It’s Started the poll of the year: Vote the best indie soccer game of 2006! Vote the best Old-school Football game of the year here: The best old-school soccer games of the year

Sensible Soccer 2006

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/sensible-soccer-2006/

Jon Hare, designer and producer of the original Sensible Soccer series, here collaborates with Codemasters and developers Kuju Entertainment for the return of the long-standing soccer series. This revival plays up the fast action and wild multiplayer of the original series, now with 3D visuals and new aggressive new arcade-style gameplay.

Throw in

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/throw-in

Throw In is the tribute to the best game ever, Kick Off 2. It’s developed by Gianluca Troiano, the 2003, 2004, 2005 Kick Off 2 World Champion. Throw in attempt to reproduce the classic gameplay of Kick Off 2 and is designed to offer fast action with responsive controls. You can do anything on the pitch with just a single fire button.

Yoda Soccer

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/yoda-soccer-73-released/

The Open Source clone of Sensible World of Soccer is available for all OS: Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It’s developed by an italian team of coders to reproduce the playability of the classic Sensible World of Soccer.

www.kickoffworld.net/blog/pulp-of-soccer/

The vocation of Pulp Of Soccer is to procure a lot of sensations for everybody who like funny video games and soccer, purposing easy but efficacious gameplay. Pulp Of Soccer is an original concept purposing intuitive gameplay accessible to everybody

New Star Soccer 3

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/new-star-soccer-3/
New Star Soccer 3 is the award winning career football game that lets YOU be the star player. Take full control of your career and work your way to the top. Defender, midfielder or attacker, the choice is yours, just make sure you keep the boss, fans and everyone else happy on your rise to football stardom!

Netsoccer

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/netsoccer
Netsoccer is a Multiplayer Online Soccer game. Each gamer controls a player, not a team as is common in most Soccer games. You can join different teams and have matches aginst other teams or you can just have a practice match online.
Sensational Soccer

www.kickoffworld.net/blog/sensational-soccer-released/>

Sensational Soccer is a New game made by the same creator of New Star Soccer 3. The match engine of Sensational Soccer is the same as New Star Soccer 3 (updated a bit though). The tactics editor is complete, and available on a Sensible Soccer style with a 2-player football game where you control the whole team

Webchamps 06

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/webchamps-06

In webchamps06 you play with your team against a variety of computer-controlled teams. webchamps06 doesn’t only convert the fascination of football into a clever online game and give us a virtual foretaste of the World Cup atmosphere.

Kickin’ Soccer

www.kickoffworld.net/blog/kickin-soccer/
Kickin’ Soccer is a fast-paced arcade soccer game. Dribble the opponent players, slide into their defenses with quick and accurate passing, score with shoots from a distance or use crosses and try to head the ball in the back of the net.

Pixelkick

www.kickoffworld.net/blog/pixelkick/>
pixelKick takes all the best elements from the classic footie games from the 90’s and is set in it’s own primary coloured, pixel playground world.

pixelKick is a game which captures all the excitement of a real football match and conveys it through 16×16 blocks.

Slam Soccer 2006

www.kickoffworld.net/blog/slam-soccer-2006/>
Slam Soccer 2006 is a funny football game in 3D-comic-style - it’s Freeware and open source with Funny 3d-comic-style

Addictive Football

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/addictive-football

Addictive Football is similar in style to the great games of yesteryear such as Sensible Soccer and Kick Off. Play 5-a-side rules on a variety of different pitches with 5 different game modes to choose from. Including Knockout Cups and League style games as well as a Custom Game Mode where you set the team skills yourself.

Nutella Football Game

http://www.kickoffworld.net/blog/nutella-football-game

Nutella Football Game is the soccer videogame created by gianluca troiano and Artematica, it was sold on italian big malls as a promotional gift together with a can of Nutella during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Goofy Soccer

www.kickoffworld.net/wikickoff/index.php?title=Goofy_Soccer

This game is designed to develop the creative skills of soccer gamers. Now it’s time to get the best soccer game that can reflect your creativity. Choose your team and league from the wide databases freely distributed or create your own league.

Technorati Tags: Sensible Soccer 2006, Throw in, Yoda Soccer, Pulp of Soccer, New Star Soccer 3, Netsoccer, Sensational Soccer, Webchamps 06, Kickin’ Soccer, Pixelkick, Slam Soccer 2006, Addictive Football, Nutella Football Game, Goofy Soccer, football games, soccer games

There has been keen rivalry between the two top football ( sawcer!! ) simulators for the platforms. Fifa Football, published by EA Sports and the Pro Evolution series, published by Konami. Both games had their good points…..Fifa had quicker, more arcade-like games, where Pro Evo had better depth and more realistic gameplay. For the last few years I have been firmly in favor of the Pro Evo series, mainly because of the realism of the gameplay. In the Fifa you could score the same type of goals over and over again..your center half could score overhead kicks from the edge of the area . Whilst Fifa undoubtedly had the better presentation, Pro Evo was always the essential purchase.. well no more!!
This year the depth of Fifa 07 is a huge improvement on previous years. There are two huge improvements in the game.
Number one is a hugely improved player-manager mode..whilst this has been in previous releases ( and featured in Pro Evo first ), the new all singing all dancing manager mode is excellent. You get a choice of teams from all four English leagues and at least two divisions from all the other top European leagues. All domestic and European cup competitions are included ( have a Carling cup game in midweek?….send out the reserves!! ). There is also an in-depth scouting and transfer system..plus a youth academy at each team, giving you the chance the mould the next Steven Gerrard.
Number two is the vast improvement in overall gameplay. Gone are the days of simply giving the ball to your quickest player and bashing the sprint button. In this new version the CPU defenders are too clever for that, and even if a trick works once against them the chances of it succeeding the next time are very slim. Scissor-kicking center backs are truly a thing of the past.
The presentation of Fifa’s games has always been top class and that remains the case here, but there has been a big improvement to the camera options available in the game mode, which were always under par. The commentary is also very good, and the same “Great save/goal/tackle/pass Clive!” comments aren’t repeated ad nauseum. The only minus point is that the music in the menus is rubbish…but you can’t have it all!
And so to Pro Evo 6 , the thinking man’s sim. With the gauntlet well and truly thrown down I was interested to see what Konami could come up with. Unfortunately the answer is “not much”. The presentation ( which was never its strong suit ) is absolutely amateurish and the in-game graphics look like a PS1 game. The game play and options are as good ( but the same ) as ever, but given the leap forward taken by Fifa, it seems the Pro Evo team have really taken their eye off the ball ( pardon the pun ). None of the depth added to the EA title is evident in its Konami counterpart. Hopefully they’ll come up with some fresh ideas for the next release, but in the meantime, it looks like for the first time this century EA Sports has the bragging rights in the footie sim market.

Which has the better gameplay? It basically depends what you are looking for. If absolute realism, in unique player movements, and shooting dynamics, pick FIFA. Recognition of players is pretty easy, especially players like Wayne Rooney, as a lot of time was spent with him in a body suit doing footballing stuff like tricks and shots- and it shows. Wayne runs like Wayne (well, if the real Wayne runs, anyway). The graphics are a shade sharper, a shade better as well, with better celebrations to boot. Pick of the celebrations is (I kid you not) Peter Crouch’s unique robot dance- superbly recreated, though possibly a very last minute edition, if the standard of finish is anything to go by.

Also, through balls on PES are pretty poor in comparison, with FIFA’s tending to be better by better players such as Alonso or Gerrard, and better control is shown by those who you would expect- Rooney being a good example.

Shooting is good on both, and with practice goals wouldn’t be too hard- strikes are more manageable on FIFA, long range efforts less likely to hit row Z, an annoying part of PES meaning the perfect strike is far less likely.

One on one multiplayer is as you would expect, with no odd tricks of the trade, but annoyingly if you press start mid game your opponent can use the menu to change his team first- something that can’t be done on Pro Evo. I have only played a four player (2 on 2) on Pro Evo but player switching and interplay was fairly good, and good fun.

Evolution has not been made in swathes on either game, so it seems at first pointless buying the new versions of either, but the revisions are plenty good enough and numerous to keep you entertained on either game.

FIFA team starting line ups offered another weird anomaly- Peter Crouch does not start for Liverpool, and Fowler and Garcia are not even on the bench- annoying, and this is just one example. Also annoying are the ’signing in’ and ‘profile’ sections, and it’s hard to see why these are really necessary, and the oddly complex menus. Making a sub could be much easier, but the menu is either looking at subs or on-pitch players, making substitutions are hard ship not a joy like on Pro Evo.

In short, if you are a person who doesn’t really spend a huge amount of time playing, and just wants to have a bit of fun, FIFA is probably the better pick. But if learning and improvement over long periods of time are your thing, then buy P.E.S.

Technorati Tags: Pro evolution soccer, FIFA 2007, PES, soccer, football, video game

The latest Pro Evolution Soccer is still the pinnacle of virtual footy. Touch, feel, movement - PES6 has it in spades.Enhancements include refs who actually allow some physical contact and more player control over shooting and heading. This is especially true of the sublime PS2 version, which packs in a lot more content than the 360 effort.

The Master League is genius (first you have to rack up some points tho if you want to set out Premiership/Serie A/ La Liga or you get jumbled up with anyone) and returns with no big changes tho I haven’t gone through it fully yet. The International Cup comes in a new form which you play qualifying games to qualify for the Worl…er.. I mean International Cup. And the best thing is your not resticted to the set team anymore. If Peter Crouch doesn’t do it for you, you drop his ass and bring in someone who does, or you can give some international call ups to someone at your favoriate club who’d normally never get a look in. If someone impresses you and (provided you qualify of course) you can pick them for your final squad.

Game play wise I feel evo has gone for a Arsenal/Man U approach (funny their the only two licenced Prem teams in the game) to the game in that they want to see you pass it around, open up the opposition with overlapping full back runs, etc… Its is quite difficult to score 30 yard screamers but they do come around. Free kicks also but its getting used to “the old mark on the power bar doesn’t get it in any more” and finding where they have hidden it. Goalkeepers are better but still are pron to make mistakes (but it doesn’t help if you come steaming out with them leaving an open goal). The annimation is better (attackers that go over goalkeepers bring out spetacular rolling on the floor falls) and the good players can run on to a high ball and bring it down (hurrah). But heres my moan, the quick start FK’s was a good idea but I feel not excuted to full effect. Referees were criticised (when aren’t they) in the last game for giving too many free kicks and now at times they don’t give “stone wall” penalties which can be frustrating. Corners I can also moan about cause surely your centre-backs should go up for any set pieces around the box as their the most likely to get their heads on it, But Konami think that Micheal Owen & Rooney will do. What’s up with that!

The Licences are what some people complain about but with Full French, Dutch, Italian, Spainish and then some from all around the world (including some internationals teams) their really is little excuse for people to stick with the FIFA alternative (Yes I did buy and play this year’s, and yes it has got alot better but I brought it back because its just not to the very high standard PES is at).

Technorati Tags: Pro Evolution Soccer 6, PES 6, football game, soccer game, konami

FIFA 07 is a fun, fast-paced game of soccer and EA’s finest effort to date. While the effort to imitate the best elements of Winning Eleven is obvious, EA does its own fair share of innovation with some great long-ball passing, jostling and the Interactive Leagues feature. With solid visuals and sound, a dearth of gamemodes and decent online play, FIFA 07 is one of the best sports games of the year. Though the gameplay must be tightened up before it can overtake the competition.

the games comes with 6 Football Leagues from around the world one of them being International League. A total 117 clubs and 37 national teams. It now includes the manager mode which you play as the manager of a club, manage your team, make or lose money, player transfers and lot more. The controls have been redefined, now to call the second defender you have to keep the B button press, instead of the Left Trigger like before or as seen on the PSP, I believed the game did not progressed a lot from Road to the World Cup and World cup 2006, the engine has change which makes the game very different but you can use to it by practicing. Some other things were added like challenges, a little like the ones on the PSP.

Presentation
Excellent list of game modes and soccer atmosphere. More licenses than any other sports title in history. Soccer fans will salivate at the long list of teams.

Graphics
Well-directed cutscenes and recognizable stars. Excellent animations, but the player models from most camera angles are a bit fuzzy.

Sound
All crowds should get this excited. Great commentary and a surprisingly pleasant soundtrack from EA Sport Trax.

Gameplay
EA’s best effort, but in need of polishing. Passing and jostling for position are excellent, but shooting, defense and goalkeepers need of work. Where’s the midfield play? Still, a damn fun game.

Lasting Appeal
Interactive Leagues is the most innovative online feature this year. Manager Mode is pleasantly deep, and a long list of challenges will keep you busy.

Technorati Tags: FIFA 07, soccer game, EA, review, release

Everyone’s favorite arcade emulator is hitting the PSP thanks to all the homebrew stuff going on. Here we have the best MAME emulators for Arcade games on Sony Playstation Portable:

• MAME4ALL PSP
• MAMEPSP
• PSPMame
• XMame PSP

Technorati Tags: MAME4ALL, MAMEPSP, PSPMame, XMame, PSP, MAME, Playstation portable

“Another visitor. Stay awhile. Stay forever!”

Those words, creepily emulated by a Commodore 64 running the game Impossible Mission, are a nostalgic touchstone for many a gamer. And the goosebumps those words might create are almost as readily replicated by the name of that game’s publisher: Epyx. Those goosebumps might become a recurring problem soon, because System 3 (the development house that changed its name to Studio 3 and then back to System 3) is bringing back the Epyx name, as well as the Epyx games.

System 3 founder Mark Kale told today that the company has secured the rights to the Epyx Games library and is looking to revamp it for today’s systems. The first two projects on the company’s slate are Impossible Mission and California Games.

Following initial speculation, Epyx has revealed it will be bringing certain Commodore 64 titles over to the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console download system.

Before we get into that though, the studio has announced that Gottlieb Pinball Classics and golf sim Leaderboard Golf will be released alongside the Wii in November. We think it’s pretty obvious how the Wii’s remote will be used in either game. Super Fruit Fall is also down for release on PSP and Nintendo DS via Play It around the same time.

Impossible Mission is the first Epyx title on the cards, and is on its way to both PSP and DS in full 2D glory. It’s a remake of sorts of the 8-bit original, with two new characters (a robot and a female spy) and a two-player co-op mode. “If Impossible Mission was to be put into 3D it would cease to be Impossible Mission and would only be using the name as the hook,” cited System 3’s CEO Mark Cale.

Next on the agenda is California Games - down for May 2007 on PSP and DS - which will include Summer Games 1 and 2 as unlockables, while Last Ninja (also for the two handhelds) will feature all three of the hugely popular Commodore 64 romps. And we do mean hugely popular - back in the day one-in-four Commodore 64 owners had at least one of the Last Ninja games in their collection.

“You gotta keep the gameplay mechanics the same or else it ceases to be the original game and you’re only using the game brand to sell games,” Kale said. “It ceases to be Impossible Mission or California Games or what have you. … What we’re doing is we’re incorporating the original gameplay and mechanics and bringing the gameplay up to date.”

As for Impossible Mission, kale did confirm that the infamous computerized invitation to “Stay forever!” is already included in the game, and System 3 is even using the original animation for the main character. However, players will be traversing updated backgrounds and will be able to choose from newly created main characters as well, including a female agent and an android.

While emulated versions of the original Impossible Mission and California Games aren’t currently planned to be included in either remake, Kale said the team would examine the possibility, “time permitting.”

As for how System 3 will make use of the Epyx brand beyond its initial wave of titles, don’t expect a cheaply emulated compilation of games anytime soon. Kale said he doesn’t think that’s the right approach to take with old games, so the studio will likely continue to single out the publisher’s highlights and give them remakes that preserve the gameplay.

Other games soon to a remake: Winter Games, Summer Games, Pitstop II and Jumpman Junior!

Technorati Tags: Winter Games, Summer Games, Pitstop, Jumpman Junior, Epyx, Super Fruit Fall, Impossible Mission, Nintendo DS, PSP, Wii, Nintendo, Commodore 64, leaderboard,

“PS3 games will be concentrated in the 8,800 to 9,800 yen range,” which translates to about 75-85 USD!

read more | digg story

Technorati Tags: PS3, Playstation 3, games, price

Sensible Soccer, often affectionately known as Sensi, is a football video game series which was highly popular in the 1990s and which still retains a cult following. Developed by Sensible Software and first released for Amiga and Atari ST computers in 1992 as well as on floppy disk format for the PC, it featured a bird’s-eye view (most games until then such as Kick Off and Matchday used top down or side view), editable teams and (some claim) gameplay ahead of its time.
Sensible World of Soccer, commonly referred to as SWOS, was released a year later in 1994. It became a first in videogames when it attempted to encompass the entire professional footballing world into one game. Featuring many divisions in many countries around the globe, fans loved it for its twenty season career mode which allowed them to play as thousands of different clubs, many of which players had never heard of.
(more…)