Pixel Buckball

Honestly, when buckball was introduced in season 6, I didn't take it crap at all. But after playing it myself and getting into it properly, I realize that it's a true pony sport, where all three pony races have their own distinctive place (earthponies are berserkers-buckers, pegasus are defenders-catchers, and unicorns are sneaky-behind-the-back framers) and where everything depends on the consistency of all three pony races.

It took me a long time to get used to having the target basket on my opponent's half under my team's control. And yet I got used to it.

For the first time in my life, I preferred arrows to WASD, because it is easier to control two hands with three ponies than one hand with three ponies. I quickly got used to which axis is responsible for which pony.

In theory the trajectory of the ball should mainly affect the earth pony, but in fact the trajectory is set by the pegasus. If the pegasus throws to the left side of the field, the ball will fly on a low trajectory. If to the right - on a high trajectory (I played a couple of matches, purely to double-check whether the position of the pegasus at least somehow affects the trajectory; my eyes say yes, but my brain realizes that it does not). The pegasus doesn't even have to catch the ball, just stand in the cage with the ball and it kicks automatically. The problem is that the pegasus-opponent realizes where the ball will fly even before it reaches the earthponies.

Verdict
Good

Overall good, but the more you play, the more you realize that the discreteness lowers all the sportiness and all the importance of unicorns. In this realization too much is decided by the pegasus. Let the pegasus automatically serve the dugout, and the dugout decides the moment, speed and direction of bucking the ball.

MTH_Root (from Tabun):

The visual style is preserved, the music is well chosen. Control is extremely unusual. Again, the game is for fans. Technical execution is good, mechanics are simple and clear.

I merely translated the comment from Tabun's user.

Niko_de_Andjelo (streamer from Tabun):

I'll start at the end - I really want to try to play this game with someone, because I couldn't beat the computer, but I want to test my theory that it would be an incredibly interesting game with friends.

It's just a well-made game. I didn't know the rules of buckball and had very vague ideas about it, but... after playing this game, I understood everything. I think that alone is already worthy of appreciation (sic!).

From the drawbacks - very difficult for the brain three-axis control and, probably, discreteness of pony positions, but the latter will have to be tested in a game with a human.

Went through... I don't know, just played. Couldn't beat the computer, though I tried. About 20 minutes.

I merely translated the comment from Tabun's user.