Omega Strikers is an air hockey game played 3 on 3. You play with heroes that have abilities that change the game dynamically. In some cases, you can hit the core (which is essentially the puck) really hard or from a distance, while in others you’ll need to plan a bit more. A character can place a blockade on the field that bounces off the puck for ultimate defence, while another can place slime buddies that will blast the core toward the opponent’s goal. Initially, you will have to learn the different characters’ abilities. Once you do, you will instantly be sucked into this game.
To prevent matches from being over before they start, every goal is blocked at the start. You’ll need to hit several targets near the enemy goal before you can score the big one. The targets depend on the pitch you’re playing on; one stage might just require you to hit two blocks in front of the goal, another might require you to hit some triangles to either side, which could lead to some wild bounces. After the short tutorial, you’ll probably jump into quickplay for an online battle. A three on three match is perfect for beginners, with the first team to score five goals winning. The nice thing about quickplay is that if nobody scores for two minutes, the speed of the core ramps up so the games are nice and fast (ideal for trying out new characters).
Players can choose from a wide variety of heroes in Omega Strikers, each with their own unique powers and strategies. Some characters shoot projectiles to strike the core from a distance. Others cast buffs to boost the rest of the team. One can even turn invisible and reappear to score a cheeky goal. It’s even possible to play as a hero that can destroy the other team and eliminate them from the game temporarily if all this goal scoring isn’t your cup of tea. After you’ve found the right hero for you, you’ll need to decide if you’d rather play up front or in goal. My expectations were all about those goals, but defending against enemy offense is fun with the right character. There are some characters that are better in certain roles than others, but you’ll soon figure that out and be ready to start playing competitively.
Omega Strikers’ full potential can only be explored when you play this ranked mode. MOBA elements become apparent pretty quickly when you vote to ban characters from the opposing team. Aside from this significant addition, you can also choose from a variety of power ups between sets. A selection of eight are available to choose from for all players, but the order they’re chosen is based on who has been playing best. You might be lucky and the other players will leave a power up you want, but choosing from the dregs can be pretty disappointing, so you’d better do your best.
There are a lot of buffs available that can be pretty game-changing. Maybe you can use one of your abilities more than once without needing to recharge. Or maybe you can move faster if you avoid being hit. Once you’ve selected a few power-ups, you’ll be unstoppable, and you’ll need to adjust your play style accordingly. If all this sounds enticing to you, you’re in luck, because Omega Strikers is free to play. I played the game primarily as an entirely new player who hadn’t spent any money, and I thought the starting heroes and time it took to unlock others were really fair. Although Omega Strikers is more than playable for free, you won’t get the coolest cosmetics unless you pay.
If Odyssey Interactive continues to update Omega Strikers long term, competitive air hockey could keep me coming back for years to come. If done right, new heroes and maps would certainly shake up the meta. I’m hopeful that this could be a multiplayer game with a long life. Omega Strikers is a fantastic and innovative multiplayer game that’s easy to pick up. But it has plenty of complexity to master. There is something seriously compelling about learning how to use different characters. These progression hooks kept me coming back for more. A bit of luck and regular updates could make this the multiplayer success story of 2023.
