Mean Machines Sega


World Cup Italia '90

Publisher: Sega
Machine: Sega Master System (EU Version)

 
Published in Mean Machines Sega #3

World Cup Italia '90

There's not really much we can say about this one. It's a soccer game, it scrolls vertically and it's cack. So there you are.

What We Said Then

Jaz: The graphics are all out of scale (the men are nearly as big as the goal!), the ball movement is utterly unrealistic and the sound is dreadful.

Matt: A football game that does not reward skill easily is no football game at all - and sadly that's the case here.

What We Say Now

World Cup Italia '90

Jaz: A veritable stained lavatory pan of a football game with dreadful graphics, dire sound and playability from Satan's school of gaming. Presentation should stay the same, but the rest of the ratings down by 20%

Rich: Pathetic. World Cup Italia '90 was awful then and it's even worse now. A footballing debacle even more forlorn and shabby than England's simpering performance in the European championships. Take 10% off each rating.

Verdict

Presentation 83%
The starting screen is fair, and the team selection screen is rather jolly. Throughout the game, the standard remains high.

World Cup Italia '90

Graphics 62%
Nice presentation screens, but the in-game graphics are gaudy and confusing.

Sound 56%
Whistles, cheers, and other spot effects - but they're very tinny indeed.

Playability 53%
Don't expect to play this long into the night - it's irritatingly difficult to control.

Lastability 39%
The frustrating controls and naff playability result in this quickly being relegated to the software shelf.

Overall 51%
A very poor effort that's disappointing in the extreme - get World Cup Soccer instead.