Kings Of The Beach

Kings of the Beach brings two-on-two beach volleyball to the NES in a straightforward sports game built around timing, positioning, and teamwork. Released in 1990, it was developed by Electronic Arts and published on Nintendo’s system by Ultra Games. Rather than turning volleyball into a complicated simulation, the game keeps the action accessible while still rewarding players who learn how to control a rally.

Matches take place on a sandy court, with each team responsible for serving, receiving, setting, and attacking. A successful point depends on more than simply hitting the ball back: players need to move into position, choose when to bump or set, and time a spike or block at the net. The two-player-per-side format also makes cooperation important, whether you are working with a friend or relying on a computer-controlled teammate. With support for up to four players, Kings of the Beach is particularly well suited to group play, although solo players can still compete in matches against the computer.

The NES presentation is colorful and readable, with a compact overhead-style view that makes it easy to follow the ball and react to the opposing team. Its rules and controls can take a little practice, especially when learning the timing of sets and spikes, but that learning curve gives longer matches some satisfying tension. A well-placed attack or timely block can quickly change the momentum of a game.

Kings of the Beach is a good fit for fans of classic console sports titles and anyone looking for a competitive multiplayer game with simple fundamentals. If you want to revisit its old-school beach volleyball action, RetroCloud lets you play online on your browser without needing the original NES hardware.