Crash


Gazza's Super Soccer

Author: Mark Caswell
Publisher: Empire
Machine: Spectrum 48K/128K

 
Published in Crash #73

Gazza's Super Soccer

Yes it's here: Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne's sponsored game previewed a couple of issues back finally emerges from the changing rooms. One or two players can participate (in one-player mode the second player is the computer, not quite as physical). And like all sporting activities the first task is to work out one's options: the menu. Create your own league, create a cup or play a friendly match.

Whether you create a league or a cup, you can choose how many teams are competing with - name your league or cup, and finally change the names of any of the teams. You then get to choose a team, whether you want to fiddle around with their speed and skill levels, then modify the playing time and kicking style.

The game is entered: the pitch is viewed in a horizontal plane with the respective teams hoofing the ball either left or right. It's only when a player moves off the side of the screen that the view flips through 90' and you find yourself moving up the screen towards the goal, which is most confusing for the first few games. The player under control is picked out by an arrow hovering over him, although most of the time thus guy is at the other end of the pitch, mostly when an opposing player has the ball. Gazza's Super Soccer contains a couple of novel features, the Boot-'O'-Meter and especially the ability to save a game and play on any 8- Bit machine. But apart from that it boils down to another run-of-the mill footy game with some neat graphical touches on the players and crowd. Mind you the crowd is static, and the players judder around like a drunken ghost. Despite what we reported in the preview, take the time honoured advice: promises might not live up to reality.

MARK ... 61%

Nick ... 57%

'Gazza's Super Soccer is another football game trying to imitate such greats as Match Day. It's a pity it hasn't worked really. All the footballers are drawn badly - they have no faces and walk around with one leg firmly on the ground all the time (something one does not expect any longer in the 90s. What is really odd about this game is that the pitch comes in three sections, this really stops any enjoyment you could have got. When the ball is in the centre you get a sideways view, but if it goes towards either goal the screen shifts round and you get a head on view of the goal - all in black and green monochrome. The most excitement I got out of playing this was changing one of the player's names to Gazza - then kicking him on the pitch. Definitely not the best football game ever to be produced.'

Mark CaswellNick Roberts

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