Play Faceball 2000 Online Free for Super Nintendo.
Faceball 2000 hits different when it boots instantly in your browser. Released in 1987 on the Super Nintendo, this retro classic from Hybrid Arts (ST), Bullet-Proof Software (GB, SNES), Riverhillsoft is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
The world animates smoothly as the player turns, much like the earlier Wayout, instead of only permitting 90 degree changes of direction. MIDI Maze, also known as Faceball 2000, is a networked first-person shooter maze video game for the Atari ST developed by Xanth Software F/X and released in 1987 by Hybrid Arts.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| B (bottom) | X | Bottom face |
| A (right) | Z | Right face |
| Y (left) | S | Left face |
| X (top) | A | Top face |
| L | Q | Left shoulder |
| R | E | Right shoulder |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Select | V | Select |
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The Story Behind Faceball 2000
In 2024, electrical engineer Zarithya was able to produce a 16-player adapter that replicated the functionality of the original adapter intended for the game, discovering that due to an off-by-one error, more than 15 players would never have been possible in the original release of the game even with compatible hardware. She and others created two patches for the game, one to fix the 16-player functionality only, and another to upgrade the game to include Super Game Boy and Game Boy Color support (called "Faceball 2000 DX"), and released them on GitHub. A port for Nintendo's Virtual Boy console, to be titled NikoChan Battle (ニコちゃんバトル) in Japan, was almost completed, but canceled as the system was discontinued in late 1995.
A prototype was found in 2013, and the ROM was subsequently released. According to programmer Robert Champagne, the original game's code does contain a 16-player mode, but it required a special adapter that was planned to be bundled with the game, to create a "chain" of link cables. The original MIDI Maze team at Xanth Software F/X consisted of James Yee as the business manager, Michael Park as the graphic and networking programmer, and George Miller writing the AI and drone logic.
How Faceball 2000 Plays
A Super NES version, also titled Faceball 2000, was released in 1992, supporting two players in split-screen mode. The game found a wider audience when it was converted to Faceball 2000 on the Game Boy. This version features completely different graphics and levels from the earlier Game Boy version.
Up to 16 computers can be networked in a "MIDI Ring" by daisy chaining MIDI ports that are built into the Atari ST series. It also predated the LAN party concept by several years. The 16-player mode and the adapter were announced in the April 1991 issue of Nintendo Power; however, Nintendo did not allow the adapter's release, so the 16-player mode cannot be enabled using original Game Boy systems.
Why Players Still Load It Up
In Faceball 2000, you assume the identity of a Holographically Assisted Physical Pattern Yielded for Active Computerized Embarkationor HAPPYFACEand hunt down your opponents. TheGamer listed it as among ten games that revolutionized first-person shooters, which was also noted by Nostalgia Nerd and VG247. Super Gamer magazine gave an overall review score of 82% writing: "Ultra successful on the little Game Boy, this 3-D maze shoot-'em-up has been totally uprated for the SNES." Entertainment Weekly picked Faceball 2000 as the #5 greatest game available in 1991, saying: "The Game Boy meets virtual reality (i.e., artificial, computer-enhanced, first-person perspective).
Using the MIDI ports on the Atari ST, the game is said to have introduced deathmatch combat to gaming in 1987. The game found a wider audience when it was converted to Faceball 2000 on the Game Boy. Later, a method was discovered to daisy-chain Game Boy Advance link cables to allow up to 15 players.
Faceball 2000 — Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy the original Faceball 2000?
Scroll to "Other Places You Can Get This Game" beneath the write-up — it lists trusted stores selling official copies.
What console was Faceball 2000 released on?
Faceball 2000 was released for the Super Nintendo in 1987.
Can I save my progress in Faceball 2000?
It does — with a free account you can snapshot the game at any point using save states, then pick it up later from exactly that spot.
How many players does Faceball 2000 support?
Faceball 2000 supports 1 player(s) in this browser version.