10 Forgotten Soccer Games That Deserve a Second Chance!

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Summary

  • Kenny Dalglish Soccer Manager allows players to start in the fourth tier of English football and aim for promotion to the top.
  • David Beckham Soccer features over 200 real-life teams and a training mode with lessons from a virtual David Beckham.
  • RedCard 20-03 and Sega Soccer Slam are best known for their flagrant disregard for the rules in fast-paced, potentially violent matches.

Throughout various years, the sport commonly known as soccer or football worldwide, has starred in numerous video games. Ranging from peculiar money-grabs like “Peter Shilton’s Handball Maradona,” to long-standing franchises such as “Pro Evolution Soccer” and “FIFA/EA Sports FC,” as well as the strategic depth of “Football Manager,” soccer has left a significant mark on the gaming industry.

In the bustling gaming market, there are undeniably hidden gems that get lost amidst the popular ones, fading into relative obscurity. As a passionate gamer, I can’t help but notice these overlooked titles that still resonate deeply with their dedicated fanbase. However, in the grand scheme of the gaming world, they’ve been overshadowed and deserve a well-deserved reappraisal and recognition.

10. Kenny Dalglish Soccer Manager

Climbing The Pyramid With King Kenny

  • Platforms: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-Bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
  • Released: 1989
  • Developer: Zeppelin Games
  • Genre: Sports, management simulator

Before games like “Football Manager” and “LMA Manager” dominated management simulators, the renowned forward Kenny Dalglish had his own title called “Kenny Dalglish Soccer Manager“. As Dalglish is famous for leading both Liverpool and Blackburn to successful eras, players begin in the fourth tier of English football and aim to climb all the way up to the top.

In its era, the game’s graphics are quite vivid and appealing, complete with simulations of real matches for those who prefer that option. The gameplay itself is relatively straightforward, requiring strategic decisions in areas like recruitment, tactics, and financial management. Excel in these areas can lead to success, while neglect could potentially result in contract termination.

9. David Beckham Soccer

Bend It Like Beckham

  • Platforms: Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox
  • Released: 2001-11-23
  • Developer: Rage Software
  • Genre: Sports

A game like David Beckham Soccer, often overshadowed by heavyweights such as FIFA and PES, didn’t quite achieve the same level of popularity. Despite boasting over 200 real-world soccer teams, multiple game modes, and a unique selling point in its training mode where a virtual David Beckham provides coaching to enhance player skills, it failed to match their success.

Unfortunately, Beckham is the only authentic player in this game, as numerous others have imitation names that resemble their real counterparts. With 3D graphics, comprehensive commentary, and a satisfactory season mode, it’s definitely worth exploring, but beware of the truly terrible Game Boy Advance version.

8. RedCard 20-03

Full Contact Sport

  • Platforms: GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox
  • Released: 2002-04-16
  • Developer: Point of View
  • Genre: Sports

RedCard 20-03 is famously recognized for flouting the rules much like NFL Blitz and NHL Hitz. Although a few players might opt to keep the referee’s strictness enabled, making the game challenging when it comes to defense, most prefer to turn off the strictness, leading to utter chaos instead.

The gameplay resembles WWE, allowing for moves such as dropkicks without restrictions. To add to the chaos, World Conquest mode includes 50 international teams along with fantastical ones consisting of animals like penguins and dolphins. Moreover, when a goal is scored, spectators go into an uproar, showering confetti and streamers while the players over-dramatically celebrate.

7. Soccer Kid

Platforming With Kid Kleets

  • Platform: Amiga, 3DO, CD32, Jaguar, Game Boy Advance, Mobile, MS-DOS, PC, PlayStation, SNES
  • Released: 1993-12-28
  • Developer: Krisalis Software
  • Genre: Platformer

Instead of being called “The Adventures of Kid Kleets,” this game is more commonly known as “Soccer Kid.” Unlike other games that strive to accurately depict the world’s most popular sport, Soccer Kid opts for a platforming approach with a soccer theme. The game offers over 20 levels set in football-loving nations such as England and Italy. These levels often include boss battles against caricatures typical of each region.

The tale, while somewhat corny, centers around an alien who attempted to snatch the World Cup and shattered it in the process. This sets up our hero, known as the Soccer Kid, on a mission to gather the trophy’s pieces along with some valuable trading cards in this engaging platformer. Battles might pose a challenge for some players, but hitting or heading balls against enemies is an exciting experience.

6. Soccer Brawl

Fast-Paced Futuristic Grappling

  • Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD
  • Released: 1992-02-14
  • Developer: SNK
  • Genre: Sports

In the far future, Soccer Brawl serves as an exhilarating five-a-side arcade game. Managing teams of androids and bionic athletes, the games are unbounded by rules, making for high-speed, intense matches. Players can execute powerful special moves to bolster their offense or defense capabilities.

In Soccer Brawl, you can pick among eight popular nations like Brazil and Germany, each boasting unique special moves and jersey colors. This classic Neo Geo game is often hailed by those who’ve played it as one of the best, yet despite being moved to some contemporary hardware, it remains relatively underrated.

5. Club Football

22 Versions Of Essentially The Same Game

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox
  • Released: 2003-10-10
  • Developer: Codemasters
  • Genre: Sport

A unique phenomenon within gaming is the series called Club Football, spanning 22 distinct editions from 2003 to 2004. Among these, one edition highlights the England national team, while the remaining 21 are tailored for some of Europe’s top clubs in seven nations, such as Bayern Munich and Newcastle United.

These games stood out with their genuine team kits, stadiums, and players, earning acclaim for their graphics back then. However, the gameplay was often found wanting when compared to other games popular during that era. Yet, these titles remain valuable collectibles for die-hard fans of these particular teams, particularly those less frequently spotlighted such as Birmingham City and Hamburg.

4. Adidas Power Soccer

Arcade Action, Heavy On Adidas Advertising

  • Platform: PC, PlayStation
  • Released: 1996
  • Developer: Psygnosis
  • Genre: Sports

Back in the late ’90s, I got my hands on Adidas Power Soccer – the first installment of a series that would soon captivate gaming enthusiasts like me. This wasn’t your typical realistic soccer simulation; it was more about the arcade experience, packed with special moves and a few gameplay elements that were less rooted in reality.

The developers did an impressive job by incorporating motion-captured animations of real soccer players, which gave the game an authentic look and feel, something quite revolutionary for its time. The teams in this game hailed from major leagues across Europe – adding a touch of realism to the virtual pitch.

What makes this game truly standout is the iconic Predator Shot – a potent strike inspired by the renowned boot line from a German manufacturer. This move almost always results in a score. Additional captivating elements include smoke and fire trails during challenges or shots, toppling the goalkeeper, and performing keepie-uppie maneuvers with the ball.

3. Actua Soccer

Three-Dimensional Pioneer

  • Platform: MS-DOS, Sega Saturn, PlayStation
  • Released: 1995
  • Developer: Gremlin Interactive
  • Genre: Sports

In North America, the game known as VR Soccer is recognized as Actua Soccer. This game stands out due to its pioneering use of full 3D graphics in soccer video games. The game includes 32 international teams, each with 22 players, who can participate in various tournaments.

Actua Soccer introduces various camera angles, marking an important advancement within the genre, as it elevates gameplay to a level comparable to television broadcasts. The gameplay is decent for its time, and a revamped edition showcasing the 20 clubs from the English Premiership was published shortly following this release.

2. Sega Soccer Slam

3-on-3 Brawls With Some Soccer

  • Platform: GameCube, Mobile, PlayStation 2, Xbox
  • Released: 2002-03-19
  • Developer: Black Box Games
  • Genre: Sports

In a somewhat unconventional twist, Sega Soccer Slam sets up fierce competitions where trios face off against each other without any restrictions. You can pick from an assortment of characters, ranging from punk-like individuals to wrestling personalities, and the game allows for no rules whatsoever as teams strive to outscore their opponents by scoring more goals.

The graphics are distinctively styled and the gameplay proves remarkably user-friendly. With five unique game modes and two mini-games at your disposal, there’s an abundance of content to engage players. This ranges from a substantial quest mode with numerous unlockable items, to assorted challenges, and a training ground where you can hone your abilities in combat and agility.

1. This Is Football 2003

An Overlooked Gem

  • Platform: PlayStation 2
  • Released: 2002-10-4
  • Developer: London Studio
  • Genre: Sports

As a devoted football enthusiast, I can’t help but reminisce about the underrated gem, “This is Football 2003,” often recognized as “World Soccer Tour 2003.” Despite its impressive array of features that set it apart, this PlayStation 2 exclusive was overshadowed by emerging series in the market. However, the gameplay itself is genuinely engaging, and what stands out most is the unique option to deceive the referee with a well-timed dive.

Back then, having over 700 playable teams was astonishing, and its career mode boasted what might well be the finest transfer system among soccer games launched during the early 2000s. Notably, this game allowed classic teams from past eras to join custom tournaments. Furthermore, it’s one of the few games that featured international competitions outside of Europe, a feature that remains unique even today.

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2025-01-21 19:35