Kick Off 2
| Developer: Dino Dini | Graphics: |
 | |
| Publisher: Anco | Sound: |
 | |
| Year: 1990 | Difficulty: |
 | |
| Genre: Soccer | Lastability: |
 | |
| Number of players: 4 simultaneous | Rating: |
8/10 | |
Despite a poor adaptation the following year on the Super Nintendo, titled World League Soccer (Pro Soccer in Japan), Kick Off 2 marked the commercial takeoff of the franchise, which would experience a rather erratic development thereafter.
On the surface, it appears very similar to Kick Off, but it introduces a host of new features, such as referee personalities, different pitch types (dry, waterlogged, synthetic), wind strength, and player fatigue. Players also come with individual attributes, which, combined with Player Manager, allows you to customise your team and devise original tactics. The biggest innovation, however, is the ability to control a single player in your team—or two (in two-player mode) – and even two others on the opposing side, enabling up to four players to compete simultaneously! Incidentally, there’s an option to save replays of your most spectacular goals to a floppy disk.
The fast, technical gameplay style remains largely unchanged from its predecessor and still requires a steep learning curve, especially as new ball effects have been introduced. Paradoxically, the extensive range of actions is still executed with a simple single-button joystick.
The “Special Events” feature was intended to include new competitions distributed via additional floppy disks. I’m not sure it was ever utilised.
The “official” sequel, Kick Off 3 (Amiga, 1993), disappointed many die-hard fans, who preferred Goal!, also known as Dino Doni’s Goal! (PC-DOS) or Dino Doni’s Soccer! (Sega Genesis), developed by the programmer behind the first two instalments.
Kick Off 2 was revived in 2005 by the Kick Off Association, and this version is still used in international tournaments!
|
