Previous Next

Anco's expansion of the original Kick Off provides a sizable pack of new bolt-on options. All five play levels have been speeded up and there are four new tactics, making eight altogether. There's a manic all-out attack option called "Blitz" and, if you're a goal up and sitting on your laurels, a packed defence option called "Lockout". You can control the strength of kicks and stop or dribble the ball.

There are four options to alter the playing surface. Choose between a hard pitch, a wet one, artificial turf, or a soggy mudbath. Each of these supposedly affects the players and the motion of the ball in a different way. On the artifical pitch, the players' stamina is reduced and the ball bounces higher - but the difference is hardly noticeable.

The major novelty is the varying strength meter, positioned below the player with the ball, that allows you to determine the strength of a kick. The last thing you want when you're in front of goal is to have to concentrate on timing your shot to a colour-coded display. It's an unnecessary ornament that just gets in the way of a damned good game. If you've got an ST, you've just gotta have Kick Off, but you don't need to face the tiresome prospect of Extra Time.