- A turn-based tactical volleyball and dodgeball hybrid sports battler featuring animal champions
- With a 94% positive rating on the Steam demo, it is sailing smoothly, maintaining a 91% positive trend even after the official launch.
French indie game developer and publisher Goblinz Studio released the turn-based tactical sports roguelike ‘Smash it Wild’ simultaneously on PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on April 16.
‘Smash It Wild,’ which combines the positioning of volleyball with the aggression of dodgeball into a turn-based tactical system, is a title that proved its quality by receiving a 94% positive rating on its pre-release Steam demo. Anthropomorphic animal champions appear on the courts of a sailpunk fantasy world, combining a roguelike structure where you start over from the beginning upon defeat with deep team-building elements.
A tactical game combining volleyball and dodgeball, turn-based strategy played on the court
‘Smash It Wild’ is a turn-based strategy game that blends the characteristics of volleyball and dodgeball onto a single court. Players develop the game by adjusting player positions and interacting with the ball on a grid-based court. All actions, such as passing, spiking, blocking, and dodging opponent attacks, are executed through planned and strategic judgment rather than real-time reflexes. It can be seen as a reinterpretation of sports-based games into more deliberate tactical gameplay.
Furthermore, the addition of dodgeball elements expands the depth of the game. The ball is not merely a means of scoring, but is also utilized as an offensive tool to push opponents away or neutralize them. Players constantly weigh whether to aim for a clean score or to disrupt the opposing team.
Form an animal champion team, and if you lose, start over from the beginning.
The core of the game is a roguelike tournament. You assemble a team of animal players and play a series of matches; the more you win, the higher the rounds you advance. If you lose a match, you must start over.
You can strengthen your team after a match. You can expand your strategy through player upgrades, item equipping, and trait enhancement, and synergy effects based on unit combinations play a crucial role. For instance, the core fun of the game lies in the process of discovering various combinations, such as turning the tide of a battle by combining a defensively strong unit with an offensive unit that utilizes rebounding.
Sailpunk fantasy worldview and colorful art direction
Set in a sailpunk world that combines sailing and fantasy, the game creates a vibrant atmosphere with anthropomorphic animal characters and vivid colors. The Steam community has praised its excellent art style, along with reviews calling it a fresh tactical roguelike.
The Steam demo received a 94% positive rating out of 52 reviews and has maintained a 91% positive rating since its official release. This means that both its unique concept and quality have been recognized by users.
Goblinz, a French studio specializing in strategy and management games, the fruition of 9 years of know-how
Goblinz Studio is a French indie developer and publisher that has consistently released strategy and management games, starting with its first title, ‘Dungeon Rushers’, in 2016, followed by Robothorium, Legend of Keepers, Hero’s Hour, Shogun Showdown, and Microtopia.
‘Smash It Wild’ was created in collaboration with Ernestine and showcases a new direction by combining Goblinz’s strategy game expertise with sports and roguelike structures.
The game’s launch price is $11.99/€11.99/£9.99, and it is currently 20% off for a limited time on Steam. The demo is available for free on all platforms.
Information regarding ‘Smash it Wild’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Goblinz Studio / Ernestine |
| Publisher | Goblinz Studio |
| Genre | Turn-based Tactics / Sports Battler / Roguelike |
| Release platform | PC (Steam) / Xbox Series X|S / PlayStation 5 / Nintendo Switch |
| Release date | April 16, 2026 |
| price | $11.99 USD (20% off for launch) |
| Steam Demo Review | Very Positive (94%, 52 cases) |
| Steam Official Review | Positive (91%, 23 cases) |
| Main Keywords | Sailpunk, Animal Characters, Turn-based Tactics, Volleyball/Dodgeball, Team Building |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
