Question 1

Is Boll Deluxe free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Boll Team distributes it free on itch.io with no payment, account or donation required.

Question 2

Is this an official Nintendo or Sega game?

Accepted Answer

No. It is an unlicensed fan game that uses Mario and Sonic characters without permission from either rights holder. It is offered free by its authors, but it has no official blessing and could be taken down.

Question 3

Why does it crash or look wrong on my machine?

Accepted Answer

Usually a missing DirectX 9 file. Versions 2.1.5 and later need d3dx9_43.dll, which Windows 10 and 11 do not include. PlayBound adds it for you, so if the game still misbehaves, the developers' itch.io page is the place to report it; some players there report trouble on low-end PCs.

Question 4

Is there online multiplayer?

Accepted Answer

No. The battle mode supports up to four players, but all of them have to be at the same machine. There is no netplay.

Question 5

Will it run on Mac or Linux?

Accepted Answer

There is no native build for either. It is a GameMaker 8 Windows game, so Wine or Proton is the only route and PlayBound does not currently test it.

Question 6

Can I make my own levels or characters?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The game ships a level editor and the character and skin files are moddable. There is an active mod community, and the source is published for contributors.

Question 7

Does Boll Deluxe have multiplayer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Boll Deluxe supports up to 4 players. Its multiplayer runs through the game's own online service or menus, so PlayBound Connect parties and PlayBound dedicated servers are not available for it. It also supports local split-screen or couch co-op. There is no subscription and no paid multiplayer tier.

Question 8

Is Boll Deluxe still updated?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The latest release is 2.1.5.2 (August 2025), and the team posted Boll 2 devlogs through May 2026. A sequel in a newer engine is being developed, and the source is published on GitHub.

Question 9

How big is it?

Accepted Answer

The latest zip is 268 MB and takes about 301 MB once installed. Older versions are smaller, but 2.1.5.2 is the one to play.

Guides

Guides

Boll Deluxe