112: Soccer Kid

Number 112
(43.2 points)
Soccer Kid
1994: 64 (22.2)
1996: 80 (21.0)

Want to play a platform game with a weapon that you have to keep control of all the time? Well, give Soccer Kid a chance, as it's not as bad as you might assume.

In Soccer Kid, you have a selection of levels to explore, encountering a variety of people and animals that can cause you harm, and the key difference from others in the genre is the football at your feet. There are a surprising amount of techniques you can use with the ball: kicking it in all directions, performing overhead kicks, even using it as a springboard to reach higher areas. Once you get past the unusual aspect of playing with the ball, the game becomes very playable.

This game was everywhere at the time, on plenty of platforms, with plenty of press coverage. It's easy to turn one's nose up at it given that overhyped reception, but looking at it removed from that context, we see a pretty decent platformer with great graphics and sound, and I suppose the appeal is entirely down to whether you enjoy kicking the ball around or not. I played a game on the Game Boy Advance called Go Go Beckham! Adventures on Soccer Island, and that played in a similar manner, so I figured I'd enjoy this, and I was right. Give it a chance, it's worth your patience.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(M5)(Disk 1 of 4)(Boot)[cr FLT]
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(M5)(Disk 2 of 4)(1)
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(M5)(Disk 3 of 4)(2)
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(M5)(Disk 4 of 4)(3)
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(AGA)(M5)(Disk 1 of 5)(Boot)[cr CLS]
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(AGA)(M5)(Disk 2 of 5)(1)
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(AGA)(M5)(Disk 3 of 5)(2)
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(AGA)(M5)(Disk 4 of 5)(3)
Soccer Kid (1993)(Krisalis)(AGA)(M5)(Disk 5 of 5)(4)
Soccer Kid (1994)(Krisalis)(M5)[!] (CD32)