Total Game Boy


World Cup '98

Publisher: THQ
Machine: Game Boy

 
Published in Total Game Boy Issue 01

World Cup '98

They think it's all over! Well, actually it is!

We all know how the World Cup ended. The victorious French raised the cup high then filled the stadium with cheers of adulation and much merriment. It doesn't have to be that way though, no siree!

All the nations of the world are represented here in glorious single colour strips, and you can't go ar wrong for a Game Boy football experience. Selecting whichever team you want to be then fiddling around with their stats like a Vauxhall conference manager you must send them to meet their fate on the hallowed turf.

World Cup 98

Each player handles surprisingly well considering their relative size on screen. They run, dive and slide tackle one another with the greatest of ease and at points you can convince yourself you are watching a real match from far up in a blimp... whilst squinting.

The colours are kept to basic units normally consisting of green grass then two colours for each of the teams, but in a footy game what else do you need? Nothing! The only gripe that flattens our football is the appearance of the footballers. They are all identical.

Obviously such detail could hardly be expected on a Game Boy but according to this game everyone in the world comes in one colour, a pale off-greyish tone. The only way to differentiate between players is that positions the hold on pitch. Get used to this and get used to the star that follows your selected player around and you are laughing.

Despite the fact we will have to wait a further three years to get our chance again, this package will serve as a healthy reminder that you can be a winner even if it is only in the palm of your hand. Add some colour to the pitch and the experience becomes that much more enjoyable. We're not bitter... honestly.