Superball is a soccer/football-like marble, hence their name. They compete in the Marble Rally. Their debut was in Sand Marble Rally 2018, where they finished 3rd behind Red Number 3 and Phoenix, the third-highest championship finish for a rookie. In Season 5 Superball clinched their first Marble Rally championship and they are regarded as one of the best Marble Rally athletes. Superball is known for their consistency.
Superball is originally from Supozi, a city known as one of the most active cities in the world thanks to Superball's legacy. Superball uses the proceeds from their Marble Rally success to host weekly marathons around the perimeter of the city.[1]
History[]
2018[]
Superball was one of four new entrants into Sand Marble Rally 2018. They finished in a decent fourth place in Qualifier 4, which was enough to qualify for the tournament.
In Race 1, Superball started on the front row and would finish in eighth, which was a solid debut result. In Race 2 they started on the back row and finished eleventh, moving to eleventh overall.
Superball on the podium after his first win.
Superball started from the "pole" on the front row in Race 3. They had a good start and were in second place for a long time with Big Pearl behind them. Red Number 3 passed both of them halfway through the race. Superball and Big Pearl kept on battling, now for third place, but eventually Big Pearl would drift away in third and Superball finished fourth coming short of their first podium finish. Next race Superball started on the back row, but a good start meant they were already into the top 5 of the race. At a junction Superball made up multiple spots and moved up to second and shortly after they passed Blue Moon to take the lead. Superball retained the lead and won the race. Superball also took the championship lead, 4 points ahead of Red Number 3.
In Race 5 Superball finished sixth after starting on the back row and Superball stretched their lead in the championship over Red Number 3. In Race 6 Superball started on the front row and had a good start, but they dropped down through the field during the race, and after a mediocre performance, they finished thirteenth. Meanwhile, rival Red Number 3 had a dominant race victory. Superball going into that race had an 11 point lead on Red Number 3, but after the race Superball had an 11 point deficit on Red Number 3.
Race 7 was Superball's second podium of 2018.
In the penultimate race of 2018 Superball started on the front row and quickly took the lead at the start. Almost halfway through the race they lost their lead to Black Knight (4th in the standings) and after a bump from Black Knight they lost out on second to rival Red Number 3. With one third of the course to go Superball made a crucial move on Red Number 3 at a halfpipe and moved up to second and they finished second. Red Number 3 was now 8 points ahead of Superball. Race winner Black Knight was the only other marble to have a chance at winning the championship. In the final race, Superball started on the back row and had a decent start, but they barely played a role in the race as they finished a distant eighteenth place, 10 seconds behind race winner Phoenix. This poor final result meant Superball dropped back to third in the standings. Red Number 3 won the championship after another second place. Phoenix moved up to second and Black Knight fell back to fourth after a DNF.
Superball ended 3rd in the standings, behind Red Number 3 and Phoenix, but looked poised to become a great competitor in the future of marble racing.
2019[]
Superball got off to a great start at Marble Rally 2019 with three top five finishes including one third place finish in Race 3. Superball continued with consistent top 10 finishes in the next 4 races. Despite only having one podium finish entering the final race, they still had a mathematical chance of winning the championship. Superball finished the race fifth which wasn't enough to move them up any more spots in the general standings and Superball finished their second season again as the third-place finisher.
2020[]
In 2020 Superball helped the Limers prepare for the Marble League Showdown 2020.[1]
After the Qualifiers were cancelled for Marble Rally Season 5, Superball was invited to take part in the competition. Superball got 8th in Race 1 and got 1st in the second one, and Superball continued to get four consecutive top-10 finishes including a strong comeback from last place in Race 6 and sat in 3rd place in the overall standings at the midway point of the season, just four points behind Ghost Plasma'. Superball performed poorly in the first three races of the second half scoring just point including their first scoreless race in Race 7 and their first ever DNF in Race 9, they fell to 7th but bounced back winning two of the final three races they had won the Marble Rally for the first time in their history with a total of 3 gold medals and 117 points. Superball also broke the record for most wins in a single season, with 3, this season.
Racing analysis and profile[]
Superball is regarded by many to be a consistent marble racer, never falling out of the top ten in the 2019 season. Their proficiency in every aspect of racing, whether it be speed on the straights or tight cornering, ensures that they succeed on all types of track layouts and conditions.
In their rookie season, they had a more attacking style and speed-focused approach, similar to Red Number 3's focus on blistering pace over conventional track control. This flashy style had Superball showcase several tricks, such as jump cuts over half-pipes or unrimmed curves that, while risky, give them a huge lead over conventional marble racers by skipping over slower chicanes or slaloms. However, this approach would sometimes backfire, evident by their 2018 Race 8 performance, as they could not defend any position they gained from their gimmicks - let alone escape the traffic and congestion that they got stuck in because of said gimmick. Despite their shortcomings, Superball was still regarded as a prodigy with great potential, especially considering the fact that they were contending for a title in their rookie season.
The next season, Superball took a more laid-back approach, this time focusing on eliminating errors and avoiding risky maneuvers in favor of grip and control. Because of their new approach, Superball not only avoided crashing out but they also gained track position due to their competitors DNFing in races. While their racing became less flashy, their results became much more consistent, and they secured another top 3 position as well as gaining respect from many viewers and racers alike.
Marble Rally results[]
Summary[]
| Season | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | R1 8 |
R2 11 |
R3 4 |
R4 1 |
R5 6 |
R6 13 |
R7 2 |
R8 18 |
3rd | 82 | ||||
| 2019 | R1 4 |
R2 5 |
R3 3 |
R4 10 |
R5 8 |
R6 9 |
R7 10 |
R8 5 |
3rd | 75 | ||||
| S5 | R1 8 |
R2 1 |
R3 9 |
R4 7 |
R5 4 |
R6 7 |
R7 16 |
R8 15 |
R9 DNF |
R10 1 |
R11 5 |
R12 1 |
1st | 117 |
| S6 | R1 4 |
R2 4 |
R3 12 |
R4 7 |
R5 3 |
R6 1 |
R7 8 |
R8 4 |
R9 8 |
R10 DNF |
3rd | 99 | ||
| S7 | R1 3 |
R2 2 |
R3 11 |
R4 14 |
R5 DNF |
R6 6 |
R7 12 |
R8 7 |
R9 DNF |
R10 2 |
5th | 78 |
Sand Marble Rally 2018[]
Qualifiers[]
Superball competed in Qualifier 4. They qualified for Sand Marble Rally 2018.
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifiers | P7 | 4th | 0:41.99 | +00.67 |
Main Tournament[]
- Main article: Sand Marble Rally 2018
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta | Points | Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | P8 | 8th | 1:22.34 | +02.15 | 8 | 8th |
| Race 2 | P13 | 11th | 1:24.82 | +03.89 | 5 | 11th |
| Race 3 | P1 | 4th | 1:27.47 | +01.37 | 12 | 9th |
| Race 4 | P16 | 1st | 1:21.20 | - | 25 | 1st |
| Race 5 | P20 | 6th | 2:23.76 | +03.32 | 10 | 1st |
| Race 6 | P5 | 13th | 2:27.97 | +09.60 | 3 | 2nd |
| Race 7 | P3 | 2nd | 2:06.16 | +00.36 | 18 | 2nd |
| Race 8 | P18 | 18th | 3:07.14 | +09.88 | 1 | 3rd |
Marble Rally 2019[]
Practice Race[]
Superball had prequalified for Marble Rally 2019 and participated in the Practice Race instead.
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Race | P6 | 5th | 1:08.98 | +04.67 |
Main Tournament[]
- Main article: Marble Rally 2019
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta | Points | Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | P2 | 4th | 2:45.81 | +03.22 | 12 | 4th |
| Race 2 | P17 | 5th | 2:45.57 | +04.37 | 11 | 2nd |
| Race 3 | P6 | 3rd | 2:46.48 | +02.53 | 14 | 2nd |
| Race 4 | P11 | 10th | 2:49.86 | +04.74 | 6 | 3rd |
| Race 5 | P4 | 8th | 1:49.00 | +09.22 | 8 | 3rd |
| Race 6 | P19 | 9th | 1:53.20 | +03.04 | 7 | 3rd |
| Race 7 | P4 | 10th | 2:08.63 | +05.78 | 6 | 3rd |
| Race 8 | P19 | 5th | 2:33.86 | +02.50 | 11 | 3rd |
Marble Rally Season 5[]
Superball was invited to take part in Marble Rally Season 5.
Main Tournament[]
- Main article: Marble Rally Season 5
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta | Points | Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | P7 | 8th | 1:55.15 | +01.39 | 8 | 8th |
| Race 2 | P14 | 1st | 1:54.63 | - | 20 | 2nd |
| Race 3 | P2 | 9th | 1:58.98 | +04.24 | 7 | 2nd |
| Race 4 | P19 | 7th | 2:00.83 | +01.79 | 9 | 3rd |
| Race 5 | P5 | 4th | 2:46.90 | +02.22 | 12 | 2nd |
| Race 6 | P16 | 7th | 2:51.80 | +03.39 | 9 | 3rd |
| Race 7 | P3 | 16th | 1:56.48 | +09.86 | 0 | 4th |
| Race 8 | P18 | 15th | 1:49.48 | +08.96 | 1 | 4th |
| Race 9 | P20 | DNF | - | - | 0 | 7th |
| Race 10 | P1 | 1st | 1:36.58 | - | 20 | 2nd |
| Race 11 | P14 | 5th | 2:28.18 | +02.63 | 11 | 3rd |
| Race 12 | P7 | 1st | 2:26.70 | - | 20 | 1st |
Off-season[]
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta | Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marble Rally 2022 Practice Round |
P17 | 4th | 1:59.21 | +01.16 | 4th |
| P4 | 12th | 2:05.78 | +05.29 | 7th |
Marble Rally Season 6[]
Qualifiers[]
Superball competed in the Friendly Race having autoqualified for Marble Rally Season 6.
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friendly Race | P4 | 1st | 1:06.45 | - |
Main Tournament[]
- Main article: Marble Rally Season 6
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta | Points | Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | P3 | 4th | 2:02.04 | +0.65 | 12 | 4th |
| Race 2 | P14 | 4th | 2:02.75 | +0.77 | 12 | 4th |
| Race 3 | P9 | 12th | 2:07.87 | +7.27 | 4 | 6th |
| Race 4 | P8 | 7th | 2:04.99 | +5.70 | 9 | 7th |
| Race 5 | P12 | 3rd | 2:14.58 | +2.93 | 14 | 5th |
| Race 6 | P5 | 1st | 2:09.17 | - | 20 | 2nd |
| Race 7 | P11 | 8th | 2:11.99 | +4.24 | 8 | 2nd |
| Race 8 | P6 | 4th | 2:12.19 | +3.19 | 12 | 2nd |
| Race 9 | P16 | 8th | 2:17.81 | +4.40 | 8 | 1st |
| Race 10 | P1 | DNF | - | - | 0 | 3rd |
Marble Rally Season 7[]
Qualifiers[]
Superball was ineligible to participate in the Qualifiers as he was auto-qualified for Marble Rally Season 7, and will instead compete in the Friendly Race.
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friendly Race | P2 | 4th | 1:51.15 | +01.23 |
Main Tournament[]
Superball failed to auto-qualify for Season 8 for the first time and finished in 5th with 2 DNFs and no gold.
| Race | Starting Position |
Placing | Final Result | Delta | Points | Overall Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | P7 | 3rd | 1:50.37 | +1.59 | 14 | 3rd |
| Race 2 | P3 | 2nd | 2:07.56 | +0.15 | 17 | 1st |
| Race 3 | P5 | 11th | 2:27.58 | +5.04 | 5 | 2nd |
| Race 4 | P17 | 14th | 1:53.77 | +5.06 | 2 | 4th |
| Race 5 | P14 | Did Not Finish | 0 | 7th | ||
| Race 6 | P12 | 6th | 1:52.63 | +02.79 | 10 | 8th |
| Race 7 | P4 | 12th | 2:12.73 | +5.38 | 4 | 8th |
| Race 8 | P15 | 7th | 2:25.97 | +04.13 | 9 | 6th |
| Race 9 | P8 | Did Not Finish | 0 | 7th | ||
| Race 10 | P2 | 2nd | 1:51.71 | +0.02 | 17 | 5th |
Trivia[]
- Superball currently holds the record of most consecutive points-scoring finishes, with 22, from Race 1 (2018) to Race 6 (S5).
- Superball holds the record for most wins in a single season, with 3, which they achieved in their championship winning season.
- Since then, Ghost Plasma and Blue Moon have also achieved this feat in Season 6 and Season 7 respectively.
- Superball holds the highest final placement average of any marble to compete in Marble Rally, with an average finish of 3rd overall across their 5 seasons.
- Superball is the only Marble Rally competitor to finish on the final podium four times, having done so in consecutive seasons.
- Superball shares a rivalry with Red Number 3 for them running in 1st and 2nd (not always respectively) throughout most of 2018 and 2019,.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Stynth (13th September 2020). Who’s Tearing Up the Sand in 2020? – Part 2. Jelle's Marble Runs.
| Marble Rally Competitors | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Amethyst · Big Pearl · Black Knight · Blazing Fireball · Blizzard Blaster · Blue Moon · Cobra · Comet · Cool Moody · Crazy Cat's Eye · Deep Ocean · Dragon's Egg · Ducktape · El Capitan · Ghost Plasma · Grasshopper · Green Turtle · H2 Blue · Lollipop · Marbly McMarbleface · Nemo · Phoenix · Pollo Loco · Quicksilver · Red Number 3 · Reflektor · Silver Bolt · Slimer · Summer Sky · Superball · White Widow · Wisp of Darkness | |||
| Retired | Blue Smoke · Fantasy · Glassy · Mocha Madness · Oddball · Olympia · Rastafarian · Snake's Tub · Starman · Tarantula · The Flash | |||