Odama
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| Developer(s) | Vivarium |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | Yoot Saito |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo GameCube |
| Release date |  March 31, 2006 April 10, 2006 April 13, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Pinball, Real-time tactics |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone 10+ (E10+) PEGI: 7+ |
| Media | 1 × GameCube Optical Disc |
| System requirements | Memory Card |
| Input methods | GameCube Controller, Nintendo GameCube Microphone |
Odama (大玉 Ōdama?) is a video game for the Nintendo GameCube that blends tactical wargaming with pinball gameplay, created by Japanese developer Yoot Saito. Odama is placed in a feudal Japan setting. The main character is a young general named Yamanouchi Kagetora. Yamanouchi Kagetora is intent on avenging his father's death by reviving the most ingenious weapon ever to hit the medieval battlefield: the Odama. The Odama is a gigantic ball powerful enough to destroy whatever it strikes, friend or foe. Using giant flippers, players aim the giant Odama ball to bowl over enemies, shatter their defenses and wreak havoc on the battlefield. With the Nintendo GameCube Microphone, players direct their soldiers out of the Odama's way and into the fray by charging the enemy, defending positions, seizing the enemy gates.
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[edit] Plot
The main character in Odama is Yamanouchi Kagetora, a young general struggling to avenge his clan and preserve the Way of Ninten-do, which is a philosophy that means "The way of heavenly duty". (Note that this literally spells "Nintendo"; this is only one of the many ways that Nintendo is integrated into the plot of Odama. Also the company name does really mean "The way of heavenly duty" amongst other translations.) With this philosophy to guide him, he finds that his individual soldiers can band together to create a force strong enough to defeat even the most powerful enemy, here a general named Karasuma Genshin. Genshin had betrayed Lord Yamanouchi Nobutada (Kagetora's father) in a coup, leading Lord Nobutada to take his own life in order to avoid the shame of defeat. Kagetora exacts his revenge, using only limited resources against a vast army. One of these resources is a sacred object protected by his clan: a legendary weapon called the Odama.
[edit] Characters
The Odama itself is the most prominent 'character' in the game. This gigantic ball rolls across the battlefield, pulverizing anything in its path, friend or foe. Between the two flippers, the commander stands guard, hacking down any soldiers who attempt to pass. The army of soldiers carries items and obeys a player's every order, so long as loyalty can be maintained.
[edit] Gameplay
The player controls flippers, which operate exactly like those in any pinball game: they smack the Odama back into the battlefield, directing it into targets and away from soldiers. Players also can tilt the battlefield, allowing them to alter the course of the Odama once they've hit it into the fray. Using the Nintendo GameCube Mic, players will direct soldiers by giving voice commands to them. The goal is to shatter the enemy gates with the Odama and direct a crew of men carrying a giant bell to pass through the opened gates. Players' soldiers will defend their crew and seize enemy positions to protect their men on the mission.
[edit] Microphone
The Nintendo GameCube Mic (included) is the most important addition to this title. There are 11 commands that Odama can understand, ranging from generic (moving left and right, advancing and retreating) to map-specific and special moves.
[edit] Reception
Most critics did not like the short lifespan, poor graphics and difficulty of this game, yet generally praised the attempt at gameplay innovation. Netjak referred to it as "the third-best console game that involves rolling a giant ball over people." (The first two being Katamari Damacy and We Love Katamari respectively.)[1]
However, many believe the game's generally average critical response[2], especially with regard to common criticism of the relatively high difficulty level, is perhaps unjust. For example, SPOnG wrote, "Show Odama the dedication that those games required back in the day, and its complicated gameplay will eventually become second nature..."[3], referring to the often more unforgiving computer and arcade games of the 1980s. Gamer7 wrote, "Odama’s difficulty level is admittedly extremely high by current standards, but by more traditional standards, it's a walk over."[4]
Odama won IGN's Most Innovative Design for a GameCube game in 2006.[5]
