Oddball
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
Oddball is a multiplayer game-type featured in the Halo series. The objective is to locate the skull on the map and to have possession of it for the longest time possible. The default settings allow the game to be a free for all with 1 skull on the map, which you need to have possession of for 2 minutues in order to win. This game can also be played as a Rumble Game or a Team Game where either the highest score on a team or the accumulative score for the entire team determines the victors. Normally, a player who has the oddball is the immediate target for the other players, which is what makes Oddball an extremely fast paced and fun gametype. While a player has possession of the Oddball, they cannot wield their weapons or throw grenades. However, they can still melee opponents with the skull, which normally inflicts massive damage. The settings for the game can also be altered to make it more interesting. For example, the player with the oddball can go invisible or can be slowed down. The number of oddballs on the map can also be changed. The Oddball takes the form of a skull.
Included Variants
Oddball
- Get ready for a classic game of free for-all Oddball. Hold the ball for 2 minutes to win.
Rocketball
- This game of Oddball with nothing but rocket launchers is a real blast. Control the ball for 1 minute to win.
Swordball
- Tense rounds with swords and no motion sensor. Own the ball for 30 seconds to win a round. First to 3 wins.
Team Ball
- Up to 8 teams can go head to head in this game of team oddball. First team with 2 minutes ball control wins.
Low Ball
- Team Oddball with a twist. Everyone on your team must hold the ball for at least 30 seconds to win.
Fiesta (Halo 2)
- An odd game of ball with random weapons. Earn 2 minutes control time to win.
Trivia
- Oddball is derived from Marathon's "Kill the Man With the Ball".
- The skull itself is from Halo's early development: when the player goes to rescue Captain Keyes in the level Keyes and discovers that he has been consumed by the Flood, the Master Chief was to burn through the Brainform biomass and pull out Keyes' skull to get his neural implants. However, this was cut due to the burnt skull being too disturbing to present in the game. The design of the skull was apparently kept for the Oddball skull, as a Command Neural Interface resembling that of Captain Keyes can be seen on the base of the skull.
- The player holds the skull in a different position in every game. The exact reason for this is unknown, but it was most likely to keep variety in the games.
