# I love the Dark Soulful architecture of The Canon of Balls, a rolling open world game inspired by Sega, Fumito Ueda and Minecraft parkour

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/i-love-the-dark-soulful-architecture-of-the-canon-of-balls-a-rolling-open-world-game-inspired-by-sega-fumito-ueda-and-minecraft-parkour/
- Published: 2026-08-14T11:22:54+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-14T12:07:46+00:00
- Original publisher: Rock Paper Shotgun
- Original article: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/i-love-the-dark-soulful-architecture-of-the-canon-of-balls-a-rolling-open-world-game-inspired-by-sega-fumito-ueda-and-minecraft-parkour
- Topics: Entertainment, Gaming

## Key points

- A strange, difficult rolling platformer has launched on Steam.
- It blends Dark Souls atmosphere with Super Monkey Ball movement.
- It costs £2.88 during the launch sale.

## Summary

The Canon of Balls is a newly released open-world platformer in which players control a grotesque stone face inside a rolling metal cage, using its tongue to bounce and navigate perilous environments. The article argues that its unusual premise and deliberately abrasive design distinguish it from other “Dark Souls in a ball” comparisons, drawing on a neglected strain of strange, challenging game design rather than simple nostalgia.

Its cathedral-like opening level involves rolling and wall-jumping to retrieve a key from a hanging brazier, while later areas include large-scale architecture, traps and a stone bird holding a key. Developer Helios Monk cites Dark Souls, Super Monkey Ball, Fumito Ueda’s work and Minecraft parkour maps as influences; the game supports solo play but encourages friends to play alongside each other informally. It is available on Steam from today, priced at £2.88 during its launch discount.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.