Football games have formed a massive part of my video games playing for the last 30 years.
When I was younger I was constantly in search of the perfect football game.
I always wanted to recreate the excitement of the playground game on my computer or console.
Once I had a football game in my possession it would be the only game I played for months on end.
Some of the games I played were rubbish and tough, in fact near impossible to score in!
Most were a pale shadow of the football games we play today.
Basically the early examples of football games were just a case of punting the ball towards the opposition goal and hoping that at some point you would get the ball near enough to the goal to score.
The thing is, I loved these games! I couldn't get enough.
A quick google search for the first example of a football game points me in the direction of Intellivision NASL Soccer from 1979.
I havn't located any screenshots yet but I'm guessing this beauty was a pretty basic.
UV List have also got a great summary of Football Games HERE if you are interested, it makes good reading
I now want to take you through all the footy games that I can remember playing on computer and console over the years in some kind of chronological order of play so you can get a feel for just how much I loved these games, back when footy games were evolving release by release….
GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
International Soccer (C64)
My mate had a C64 with a shedload of games. One of the games I always wanted to play was International Soccer. It came on a nice black cartridge that you plugged into the back of the C64 keyboard.
When it loaded, it was pure footballing excitement! Even though it had no tournament mode it was great fun to play in 2 player.
Fantastic Soccer (Atari XE/XL)
So I've got my lovely Atari XE / XL and I need a decent footy game to play on it…..unfortunately Fantastic Soccer wasn't great and it had limited options (no tournament mode). Despite this I played this game over and over again as it was so tough to win that scoring a goal was like winning the world cup!!
So I've got my lovely Atari XE / XL and I need a decent footy game to play on it…..unfortunately Fantastic Soccer wasn't great and it had limited options (no tournament mode). Despite this I played this game over and over again as it was so tough to win that scoring a goal was like winning the world cup!!
Footballer Of The Year (Atari XE / XL)
This was the footy game that first blew me away. It was such a brilliant concept and excellently executed. With the premise being that you control one player in various match scenarios such as penalties , goal chances and corners. The more goals you score the better your rating in world football and the more likely you are to win the coveted Footballer Of The Year trophy…..BRILLIANT GAME!
This was the footy game that first blew me away. It was such a brilliant concept and excellently executed. With the premise being that you control one player in various match scenarios such as penalties , goal chances and corners. The more goals you score the better your rating in world football and the more likely you are to win the coveted Footballer Of The Year trophy…..BRILLIANT GAME!
Gary Lineker's Superstar Soccer (ZX Spectrum)
This was a pretty poor game to be fair BUT the one thing that stood out at the time was the fact that you could play 90 minute matches!! Of course me and my mates had to test that out!!
This was a pretty poor game to be fair BUT the one thing that stood out at the time was the fact that you could play 90 minute matches!! Of course me and my mates had to test that out!!
World Cup Italia 90 (MD) (SMS)
Having fallen in love with the World Cup 90 arcade game I was desperate to replicate this on my home console. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, as the Master System version was pretty poor gameplay wise BUT it did have a tournament mode.
So as England I would play this game again and again trying to win the elusive World cup…..oh maaaaan it was tough! (but great fun!)
Then there was "Jelly Football on the Megadrive It was The MD version of Italia 90 but with enhanced graphics but a strange jelly like sound effect when you hooofed the ball (or even dribbled with it) Pretty poor but again it was played to death!
World Soccer (SMS)
World Soccer was a good game, gameplay and graphics wise and was considered the best footy game on the SMS, but again it was lacking that all important tournament mode.
World Soccer was a good game, gameplay and graphics wise and was considered the best footy game on the SMS, but again it was lacking that all important tournament mode.
Kick Off 2 (AMIGA)
Kick Off 2 was the first serious football game that I played. Here we had an accurate representation of the beautiful game where you were tasksed with trying to control the ball and play tactically in order to score a goal (although there was potential for the crazy event of a "SUPER CENTRE" Goal!) It was a massive challenge of a game that rewarded if you practiced enough.
Kick Off 2 was the first serious football game that I played. Here we had an accurate representation of the beautiful game where you were tasksed with trying to control the ball and play tactically in order to score a goal (although there was potential for the crazy event of a "SUPER CENTRE" Goal!) It was a massive challenge of a game that rewarded if you practiced enough.
Microprose Soccer (AMIGA)
Microprose was a crazy game of football that was super fun to play. The after touch had various settings which meant you could perform some serious BANANA shots. The 5 a side mode was novel at the time and made for some frantic gameplay. Still worth a play now and it still has a devoted fanbase.
Microprose was a crazy game of football that was super fun to play. The after touch had various settings which meant you could perform some serious BANANA shots. The 5 a side mode was novel at the time and made for some frantic gameplay. Still worth a play now and it still has a devoted fanbase.
Sensible Soccer (AMIGA)
The thing about Sensible soccer is that I could write a book about how great this simple yet complex game was and still is. This game still stands up in today's world of great football games. The games themselves were great fun to play and Sensi was hard to master. The game modes were brilliant and totally customisable. My fave memory from Sensi was Custom Teams ...oh how many hours did I spend putting in the names of the Eastenders cast so as they could play a game vs Neighbours cast :)
This game is up there in the not only the greatest Football Games of all time but also the just the Greatest Video Games of all time.
Man Utd In Europe (AMIGA)
A side on scrolling footy game with rubbish controls and focusing on the Manchester United Team of the early 90's. It was poor but for some reason I felt that it was necessary to play it until completion! #FootballJunky
A side on scrolling footy game with rubbish controls and focusing on the Manchester United Team of the early 90's. It was poor but for some reason I felt that it was necessary to play it until completion! #FootballJunky
Sensible.World.Of.Soccer (AMIGA)
Think Of Sensible Soccer, then take it up a notch......
SWOS had it all. The gameplay of Sensi and the in depth gameplay of a Footy Manager sim. Again it's gotta be up there in the all time list.
Manchester United Premier League Champions (AMIGA)
This game was basically a Sensi Soccer wannabe....it was kind of fun but was nowhere near as accomplished as Sensi Soccer.
Think Of Sensible Soccer, then take it up a notch......
SWOS had it all. The gameplay of Sensi and the in depth gameplay of a Footy Manager sim. Again it's gotta be up there in the all time list.
Manchester United Premier League Champions (AMIGA)
GOAL! (AMIGA)
GOAL! in my eyes is one of the unsung heroes of the footy game world. GOAL! had it all. Side Scrolling, Top Down, Small Players, Large Players, Medium Sized Players. You could score some amazing goals and customise your competitions till your hearts content. It was and still is a footballers football game. I think the thing with GOAL! is it came after the Sensible Soccer boom and just missed out on some of the target audience....BUT.. make no mistake, this is one of THE GREAT Football Games of all time and one that all football video games aficionados should play before you hang your joystick up!
FIFA (MD)
The first version of FIFA on the Megadrive was groundbreaking. It had the isometric view and the ability to score some amazing goals, alongside stunning visuals for the time. The presentation of the game was also ground-breaking for the time as it felt like you were watching a match on TV. At the time I wasn't the biggest fan BUT it did change the way football games were made forever.
Super Soccer (SNES)
At the time I had my SNES I was desperate for a footy game..ANY FOOTY GAME!
This was the only UK footy game released at the time so I had to settle for it. I played this game so much that I completed it with every team in the game! This game was very basic, but it had a certain charm. I liked the way the commentator shouted GOOOOOOAAALLL! and the way your player had cut scene celebration. The Mode 7 pitch was kinda cool but also kinda naff at the same time. But hey, I bought I played forever and at the time I loved it.
International Superstar Soccer Deluxe (SNES)
For me, ISS Deluxe was a dream come true. There had never been a game where each player had so much added character and where it actually felt like you were playing with the real international superstars of the time. The dutch were brilliant with their Ruud Gullit like player pulling strings with his dreadlocks. The gameplay was awesome and the presentation was second to none. This game was the beginning of the ISS / Pro Evolution domination over FIFA and it the game still looks great now! (At the time it reminded of TECMO World Cup Arcade)
At the time I had my SNES I was desperate for a footy game..ANY FOOTY GAME!
This was the only UK footy game released at the time so I had to settle for it. I played this game so much that I completed it with every team in the game! This game was very basic, but it had a certain charm. I liked the way the commentator shouted GOOOOOOAAALLL! and the way your player had cut scene celebration. The Mode 7 pitch was kinda cool but also kinda naff at the same time. But hey, I bought I played forever and at the time I loved it.
International Superstar Soccer Deluxe (SNES)
For me, ISS Deluxe was a dream come true. There had never been a game where each player had so much added character and where it actually felt like you were playing with the real international superstars of the time. The dutch were brilliant with their Ruud Gullit like player pulling strings with his dreadlocks. The gameplay was awesome and the presentation was second to none. This game was the beginning of the ISS / Pro Evolution domination over FIFA and it the game still looks great now! (At the time it reminded of TECMO World Cup Arcade)
Striker (SNES)
My mate bought this game at the same time that we were both still heavily into ISS ..... To say i was sceptical was an understatement. I never really thought there was any point in playing any other game apart from ISS so why bother with Striker. The moment the game loaded I changed my mind....It's a different type of footy game to ISS as its faster paced and just plain old fun. It doesn't ake itself too seriously and it has the indoor 5 A Side mode too....Cool Game!
My mate bought this game at the same time that we were both still heavily into ISS ..... To say i was sceptical was an understatement. I never really thought there was any point in playing any other game apart from ISS so why bother with Striker. The moment the game loaded I changed my mind....It's a different type of footy game to ISS as its faster paced and just plain old fun. It doesn't ake itself too seriously and it has the indoor 5 A Side mode too....Cool Game!
Kick Off 3 (SNES)
First time I played this game I just wanted to throw it away....it was like a poor mans Striker...it was awkward and quite frankly plain awful....BUT for some reason the more me and my mate Paul played it, the more we grew to love it....Why? I don't know? It's just sooo bad...it's good! (and it's got P.Sheringhum in it!)
Pro Evolution Soccer (Playstation 1&2)
Pro Evo for me was the pinnacle of football games. It perfectly mixed realism with fun and didn't take itself too seriously. It had everything just pitched right. In my mind Pro Evo 4 was the perfect football game, everythng since then just isn't fun. Master League was brilliant, the goals you could score were amazing, basically, nearly anything was possible. It was just great....after 4,5 and 6 I witnessed the decline of Pro Evo and I don't think it will ever recover :(
Pro Evo for me was the pinnacle of football games. It perfectly mixed realism with fun and didn't take itself too seriously. It had everything just pitched right. In my mind Pro Evo 4 was the perfect football game, everythng since then just isn't fun. Master League was brilliant, the goals you could score were amazing, basically, nearly anything was possible. It was just great....after 4,5 and 6 I witnessed the decline of Pro Evo and I don't think it will ever recover :(
FIFA 2012 (X360)
There's no denying that FIFA is a masterpiece of videogaming sports simulation. It's second to none in realism and WOW moments....BUT I just don't have as much fun with FIFA as I did with my beloved Sensi Soccer or Pro Evo 4....
FIFA 12 was the last instalment I played and I just found it to be visually perfect but soulless and almost bland (a bit like todays footballers really)
Since FIFA 12 I have barely played a Football game.
Maybe all those years of footy games have finally caught up with me and I have become an old footy video game cynic............
or maybe they just don't make 'em like they used to!! ;)
Let Me Know What The First Ever Football Video Game YOU Played Was....
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