr}}

|rev3 = Famimaga

|rev3Score = 21.33/30{{cite magazine|title=90年11月から'93年6月21日発売までの323本を収録!! Super Famicom All Catalog '93 8月情報号特別付録 - ジェリーボーイ|magazine=Famimaga|issue=16|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=August 1, 1993|page=14|lang=ja}}

|rev4 = Génération 4

|rev4Score = 80%{{cite magazine|last=Ladoire|first=Frank|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero038/generation%204%20-%20N038%20-%20novembre%201991%20-%20page216%20et%20page217.jpg|title=Console Test - Jerry Boy|magazine=Génération 4|issue=38|publisher=Computec Media France|date=November 1991|page=208|lang=fr}}

|rev5 = Joypad

|rev5Score = 91%{{cite magazine|last1=Huyghues-Lacour|first1=Alain|last2=Demoly|first2=Jean-Marc|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1771&album=oui|title=Jerry Boy: "Je sais que je suis un étranger en ce monde, un étranger parmi ceux qui sont encore des homme" - H.P. Lovecraft|magazine=Joypad|issue=2|publisher=Yellow Media|date=November 1991|pages=134–136|lang=fr}}

|rev6 = Joystick

|rev6Score = 90%{{cite magazine|last=Demoly|first=Jean-Marc|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numero021/Joystick%20021%20-%20Novembre%201991%20-%20Page%20182.jpg|title=Console News: Jerry Boy|magazine=Joystick|issue=21|publisher=Sipress|date=November 1991|page=182|lang=fr}}

|rev7 = N-Force

|rev7Score = 91%{{cite magazine|last1=Roberts|first1=Nick|last2=Rowley|first2=Carl|url=https://archive.org/stream/N-Force_No_2_1992-08_Europress_Impact_GB#page/n89/mode/2up|title=Reviewed! - N-Force Knockout: Smart Ball|magazine=N-Force|issue=2|publisher=Europress Impact|date=August 1992|pages=90–91}}
89%{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/N-Force_No_6_1992-12_Europress_Impact_GB#page/n61/mode/1up|title=Six of the best! - Smart Ball|magazine=N-Force|issue=6|publisher=Europress Impact|date=December 1992|page=62}}

|rev8 = Super Play

|rev8Score = 6/10{{cite magazine|last=Bielby|first=Matt|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superplay_Issue_01_1992-11_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n88/mode/1up|title=What Cart? Super Play's Game Library - Jerry Boy (Jap)|magazine=Super Play|issue=1|publisher=Future Publishing|date=November 1992|page=89}}

|award1Pub = Famitsu (1992)

|award1 = Video Game Category Character Design Award{{cite magazine|title=1991 AVAマルチメディアグランプリ|magazine=Famitsu|issue=162|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=January 24, 1992|lang=ja}}

}}

Smart Ball was met with positive reception from critics. On release, Famitsu scored the Super Famicom version of the game a 25 out of 40. British magazine Super Play gave the Super Famicom version 6 out of 10, stating that game is a "run-of-the-mill platform game with only its blob-shaped hero to distinguish it from the crowd. We reckon it seems pretty average." The game also won the Digital Content Association's AVA Multimedia Grand Prix Award for character design.

Legacy

= Adaptation =

Smart Ball is one of the video games featured in the manga titled Rock'n Game Boy, by Shigeto Ikehara and published by Comic BomBom from October 1989 to December 1991.

= Canceled sequel =

Sony Music Entertainment Japan planned to release the sequel in 1994, however it was canceled. The developer was Game Freak: Satoshi Tajiri was the supervisor, Ken Sugimori the character designer, and Yoshinori Sunahara the music composer.

The game was to be released about three years later and was slated for a Japan-only release, but it was cancelled at the last minute. Sony may have been responsible for the cancelation.{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} The company were to help publish the game as well as having helped publish the original, but due to a strain between Nintendo and Sony around the time of the game's release and Sony moving on to their own system at the time, the PlayStation, the game was cancelled as a result.{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}

In the proposed sequel, the player would take control of one of six different playable characters, each with a unique special ability. The game would have also featured an updated engine allowing for larger gameplay and enemy variety. Despite the cancellation, Smart Ball was not the last Game Freak game to be published by Sony. The last Game Freak game published by Sony was Click Medic for PlayStation, which was published in 1999.