Sensible Soccer

I'm sure there's more than one of you who have played the original Sensible Soccer games in some shape or form, be it MegaDrive, Amiga or even the most recent recommission for mobile devices. But for any of you out there who have no idea what it is I'm talking about, Sensible Soccer could best be described as the original arcade soccer experience, well before the antics of Mario in Super Mario Strikers, or the three-a-side smash fest that is Sega Soccer Slam, before Red Card and all the soccer titles who've tried to amp the world game up some, and to be brutally honest, Sensible Soccer also did it better than anyone else. Now, Kuju Entertainment have been handed the reins from Codemasters and have even brought the series' creator Jon Hare on board to make sure the latest update to this beloved series is handled with love and care, ensuring to sate old fans and usher in newcomers with an affable, fun experience no other game in the genre can match.

From the outset I can tell you that last statement is most certainly true. While the charts have been consistently occupied by the likes of EA's FIFA series and Konami's Pro Evolution titles, Sensible Soccer 2006 is most certainly capable of bringing it to the big boys through its approach of pick-up-and-play gaming, coupled with an affable presentation yet enough depth to cover all ends of the consumer spectrum. What this means is while the game only uses three buttons for any form of on-field action, and the players look like bobble head victims, the insanely accurate physics and pace of play make for a gaming experience that transcends arcade and simulation directions, nestling comfortably in between. The three buttons used apply in the form of one acting as a pass action, another is used to shoot, slide tackle, head and lunge while the third (the trigger), is used to sprint across field. Much of these movements are context sensitive to a degree which opens up the simplicity of the game, but thankfully, unlike the aforementioned monstrous soccer titles, Sensible Soccer also employs a different camera system that gives you a far better view of the pitch and in turn more recourse for tactical play. Everything is viewed from a sky-cam/birds-eye view camera that allows the game to move quickly without you losing sight of the bigger picture.

The animations throughout are also stunning to watch as the ball connects to all the right body parts and never looks like a foreign object controlled by some higher-than-thou source, equally the physics for the ball are insanely accurate, albeit sped up some, but not so much as to make the game a pot luck goal fest, it's just more like a pinball experience than a slow-moving game of world football. There's also plenty here to keep you busy for quite a while, like the ability to create a custom team you drive through the ranks from a lowly 300th place on the league ladder, or the countless unlockables available across eight leagues. Add to this a decent multiplayer experience and you've got yourself one neat little soccer game that could well topple the big guys. If you get a chance to pick this one, don't miss it.