BALL x PIT Review: Kenny Sun's Genre-Bending Roguelite Shines on Nintendo Switch

BALL x PIT Review: Kenny Sun's Genre-Bending Roguelite Shines on Nintendo Switch Kenny Sun has carved out a reputation for delivering unique and innovative indie games across multiple platforms, gaining recognition with titles such as Circa Infinity and Mr Sun's Hatbox.

His latest endeavor, BALL x PIT—published by Devolver Digital—shows that Sun remains a creative force within the independent sector.

Released on the Nintendo Switch and Steam, BALL x PIT stands as another testament to Sun's experimental spirit, blending classic arcade elements, roguelite progression, and base building into a compelling experience for players seeking depth and replayability. Set in the ruined city of Ballbylon after a meteor crash resembling a katamari spreads its riches into a vast pit, BALL x PIT tasks players with guiding their chosen characters through procedurally generated levels filled with monstrous foes.

These characters each possess unique starting abilities and traits, offering diverse gameplay approaches as players strive to reach the bottom of a monster-infested chasm.

In a fresh twist on established genres, BALL x PIT combines familiar elements from games like Arkanoid and Vampire Survivors, layering it with a robust base-building system that demands strategic planning and quick reflexes. Players fire balls—either manually or automatically—at descending enemies and navigational hazards, managing both offense and defense as they work their way through waves of adversaries that resemble bricks, midbosses, and distinctive final bosses for each level.

The boss encounters routinely showcase inventive mechanics, from wide area-of-effect attacks to barrage patterns reminiscent of bullet hell shooters.

Learning the nuances of each layer is crucial, and success is rewarded with blueprints and gears that unlock further stages and enhance future attempts. A dynamic leveling system keeps each run fresh; as players collect pellets from defeated enemies (calling to mind mechanics featured in Vampire Survivors), they gain random upgrades with hints provided for optimal synergies.

Unique items further expand strategic possibilities by allowing fusion or enhancement of existing ball types, ensuring no two runs unfold identically.

The sheer variety of ball types, enemy patterns, and potential fusions immerses players in a state of flow, especially after becoming familiar with the systems at play. Each character brings distinct strengths to the pit—whether it’s the default Bleed ball user, The Cogitator, who automates upgrade choices, or The Cohabitants, a pair that mirrors attacks for increased coverage, albeit at reduced damage per projectile.

Advancement unlocks the option to combine characters, synergizing their abilities for greater depth and complexity. An equally significant aspect is BALL x PIT’s base-building feature.

Materials and gold accrued from each run are invested into constructing buildings and fields, unlocking new characters, permanent stat boosts, and upgrades.

Progress here is tied to a thoughtful grid-based construction mini-game, borrowing Arkanoid-style mechanics for harvesting and building upgrades.

The system encourages experimentation—layouts can be freely rearranged to maximize each harvest, although material respawns require further runs to optimize resource collection. From a technical perspective, BALL x PIT demonstrates strong performance on the Nintendo Switch 2, running smoothly and benefitting from fast loading times with backward compatibility.

The original Nintendo Switch, while generally consistent, does experience frame rate drops during particle-heavy scenes or boss encounters, particularly in later biomes.

Kenny Sun and Devolver Digital have confirmed a native Nintendo Switch 2 version is planned, offering a free upgrade and the potential for additional features such as optional visual effects settings—echoing player feedback for toggling CRT filters or Chromatic Aberration present in the current release. Visually, BALL x PIT employs a gritty, detailed aesthetic with memorable boss and enemy designs, though some busy stages may hinder readability amid intense projectile patterns and overlapping visual cues.

Despite minor graphical complaints, the art direction and enemy diversity add significant charm and challenge to the game’s high-paced action. In summary, BALL x PIT is a standout title that fuses multiple genres into an addictive, endlessly replayable package.

The Nintendo Switch version, especially when played on new hardware, serves as an excellent showcase of Kenny Sun’s blend of innovative mechanics and player-friendly design.

Players who appreciate roguelites, base building, and inventive indie games will find BALL x PIT’s risk–reward hooks hard to resist. BALL x PIT is currently available on Nintendo Switch and Steam.

A free upgrade for Nintendo Switch 2 is confirmed for launch, further solidifying this title’s place as a must-play in the indie roguelite scene. Score: 9/10

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Devolver Digital Switch arcade Kenny Sun BALL x PIT Nintendo Switch 2 Steam Arkanoid Vampire Survivors Switch eShop Nintendo Direct