European Champions

STORY / GAMEPLAY
Each match is played in overhead view while replays can be seen in side-on perspective (which actually does look better and I wish normal gameplay would support this perspective). Control is unorthodox but, ultimately, quite effective. There are two ways to pass the ball: you can hold the fire button and guide the on-screen cursor, or alternatively you play a "ping" pass (like in Sensible Soccer). This allows you to play effective one-touch football, guiding the pass towards the player with the halo atop his head. Shooting is simply a matter of holding the fire button, determining the direction of the shot and letting fly.
The game supports a variety of options at the main-menu, with friendlies, cups, six different leagues (Premier League, La Ligua, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and a mixed Ocean league) plus replays, a tactics editor and even definable referees (from lenient to strict!). The game offers actually real club teams and real player names! You can also alter the pitch, introduce wind etc. Matches can be played against the computer or another player. As with its rivals, there is also a radar on the screen showing the position of the players in the pitch. Regarding gameplay, there are the obvious similarities with the rest of the genre, but this time a few innovative features are found. For example, it contains an automatic corner kick, throw-in and shoot system. This may sound a little odd, especially shooting, but it does produce some spectacular finishing. With an auto-throw and corner kick it also means that while a computer player is taking the throw, you can control a player the throw will be directed at!
Surely, not the best soccer game ever produced back in the early 90's but still worth a look if you're in to such sims, especially for a soccer game that added a surprising breath of fresh air to its competitors of the genre.

GRAPHICS / SOUND
The PC version run in VGA mode, though no advantage of the 256 colors on screen. No need too, anyway. Graphics are fine, and it is obvious that a great deal of care and attention has been taken over them, same as with the STE and Amiga versions. It does though uses double the colors here (up to 32 instead of 16) and the speed is quite faster. Compared to its rivals like Goal! and Sensible Soccer, the sprites here are a lot longer and detailed than those in either of its rivals. Sprites are well done in detail and move nicely and fast around the pitch. In general, when you're accustomed to the control system, the game is really enjoyable and runs fluently when on the pitch.
The sound on the other hand is on the negative side here, missing the sampled sound effects found on the Amiga and STE, while offering a few simplistic noises for crowd voices, tinny jeers for fouls, and for ball kicking etc (same as with the Amiga version. The main-menu tune though is fine.