Pixel Volley — Play Free Online

Pixel Volley is a retro-styled volleyball game where the players are stubby, bowling-pin-shaped characters and every point is decided by a jump. You bounce the ball over the net, try to land it on the opponent's side, and first to the target score wins the match. Rounds are short, the pixel art is easy to read, and the whole thing starts in a browser tab with nothing to install.

It was made by FM Studio, a small team based in Italy, and it is a long way from a serious sports sim. The fun is in the odd rules and the head-to-head rhythm: a rally can swing on one badly timed hop. If you came to Doodle Jump for quick, jump-based play where timing matters more than anything, this sits comfortably next to it.

How to play

Move your character with the left and right arrow keys. In single player that is all you need. In the local two-player mode the second player uses Z and X to move, so two people can share one keyboard.

The twist is that your characters behave like bowling pins: they hop toward the side they are facing rather than gliding freely. Before you commit to a jump, check which way your character is pointing, because that decides where you travel and where the ball goes.

The menu offers three solo routes. The volleyball icon starts a quick match, the trophy icon starts a tournament, and the podium icon opens the Star League. Beating the Star League unlocks the Sun League. A separate local two-player option sits at the bottom of the menu.

Modes and customization

There are more than 50 characters to pick from, and you can change the rules of a match. Examples include a net that moves up and down, a ball that shrinks, an American football in place of the ball, or a ball with a saw on the bottom. These variants make good rematches once the standard game gets familiar.

Tips

• Watch your character's facing direction before every jump, since it controls the direction of the hop.
• Do not jump early. Let the ball come to you and time the hit rather than lunging at it.
• Start with quick matches to learn the movement, then move on to the tournament and the leagues.
• With the odd rule variants, spend a round or two just learning how the ball or net behaves before you try to win.

Similar games on Doodle Jump

Bouncy Basketball is the closest neighbour: it is also a two-player sports game built around awkward, bouncy movement, but with hoops instead of a net. Fireboy and Watergirl is another good choice for two people on one keyboard, though it is a cooperative puzzle game rather than a head-to-head contest. Doodle Jump itself is a one-button-style climber, so Pixel Volley is the better pick when you want an opponent.

It suits short sessions and playing with a friend on the same keyboard, and it runs in the browser on a laptop or a Chromebook.