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Title Kick Off 2
Game Type Sport
Players 1-4
Compatibility Various
Submission darrenj@enterprise.net

Review
Undoubtedly the best game ever created. This seminal footy sim was
unleashed on an unsuspecting public back in the late summer of 1990,
as the sequel to the original Kick Off from a year earlier. Despite
being almost 8 years old, incredibly this game is still available in
the high street - try your local branch of Game.

Hailed as a classic from day one, reviewers made comments such as
"sheer brilliance", "miss it and you'll hate yourself for the rest of
your life" and "THE best game ever produced."

Even the arrival of the highly-praised Sensible Soccer could not
dislodge KO2 from its rightful place at the top of the footballing
tree, and modern games such as ISS Pro and Actua Soccer pale into
insignificance upon comparison. Unlike today's soccer simulations,
Kick Off doesn't rely on flashy graphics or realistic team data to
impress. 100% gameplay is the order of the day here, and it takes many
hours of practice to become a competent player.

Newcomers to the experience are often put off by the speed. Although
hard to control at first, perseverance pays off, and it gives a sense
of real achievement when the player is able to pull off breathtaking
moves at a seemingly-impossible pace. Reaction times are paramount,
and concentration must be maintained at all times to become a
succesful player. The top-down viewpoint and utilitarian visuals are
perfectly adequate and do not distract the player from the task at
hand - the game has been designed to be played, not to be looked at,
and it shows. The simplistic appearance hides an incredibly versatile
game, with an almost limitless tactical depth. A wide range of shots -
including aftertouch - are available, and fully accessible with a
one-button joystick (another feature that modern games could learn
from).

Of course, no game is perfect, and Kick Off has a number of bugs that
occasionally manifest themselves in dramatic fashion. However, they
emphasise the character of the game, and it's endearingly quirky
nature. Just like real football, you never quite know what is going to
happen next.

Despite the spartan graphics and sound effects, this game is a shining
example of quality software. It retains a cult following to this day
and has yet to be bettered, or even equalled. My friends and I spent
many, many happy hours playing Kick Off 2, and it still gets a regular
outing. Simply the most competitive, most demanding and most rewarding
2 player game ever (immaculately) conceived.