World Cup Soccer for NES was a sports game that allowed players to compete in the World Cup tournament as one of 24 teams. Released in 1990, the game was developed by Technos Japan and published by Nintendo. The game was an adaptation of the 1989 Famicom game “Kick and Run” that was only released in Japan.
World Cup Soccer Gameplay
The gameplay featured a top-down view of the field, with players controlling their team’s movements and passing to try and score goals. The controls were simple and responsive, allowing players to execute various moves such as passes, shots, and tackles. The game also featured a few advanced moves such as headers and bicycle kicks that added some variety to the gameplay.
The graphics of the game were basic for the time, with simple sprites representing the players and a fairly limited color palette. However, the game was praised for its smooth animations and realistic depiction of the soccer field and its various elements. The game featured different weather conditions such as rain and snow that affected the gameplay and added to the overall realism.
The game’s audio was also basic, with simple sound effects for kicks, tackles, and goals. However, the game’s music was upbeat and catchy, adding to the game’s overall fun factor.
The game’s main mode was the World Cup tournament mode, which allowed players to choose one of 24 teams and compete in the tournament to become the World Cup champion. The game also featured a VS mode where two players could compete against each other, adding to the game’s replay value.
How did it do at the time?
World Cup Soccer for NES received mixed reviews upon its release. While some praised the game for its fun gameplay and engaging World Cup tournament mode, others criticized it for its lack of depth and limited number of teams. The game was also criticized for its simplistic graphics and audio.
Despite these criticisms, World Cup Soccer for NES remains a nostalgic favorite among many gamers who grew up playing it. Its simple but addictive gameplay and classic representation of the World Cup tournament make it a fun choice for anyone looking to revisit classic sports games from the 90s. The game also paved the way for other soccer games on NES and other consoles, establishing a formula that would be refined in later games such as the famous “Sensible Soccer” and “FIFA” series.
Should you play it?
World Cup Soccer is truly a great game and even to this day many fun is to be had bashing in to other players and performing “Super Shots” – If you have an old NES laying around – or perhaps you have the Nintendo Mini – give this a game a shot (pun intended)