When readers of a certain age (30+) remember the original Sensible Soccer, they’ll probably let out a nostalgic sigh. Sensi, as it’s affectionately known, was first released in 1992 (for PC and Amiga) and there were new versions of the game released almost every year up until 1999.
For those of you who never played Sensi, its frenetic, arcadey gamepay and top-down view made it the best footy game around, and something of a cult among video game fans. This summer, after a hiatus of seven years (if you don’t include 2005’s Java version for mobiles), Sensible Soccer returned to our consoles. Yay! Click below for the review…
Review: Sensible Soccer 2006 (PS2, Xbox, PC) continued…
As the Star Wars prequels proved, it’s a dangerous business messing with the rose-tinted memories of middle-aged blokes – George Lucas would tell you that the new films were for a new generation of kids, not grown-up fans of the original trilogy – try telling that to the thirtysomethings who still own a Rebel Alliance duvet set.
Thankfully the developers of Sensi 2006 have retained the
basic formula and the new game plays much like the original, only a lot slicker and more fully formed. Sliding tackles, after-touch and Roadrunneresque pace are crucial to the gameplay, while the addition of instant replays and a sprint bar are welcome. As always, simplicity is key – one button to pass, one to shoot and one to sprint. That’s pretty much all you need to know.
I personally prefer the measured realism of Konami’s Pro Evolution Socccer (or Winning Eleven) series, but for an occasional blast of nostalgia there’s no better football game than Sensible Soccer 2006. Shame there’s no option for online play though, because Sensi is a best enjoyed as a two-player game.
Rating 7/10
Ollie Irish
Sensible Soccer 2006 is out now for Xbox, PlayStation2 and PC, priced around £15-20