Valo Motion unveils dynamic sequel to ValoClimb's popular ‘Climball'

Valo Motion, the Finnish developer of active mixed-reality attractions, has unveiled ‘Climball Legends’ for ValoClimb, the dynamic sequel to their viral hit game Climball which offers significantly enhanced gameplay, cutting-edge motion tracking, and a sports legend vibe, taking climbing action to new heights.   

A perfect addition to leisure venues
Climball Legends is designed to be a compelling game for venues with Valo Motion's ValoClimb attraction. As a sporty, dynamic, and visually appealing game, it caters to a wide range of players. Experienced climbers can engage in the full climbing experience by playing while scaling the wall, enhancing their reach for well-aimed shots. For those seeking a more casual challenge, players can opt to run and jump on the floor to interact with the ball.

The game sessions are designed for efficiency, with each match lasting approximately 75 seconds. In the event of a tie, a 15-second overtime period is added, during which the ball becomes progressively faster until a goal is scored with the last ball in play. This ensures that games always end with a goal. The fixed length of the initial match time ensures predictable throughput for venues, accommodating both single and multiplayer experiences.

Climball Legends presents an opportunity for venues to host engaging competitions, appealing to casual and younger players while providing a formidable challenge for experts. The game's flexibility allows for ad-hoc competitions among groups of players, fostering a lively atmosphere that entertains both participants and spectators alike. Its ability to encourage repeat play and cater to larger groups makes Climball Legends a valuable addition to any location-based entertainment facility's lineup.

Climball Legends became available for ValoClimb on 20th May 2024.

Dr. Raine Kajastila, Chief Executive of Valo Motion notes "Climball Legends represents our dedication to creating immersive and active experiences that motivate people to move and have fun.

"Building on the tremendous success of the original Climball, this sequel retains the addictive thrill while introducing dynamic new elements like freeform hitting mechanics and enhanced motion tracking. We can't wait for ValoClimb owners and their guests to have fun while climbing and compete to become a legend."

Around seven years ago, Valo Motion released the original Climball game for their ValoClimb platform. Videos showcasing Climball's gameplay went viral across social media, garnering hundreds of millions of views. This tremendous popularity put Valo Motion on the map as a developer of cutting-edge augmented reality sports games. Now, after years of technological progress and insights from Climball players, Valo Motion has developed Climball Legends, a sequel that pays tribute to the original while upgrading the overall gameplay experience.

Like its predecessor, Climball Legends combines the excitement of pinball and air hockey with the physical challenge of climbing to take interactivity to new heights. Climbers must outmanoeuvre their opponents and score a goal with the ball. The strength and direction of each hit influence the ball's velocity and spin.

Climball Legends introduces innovative freeform hitting game mechanics that accurately track players' limb positions and velocities. This allows climbers to aim and strike the ball with precision. They can also create spin and curved shots to outmanoeuvre opponents. The freeform hitting makes the game more dynamic, fast-paced, and exciting. It lowers the skill requirement for beginners while providing a higher skill ceiling for experienced players, thus catering to a wide age range and skill levels.

At launch, Climball Legends will offer three different game modes, including "Multiball" where two balls are in play simultaneously, and “Low” where the wall height is lowered so young players can enjoy it with ease.

A fun game for ages 8 and above
Climball Legends is designed to be enjoyed by players of all age groups. The game's vibrant neon sports aesthetic mainly targets teenagers and young adults, but it is also easy and simple enough for younger kids aged eight and above to play.

 The ideal way to play the game is to have two players compete against each other. While all modes pit one player versus another, those playing alone can challenge an AI opponent. This ensures everyone can jump in and play seamlessly.

Valo Motion notes “Players will feel like superstar athletes, scoring amazing goals and making last-second saves in their pursuit of becoming a legend. This exciting atmosphere allows friends and families to celebrate wins together and develop friendly rivalries.

“The game appeals to various player types too. Those who like ball sports will enjoy the realistic ball movements and interactivity. Competitive players will constantly be tested against opponents and tougher AI. Even casual players who prefer open-ended games will have fun freely hitting the ball around.”

Overall, Climball Legends provides an engaging climbing experience suited for most ages and play styles.

Zsombor Szabó, the Lead Developer of the game adds "Sports with balls have followed humans through our history, and Climball Legends taps into this natural fascination with them. Watching a ball physically bounce around on the wall is inherently exciting - like hoping the Windows screensaver clock hits the corner of the screen.

"After our previous game Short Circuit, which was more static, I wanted to experiment with dynamic gameplay that prompts a base human instinct to hit the ball and see what happens."

ValoClimb in Australia
ValoClimb is distributed in Australia by The Highgate Group.

ValoClimb is an award-winning fully automatic digital attraction that has been designed to enhance repeatability and to have significant play-value. ValoClimb comes in different models that are full of high quality and exciting games. ValoClimb is a great fit for any indoor location and can already be found in over 230 locations spread across more than 50 countries.

Designed to offer versatility in a small space, ValoClimb helps indoor leisure industry operators to increase their competitive advantage and to maximise the floor-space revenue while allowing flexibility with monetisation. ValoClimb have launched an Active Esport League, ValoLeague, that helps facility operators to add another layer of game experience to create fun experiences for their visitors.

ValoClimb is safe, fully-automated (no personnel needed) and hygienic (no wearables) digital attraction. To fit a variety of different customer types and locations, the ValoClimb product line includes three different models: ValoClimb 6K, ValoClimb 9K and ValoClimb DustProtect.

Each of which can be either ceiling mounted or bolted onto the floor. All models are equally optimal when retrofitted to an existing location with a climbing wall or when our customers are looking to design a completely new centre.

In addition to different models, ValoClimb also has a variety of different games, levels, modes and themes that suite different types of visitors and occasions from kid’s parties to more seasoned climbers training their skills.

With ValoClimb, the climbers can create their own routes and view their climbing videos for instant feedback. After each game, the climbers can watch the playback of the climbing videos. The climbers can also compare their climbing by overlaying two climbing videos.

Click here to contact Valo Motion’s Australian distributor The Highgate Group via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images top and centre. Credit: Valo Motion; image above. Credit: The Highgate Group