Super Soccer

"Chaotic but enjoyable soccer game"

Nowadays, soccer games are pretty much defined by Konami´s Pro Evolution Soccer series as well as EA´s long running FIFA Soccer franchise (and perhaps International Superstar Soccer, also by Konami), and without a single doubt, they´re the most refined, realistic and therefore enjoyable soccer experiences on any console. But long before EA established the FIFA Soccer franchise back in the middle of the 90s, soccer games on consoles have been quite dubious affair, so to speak, as the focus mostly did not lie on realism and official player and club names, but on uncomplicated and fast paced fun matches, like Nintendo World Cup proved in the late days of the NES. And only a few years later, developer Human brought a similar game for the SNES, with the focus lying on the enjoyments of the gameplay and a somewhat unrealistic and chaotic run of the matches.

And admittedly, this approach surprisingly works fine. The controls are easy to learn, and it does not take you quite some time in order to learn all the commands and possibilities of the control scheme like in more modern soccer games. Here, controls are mostly reduced to the usual passing of the ball, centres, attacks on the enemy player and of course the shots at the goal. And even though that might seem simplistic at first, it is exactly what makes the game so much fun to get into, especially in multiplayer mode, where the game really shines. But be warned: due to some poor goalkeeper performances or precise shots by the attackers, the scores of the matches are sometimes nearly Utopian. Unfortunately, Super Soccer does not include an official FIFA license, which prevents you from playing with original players like Lothar Matthaeus or Roberto Baggio, but since it was not really common before FIFA Soccer, the game can hardly be blamed for that.

As far as the visuals go, Super Soccer is very solid, with the framerate always being constant and solid. The players themselves might not be extremely detailed, but they are nicely animated, and they´re especially funny when you´re trying to attack an enemy player. There are also some nice animations whenever you someone scores a goal, or when a red or yellow card is given to one of the players, emphasizing on the fun aspect of the game.

Now the music is perhaps the most unusual aspect of the game, since you´re treated to some pieces of music during the matches, depending on what teams are playing (for example, when you´re playing versus Brazil, you can hear a samba like track in the background). While the music is by no means annoying or bad and even adds to the atmosphere of the game, I personally think that capturing the atmosphere of the stadium like the chantings of the fans works better in a soccer game, but considering Super Soccer´s age, I can´t really blame the game for that.

While Super Soccer may not be as realistic or complex as FIFA or PES, it´s its simplicity that makes it so easy to get into and so enjoyable. And if you like some fun-packed multiplayer sessions, you can´t really go wrong with Super Soccer, despite the fact that on the SNES, there are some better soccer games like International Superstar Soccer (Deluxe) or FIFA International Soccer, but considering its age, Super Soccer still holds up surprisingly well.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/23/06