MicroProse Soccer
| MicroProse Soccer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Sensible Software |
| Publisher(s) | MicroProse |
| Programmer(s) | Chris Yates[1] |
| Artist(s) | Jon Hare |
| Composer(s) | Martin Galway |
| Platform(s) | Commodore 64, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, MS-DOS, ZX Spectrum |
| Release | 1988 |
| Genre(s) | Sports, football |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, 2 player |
MicroProse Soccer is a soccer video game published by MicroProse in 1988.[2] The original Commodore 64 version was developed by Sensible Software and ported to other systems. It is the fore-runner of the 16-bit Sensible Soccer. In the United States the game was released as Keith Van Eron's Pro Soccer.
Gameplay
The game can simulate a full 11-a-side game of football on a grass pitch, or 6-a-side soccer,[3] based on the American indoor league of the time.
A single player can work through a World Cup (or Indoor League) tournament, or take on a series of increasingly tougher computer teams. A two-player friendly can be played head to head.
The control method was designed to be as simple as possible, lending itself to fast and flowing football (in the manner of the later Sensible Soccer). A quick tap of the fire button passed forward, a longer hold of the button chipped the ball at height. Pushing backwards and fire did an overhead kick. Pushing forwards and fire took a shot.
Most unusual was the "banana kick", the strength of which could be varied among three settings in the options menu. By pushing diagonally as a shot was taken, the ball would swerve in the air to get round defenders and goalkeeper. Rival game Kick Off would also add this after-touch feature.
Most versions featured a simulated "action replay" after a goal was scored, with the C64 version featuring black & white stripes to resemble a video rewinding.
Development
Preview pictures of the game appeared in an issue of Zzap!64 magazine, with a plea for a publisher to come forward.[citation needed]
The Electronic Pencil Company ported the game to the Amiga and Atari ST. The programmer created a 6502 emulator, transferring the game code and logic to the 16-bit machines.[citation needed]
Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Crash | 90%[5] |
| Sinclair User | 75%[6] |
| Your Sinclair | 82%[4] |
| Zzap!64 | 97%[7] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Zzap!64 | Gold Medal |
| Crash | Crash Smash |
Zzap!64 gave 90% for the game.
The game was voted Best 8-bit Simulation of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards.[8] In the Spectrum sales charts, it was number two, behind Robocop, which was number one every month for most of the year.[9]
References
- ^ Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
- ^ Microprose Soccer Archived 2007-12-25 at the Wayback Machine at ysrnry.co.uk
- ^ Microprose Soccer Archived 2007-12-22 at the Wayback Machine at homepages.tesco.net/~parsonsp
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "World of Spectrum - Crash-65". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Sinclair User-87". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "Zzap!64 100th Issue Pull-Out Special Page 5". www.zzap64.co.uk.
- ^ "World of Spectrum - Computer & Video Games-92". World of Spectrum.
- ^ "ysrnry.co.uk". ysrnry.co.uk.
External links
- MicroProse Soccer at MobyGames
- MicroProse Soccer at the Hall of Light
- MicroProse Soccer at crashonline.org.uk