Uniball -
http://www.uniball-central.net - is a multiplayer online future sports game. It's been running for a long time - I've been playing it for 8 years, it started as Xpong maybe a decade ago? - and it's the only online game I've ever played that's actually, on average, gotten better over time. The game still sees occasional development, which manages to add useful new features without interfering with the core gameplay.
Two modes are supported by the game - hockey (your typical get-the-ball-in-the-goal game), and dodgeball (which nobody plays). Other variations have been invented by the players, such as racing on specially designed maps, and speedball, where players must hold their fire button to shoot as soon as they catch the ball. Most games are small - 2 teams, 2v2 or 3v3 - but some maps support up to 4 teams, and larger game with 20 or even more players are possible if you can find enough players.
The core gameplay of Uniball is simple, but there's all kinds of little tricks and techniques to learn over time. Good teamwork is useful, but there's plenty of solo showoff opportunities too. If you find yourself playing against long-term players most of the time, then the learning curve can be a bit steep - first time I played, I quit for a month before I came back and gave it another chance - but efforts have been made since then to make it easier, such as being able to spectate games and record/watch demos. There's also been a few more new players recently than usual, so it should be a little easier to find suitable people to play with.
The game is kinda playable with mid-range pings, but the difference a low ping makes is pretty big. Three servers are currently up - UK, USA Midwest, USA West - and I recommend treating games on each quite differently.
Though the community isn't growing much as a whole, those who are there are a pretty dedicated bunch, and there's a number of different leagues and tournaments going on. Unfortunately, the squad scene is a shadow of its former self, and despite there being a good variety of maps, the majority of people only ever seem to play two of them (Hockey and Miniball). They're both good maps, but if you do give the game a go, try to start a few games on alternative maps.
Player
