Oddballz
Template:Short description Template:Main other{{#invoke:infobox|infoboxTemplate | child = | subbox = | bodyclass = ib-video-game hproduct {{#ifeq:|yes|collapsible {{#if:|{{{state}}}|autocollapse}}}} | templatestyles = Infobox video game/styles.css | aboveclass = fn | italic title =
| above = Oddballz: Your Wacky Computer Petz
| image = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=Oddballz Coverart.png|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt=|border=|suppressplaceholder=yes}}
| caption = {{#if:Oddballz Coverart.png|Italian box art|Italian box art}}
| label2 = DeveloperTemplate:Pluralize from text | data2 = PF Magic
| label3 = PublisherTemplate:Pluralize from text | data3 = PF Magic
| label4 = DirectorTemplate:Pluralize from text | data4 = Template:If first display both
| label5 = ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data5 = Template:If first display both
| label6 = DesignerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data6 =
| label7 = ProgrammerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data7 = Template:If first display both
| label8 = ArtistTemplate:Pluralize from text | data8 = Template:If first display both
| label9 = WriterTemplate:Pluralize from text | data9 = Template:If first display both
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| label11 = Series | data11 = Template:If first display both
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| label13 = PlatformTemplate:Pluralize from text | data13 = Microsoft Windows,<ref name="Enderland">Template:Cite news</ref> Mac OS 7<ref name="Covert" />
| label14 = Release | data14 = Windows: 1996
| label15 = GenreTemplate:Pluralize from text | data15 = Virtual pets
| label16 = ModeTemplate:Pluralize from text | data16 = Single Player
| label17 = Arcade system | data17 = Template:If first display both
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}}Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|ignoreblank=1|preview=Page using Template:Infobox video game with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"| alt | arcade system | artist | caption | border | child | collapsible | commons | composer | designer | developer | director | embedded | engine | fetchwikidata | genre | image | image_size | image_upright | italic title | modes | noicon | onlysourced | platform | platforms | producer | programmer | publisher | qid | refs | release | released | series | state | subbox | suppressfields | title | writer }}Template:Main other{{#if:Oddballz Coverart.png|}} Oddballz: Your Wacky Computer Petz is a virtual pet game developed by PF Magic, as part of the Petz series, released in 1996. It follows, and uses many of the systems as, PF Magic's previous Catz and Dogz.
Gameplay
Oddballz follows much of format of Catz and Dogz, with the player being able to adopt a selection of pets, and to play or punish them affecting their mood.<ref name="Scott1996">Template:Cite news</ref> However, unlike its predecessors it focuses on fantasy and Chimeric animals—such as a "cross between a walrus and a rabbit" or "half duck, half bear".<ref name="Boxer1996">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Garland1996">Template:Cite news</ref> Also unlike those games, Oddballz includes more than the starting 6 animals, allowing the user to unlock and collect them.<ref name="Garland1996" /> New "toys"—items used to interact with your petz—include ray guns, magnets and fire extinguishers.<ref name="Wright1997">Template:Cite news</ref> Creatures could also be further "mutated" and traded online with other players, further enhancing the collectability aspect.<ref name="PC Zone1996">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
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The game had the ability to get extra content—either from the official website, or on CD-ROM.<ref name="Covert" /><ref name="Mendonça1997">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Reception
Template:VG reviews Alex Garland, in The Daily Telegraph, thought while boring to adults, the collectability aspect would make it appealing to children.<ref name="Garland1996" /> Similarly, while Robert Wright found nothing compelling for him, he recounts that his three children—aged 10, 8 and 4—had "been playing it endlessly".<ref name="Wright1997" />
Trevor Covert, of MacNN, while praising the software's intuitive interface, criticized the lack of Mac support for the CD-ROM expansions.<ref name="Covert" />