Bet you didn’t think squash could be so fun did you? Meriball, the latest game to feature our heroine, Lisha, of Meridell, the action filled Medieval land of Neopia, is a game all about squash! With a twist of course, but then again, all NeoPet games have twists don’t they. This time, in an action packed game of squash, you are charged with defeating all your opponents. They take the forms of Lisha’s friends Boris, Morris, Kaeyln and the much-feared big bad wolf otherwise known as Jeran!
Of course, Squash is very similar to the game of tennis. However there are notable differences. The game squash is played against in a room, where the front wall, the left and the right walls are used as rebounds in the play. The player takes turns hitting the ball. You get the idea don’t you? Excitement is added to this through its power ups and of course, those adorable hamsters that so love to get into your way.
The first power ups affect the speed of the ball.
2 Times Ball renders the ball twice as quick. This of course is advantageous as it means the ball can outpace your opponents. Ironically, this can also play against you as the ball can out pace you. In later levels such as Kaeyln and Jeren, this power up is a must if you want to win.
Slow Ball causes the ball comatose and very, very slow. Not recommended unless you like to drag out matches across hours.
Related to the speed power ups are also the player power ups, which can increase your speed, or decrease your opponents.
2 Times Person is highly recommended. Every time this one appears, race over to grab it (within reason of course). If anything, this is aid you in your quest to defeat Jeran.
The power up with the picture of the Slow Person is also highly recommended. Used with the combination of 2 Times Ball makes winning your final matches against Jeran a breeze. Definitely a power up not to be taken lightly.
Also related to opponent and self-affects are the grow and shrink options. Both are extremely great if used!
The Big Man will make you grow to enormous proportions! Unfortunately, Jeran’s actual size is yourself when you take this power up (not really fair is it), so as soon as you can even the field with this power up, the better!
The Small Man is a must and a definite boost to your self confidence. Jeran, alongside other opponents will shrink to microscopic sizes rendering their diminutive swing range ineffective. Mwahahah! You are so impish!
The remaining power ups are the change direction power ups and the random power ups.
The change direction power ups will only affect the front wall. So if the ball approaches the wall in a north easterly direction (top-right), once it hits the wall, it will rebound in the south westerly direction (bottom-left). Talk about defying the law of physics!
The random power up is a ball which flashes all the images of the other power ups. Depending on when you get your power up determines what it will be. The results are endless!
Now that power ups are out of the way, let’s take a look at obstacles. Apart from the usual meriball opponents, you will find that occasionally, little hamster looking things will burrow up from the ground and poke their head around for a few seconds. If a player runs into the hamster, then the player is rendered immovable for a period of approximately three seconds. Like the Speed Ball power up, this can work both ways for you. It can help you win or help you lose. If you try to defeat Jeran without power ups in the last level, the only possible way is to have Jeran run into a hamster and knock himself out whilst the all sails past him.
Be wary as if the current service goes on for too long, the ball will randomly pop making the person who popped it, lose the point.
The best way to hit the way is to hit it in such a way that it first hits the side wall, then the front wall. This is so it rebounds more, and thus puts your opponent off the mark for a few seconds, letting the ball fly opponent-less towards the ‘lose-point’ area. To do this, line your character bat left of the oncoming ball, but leave generally 1mm of the bat in line with the direction of the ball. As the ball approaches, swing the bat and watching the ball hit the right wall, the front wall, the left wall and then sail past the opponents bat, who’s run/walk speed is not fast enough to keep up with the speeding ball. Please note: If using this strategy, do not get the change direction power up as it simply returns the ball to where it was originally hit.
The second strategy will quickly take you through the first level in less than five seconds. Starting with the ball, head to the far opposite side of your opponent. Once there, travel as far up as possible, and let loose the ball! Because your opponent is slow, he will not reach the ball in time. Then simply move to the other opposite side and repeat the process! Other than that, good luck with the game and happy batting! – Shoyru_Lover
An example of the second strategy