We've reviewed our top 3 soccer retro games
Back before FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer, there were other soccer games that captured gamers imagination. Back when soccer games became popular, the graphics were at best, basic. But what they lacked in finesse, they more than made up for in fun. Let’s take a look at the top 3 soccer games from years ago.
3. International Superstar Soccer
One of the main differences between this and other soccer games of the time was the graphics. Konami had really tried to give things a different look and it worked well. It had commentary which was a little ropey by today’s standards, but for the time it was pretty good.
One of the things I remember best about this game was Paul Ince and Fabrizio Ravanelli staring at each other on the cover. It also didn’t have permission to use actual player names, so it used names that sounded similar, Deonardo and Deckam to name just two.
The controls were easy to use, although it introduced curl that you could put on the ball after you kicked it. This made David Beckhams out of many gamers.
2. Kick Off
There has been a bit of friendly rivalry between FIFA and PES for some time. They each want to produce the best soccer game, and they both have their own fan base. The same could be said of Kick Off and Sensible Soccer long ago.
First launched in 1989 on the Amiga and Atari ST, Kick Off was in the early days a cassette game. It was well received by gamers and critics alike and even won a few awards.
The graphics were practical and actually gave a lot of detail. The ball moved in a fairly realistic way, which made control a little more challenging. There were also other nice features such as different tactics, injuries and referees.
1 Sensible Soccer
For me, one of the best soccer games of the time, and still extremely enjoyable today. It had a little bit of everything, a highly playable game that you didn’t need a lot of time to master. In fact, after a while you could find the best place to shoot for a goal every time.
However, that didn’t detract from the nice graphics, authentic player names and even the ability to buy and sell players. For some it may have seemed a bit silly, but that added to its charm which made it hugely addictive.
There were a few sequels that came along, which were just as fun, but for me the original was and always will be the best.
There are many other soccer games out there that deserve a place on the list, but these are the top 3 that I have chosen. If you get the chance to play any of these amazing games again or for the first time, I would highly recommend it.
About the author
Zeeshan Mallick
Co-Founder of SuperRetroGamer.com
