International Sensible Soccer

"This is the reason soccer fans riot."

As one of the three soccer games available on the Jaguar, International Sensible Soccer has the distinction of being the second poorest soccer game on the system. Featuring very small visuals, a horrid soundtrack and a lack of teams that you can actually choose from, it’s hard to really find a reason to play through this game. From the beginning screen, you’ll find that there is little, if anything that you can enjoy if you’re playing this title on a small television and lack of presentation here is something that will make your eyes hurt. If you can stomach all of that and attempt to play, then you might find that this is a game that could be something if some major revisions were done on future ports.

-The Game Play-

Soccer is a game that pits two teams on a huge field and forces them to kick a small ball from one end of the field to the other until you or your opponent scores a goal. You’ll find that there isn’t much here that keeps you interested as the computer opponent just doesn’t seem to have a inch of give to it. If you let the computer take control of the ball, then the game is essentially over and you’re going to have your ass handed to you at every given opportunity. If you can work past the computer and actually get into the right pattern, then the game goes from insanely hard to extremely easy and you’ll find that there isn’t a reason to play.

The game modes is the impressive part of this title, if nothing else and they are in total abundance here. You’ll find that there are several different ways that you can play the game and you can find different styles of cup play throughout the title. However, you’ll also find that each of the cup styles are all the same and require the same amount of mindless defense or offensive on all levels. As with Fever Pitch, the game does tend to change a little bit depending on the weather effects that you have going on and it will change the way that you have to play the game depending on what you’re playing or when you’re going to strike the ball.

The control is just like that of Fever Pitch with several different options at your disposal in which you have to use different types of kicks to get the game flowing. Once you’ve gotten into the mode of kicking the ball in the right direction, you’ll see that you have nothing to really work with that is too advanced. You’ll see that the game goes a little further if you have to do a penalty kick and you have to move your character, but you’ll find that some of the more intricate passing games require you press on a nearly unresponsive directional pad. This is something that will completely change the way the game should be played, so be prepared to have a hard time having complete control.

-The Visuals-

Visually, you’ll find that International Sensible Soccer just doesn’t have anything going for it especially in the size of your characters and your team. Much like Cannon Fodder and Sensible Soccer, you can’t tell just what in the hell is going on at any given time and it really takes some effort when you have a cluttering of team members in one spot. This can cause the game to shift in your opponents favor and it can cause you a headache. The fact that you have to squint is bad, but the fact that everything looks fuzzy regardless is almost unforgivable.

-The Audio-

There is no music to speak of save for the main title theme and you might find that to be a problem once you’re ten games into this title. Without music, you have to turn up the volume so you can listen to the static that is considered a crowd cheering you on to victory. However, these small sound effects are enough to really cause a headache and you’re better off popping something into the CD player and listening to that. I haven’t heard a lack of a soundtrack this bad on a Jaguar game in a long time and even when I did, the sound effects made up for it in some small manner.

-The Verdict-

If there is a game on the Jaguar that is completely useless, it will be this one simply based on the overly difficult computer teams and the fact that you have nothing presenting the game in a good light. You might find that there is a redeeming quality in the way that the game modes are set up, but there is still little or no way that I could find a reason to warrant spending any money on this title. If you’re a soccer fan, then you’re going to cry and if you’re a Jaguar collector, make sure this is the last title that you get, simply because you need the good games before you need the bad.

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 09/30/02, Updated 09/30/02