International Superstar Soccer '98

"Still brilliant even in 2003."

International Superstar Soccer 98 (ISS 98) is soccer. Forget FIFA, forget Actua Soccer, ISS 98 dishes out some of the best controls and gameplay on the Nintendo 64 and is by far and away my favourite soccer title of all time. The game is fast and fluid and is a tribute to the beautiful game that soccer is. The design of the game it is impossible to pile on a 50-0 score line like in FIFA games released around the same time as ISS 98 thanks to various factors such as, small half times (max 7 minutes), and perfect balance between defense and offense. There are many ways to put the ball in the net and players will have to work hard to find out the best course of action to wear down the keeper.

Scoring a goal can be quite a mean feat when playing against Brazil with the difficulty cranked up to Level 5 and ISS 98's challenging nature is one of the reasons it's so good. The fact is when the opposition striker has just broken your defensive line, your sweeper has just missed the desperate sliding tackle your heart will be pumping as you guide your keeper out and make that last gasp effort to stop the attacking run. The realistic in game physics means the ball can go anywhere, if your keeper does not save it directly the ball can head off in any old direction and this will accurately reflect the power of the deflection amongst other factors. A big problem in soccer is the referee. In ISS 98 there is a selection of four referee's each with there own leniancy and there is one you should really watch out for - his name is Carlos, you may want to not touch go near opposition players when he is on – he's that strict. This makes it real hard to defend when a desperate slide tackle is needed in the box, which can easily result in a penalty, as well as a red card.

Even with a hard as nails referee on and the difficulty level at its highest ISS '98 is still the best damn footy game ever. Of course without the license Reomaldo makes an appearance over and above Romaldo, but Konami (the legends that they are) gave Reomaldo the same attributes as Ronaldo (with accurate statistics, figures, skills and characteristics). So if you are dead keen on having 'official' lineups you can simply go through and change one or two letters in any unlicensed names and viola. Some of the 'substitute' names are amusing - see Tunisia's keeper and the Irish number 17 for names of some infamous STI's. You can also make your own characters/players in the create a player mode - oh boy - Mike Cullerne is now the star striker of France.

Graphics are smooth with minimal slow down and the stadiums are cool, but of course with every soccer game from this era the crowd is there - but only in glorious 2D. It's on the field where it counts though and the players run, move, slide and kick very realistically. The audio effects are awesome, especially in Africa with their cool chants and stuff. The crowd is loud and proud. And the commentry was well ahead of it's time and still superceeds efforts from games like Pro Evolution Soccer 3 and FIFA 2004. He's just super with plenty of realistic calls and accurate in game analysis. The modes in the game include a world league of 94 games – it's very long. It takes a while, and can be hard on Level 5, but if you win, it is all worth it, and remember, it is okay to brag… The international cup is a lot shorter and offers up to 13 games (if you can get to the final) as well as a shiny cup at the end. Scenarios are also available and there are 16 of them, all with varying difficulty.

ISS 98 is a true classic. Looking back on the Nintendo 64 and the time I spent on it I probably sunk as much time into this title as I did with greats like Goldeneye and Mario Kart 64. The multiplayer plays out great, single player is long lasting with heaps to do with modes like the world league, scenarios and the various cups on offer. The gameplay is still brilliant and hasn't been bettered in follow up ISS titles and I doubt it ever will be. Highly recommended.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/09/03