Toy Review: Orbball by Marshmallow Fun Company

No matter how hard I tried (admittedly not much) I was never going to be an athlete growing up. Scrawny and short, I was more likely to be the flag in a game of flag football than a star player. Yet, that didn’t keep me from wanting to be able to toss a perfect spiral halfway down the field. Twenty odd years later, I’m getting that chance.

The Orbball from Marshmallow Fun Company is a foam-coated football around a hard plastic tube. The middle is open to lighten the load of the ball and capture airflow through it, giving the Orbball a huge lift when thrown right. Want to make that Hail Mary into the end zone? Here’s how you can do it without dislocating your shoulder.

The Orbball comes in a few different styles. The original is shown above, while another version is “Slimer” green in connection with the 30th Anniversary of Ghostbusters, hence named the Slimeball.

The first time I got these out into an open field to test it did take a little getting used to. The throwing portion was quick to pick up, and I was catching the air tunnel within no time. It was the catching that surprised me with how different it felt. Since you don’t have the heft of a normal football and the pointed ends to direct it into your hands, it was odd, but you get used to it without too much trouble.

The website and the box also mention that the Orbball can be made to curve in midair. I was not able to accomplish such a feat of aerodynamic magic, but I imagine it would have something to do with bending the inner plastic core.

Overall, the Orbball is a neat twist on your normal football, providing more fun, more distance and less broken noses when you catch it with your face.