Atari and Chequered Ink announced that there’s a new PONG game in the works and it’s a role-playing title of sorts called PONG Quest. You create and customize your very own paddle and then embark on an epic quest across various tables, boards, and locations, uncovering loot and rewards along the way.

I didn’t think it was possible to turn PONG into an RPG, but Chequered Ink appears to have done so.

I’m sure some people think this is an early April Fool’s joke, and it’s possible that it might be, but that would make it a day early. Even still, for all intents and purposes, this looks like a real game and seems like it could actually be fun.

You can check out the half-minute trailer below to get an idea of what they’re working with.

The arcade gameplay is still intact, but after you create your anthropomorphic paddle, you’re sent on a quest through dungeon-themed tables, many of which are based on classic games that Atari made in the past.

Along the way you’ll battle other paddles, monsters, and minions, and in victory you’ll be able to unlock new rewards, as well as special balls and challenges.

It reminds me a little bit of that one PONG game from the 1990s called PONG: The Next Level, which came out for home consoles and PC. If you don’t remember it there’s a review below from Troidy’s Game Reviews.

I used to really love the paddle physics in that game and how the paddles would squish and react to the ball as if they were rubbery sponges.

Sadly, PONG Quest doesn’t appear to be as visually inspired as Supersonic Software’s classic title, but we’ll see what they do with it as more info emerges, assuming it’s not actually just a joke game.

(Thanks for the news tip MaverickHL)