Surely This Can't be Right?

One of the problems associated with being a Dreamcast obsessive is that I spend more time reading the erudite postings of Teeleecee and the Gagaman, trawling eBay and Youtube for Dreamcast related guff, and chatting on forums about the finer points of Voldo's (frankly blatant) transvestite wardrobe malfunctions, than I do actually playing the damn console.
I must have over 90 games by now, and I've only ever really played about a quarter of them. Boil down that lot, to the ones I've ever truly got right into or clocked, and we're talking about ten.

So it was something of a revelation on Friday night when I discovered my newest favourite game. And its a footie game. Oh yes.
Now, as any of you regular readers will know, the Gagaman's dad is rather partial to a bit of Dreamcast footie. He's pretty good at it too, we're led to believe... And Teeleecee once made the outrageously controversial claim that 'UEFA Dream Soccer' was better than Pro Evo (yes he did really...) But common consensus is that when it came to football games, the Dreamcast never really cut the mustard. In fact it sucked big ones. We know those arseholes at EA Games never backed the DC, so it was left to Sega themselves (as well as developers such as Infogrames) to have a go at recreating the beautiful game. And do you know what? Those little software elves at Sega actually came upwith the goods in the shape of Sega Worldwide Soccer 2000 (Euro Edition).


But how did it find it's way into the Father's top slot? Cos I like you, I'll tell you, pull up a chair...
It went like this. My lifelong best mate Tay is my gaming nemesis. There is no one I enjoy beating the pants off, more than him. When he comes over to the lair, we usually have a bit of a fight on Soul Calibur (I win). We might indulge in a bit of a 'burn off' on V Rally or Sega Rally (he wins). Occasionally we get a bit 'Wimbledon' on each others ass with a session of Virtua Tennis.
Now the last footie game I had enjoyed was (I think) a game called imaginatively 'Euro 96' for the Saturn. Playing Pro Evo and Fifa with the two biggest Gingers was always a nightmare. The younger one induced a controller throwing huff in me last time we played, by bringing his goalie out to score two against me. The little shit.

But on this particular evening I fancied something different, something that involved grown men in tight figure hugging shorts getting physical with each other.
So the rarely played game was pulled off the shelves, dusted off and popped into the little white box.
The gameplay was fantastic, with a nice element of 'pick up and play'. The graphics are functional, no better. The goal keepers were effective, so getting a goal past them felt like a big acheivement. Passing and crossing were challenging, with the opponent usually ending up on the receiving end. Tackling was somewhat random, and although the ref was at times lenient, I got yellow carded very regularly throughout the series of matches that we played!

Players celebrations were hilariously camp, but had the desired effect of rubbing salt into the wounds of the opponent after a goal was scored- (as did the endless replays that could only be stopped when the scorer had had enough of watching their skills shown over and over!) A quick pull of the right trigger enabled one to do showboating turns and step overs, in the style of poncey Portugese winker, Ronaldo. But we don't want to say too much about that particular person do we?One sad feature of the game was that in 2000 when the game was released, my beloved Manchester City were wallowing in the First Division. On the flip side of the coin, my dad's beloved Sheffield Wednesday were making a rare appearance in the Premiership so I could play as them - (feel the Dad love growing throughout this post?) So there will be many more matches in the near future! A highly reccomended game!


If you are going to seek out this particular Dreamcast game make sure you get the Euro Edition.
Take this review of the resurrection of a failing title from Dreamcast Magazine issue 16:

Sega Worldwide Soccer 2000 -"Yet again we find Sega shooting itself in the foot by producing a totally sub-standard sports game for which there is no excuse. 62%" (Ouch!)

Sega Worldwide Soccer 2000 (Euro Edition) - "Talk about overhaul- this semi-sequel to an originally lack-lustre game totally changes everything. Its simply one of the most fun footie games EVER! 92%" (Hooray!)

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent writing as usual (what a blog!), an almost convincing rant on the virtues of a SEGA Soccer game, but ... really... did you have to mention Man City? Tomleece will definitely not like this... No, no... He wont't.

fatherkrishna said...

Cheers gnome!
As you can see, the same post(virtually)has appeared twice.
What Tom will also not like is the ranting (almost crying) petulant emails I have sent him, about how my posts were disappearing without being published!
And then just like waiting for a bus, two appear at once! Doh!
Sorry Tom.
BTW Gnome, as you can now see I reside in the same city of Mancunia, its just that I support the city's TRUE team, not some Stretford Redsox Wannabes...

Tom Charnock said...

Lol - yeah, SWWS Euro Edition is a very decent footy game. My only criticism of the who Dreamcast SWWS series is that it's blatantly just a revamp of the slightly dodgy World Leauge Soccer off the PSX/Sat. Now, if Sega had actually released an updated version of the superb Worldwide Soccer 97/98 from the Saturn, that would've been special. In fact, I originally bought SWWS 2000 because I thought is was an update of the Saturn game...Bah! As for the big Man City badge...I think the less the said on the matter the better! Cool post btw, FK!

Caleb said...

Excellent review. I will have to get out my gameshark lite disk and see if I can find a copy.

The only problem I had with the review is that you said you were reviewing a football game, yet in the screenshots the players were obviously playing soccer.

Oh you silly Europeans...

-On a side note I might be able to pick up a treasure trove of Dreamcast stuff tommorow from consignment used shop tommorow. A bunch of games, systems and maybe even a couple of fishing controlers...

-On another side note I hope you all realize that I was kidding about the "football" comment above. I hate the NFL in America and as part of my job I am forced write down all the scores for the scrolling ticker for local news...It kills a small part of my soul.

fatherkrishna said...

Nice one Tom! Thanks for the tinkering!
Caleb, we love the way you guys dress up in funny outfits to play rugby, and then call it football. Liked the joke about soccer, although you will never here a British person using the term! But having to do the stats on NFL... I sympathise.
Good luck with your haul! Let us know what you got!

Anonymous said...

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but could not figure out another way to get this "breaking news" to you all: http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-Sega-Dreamcast-Controller-UFO-Catcher-Plush-NEW_W0QQitemZ290037431071QQihZ019QQcategoryZ1345QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Anonymous said...

Or even: http://cgi.ebay.com/Light-Sign-Sega-Dreamcast-Video-TV-Games-Bar-Beer-1008_W0QQitemZ280036668044QQihZ018QQcategoryZ3201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

fatherkrishna said...

Pierre have tried to enable link but cannot get it. If you can be arsed go into my profile and email me the pages. I'm intrigued and frustrated! (And not for the first time!

Anonymous said...

Is your Dad from Sheffield? That's where I'm from (and still am sadly).

fatherkrishna said...

Woah! we have pchan! and he's a planetdreamcast GOD!
Yes my dad and myself are from Sheffield! I thought you haled from Tokyo or there abouts...
Now that I know you hale from Sheffield I will say "Alreet flower!" and don't be a stranger! the 'Yard welcomes you whole heartedly!
(Gasp! Barely contains excitement...)

Tom Charnock said...

Hey Pierre - long time no comment. That console plushie is cool as! However, the recent Yorkshire speak around these parts is making me nervous...

Anonymous said...

Tom, perhaps you could forward the link to the plushy to fatherkrishna as I was unable to find it again?

Don't even get me started on Yorkshire! Egads and ballyhoo!

fatherkrishna said...

First Jimi Hendrix, then the lovely Liz McDonald and next Man City, now Yorkshire. Where's the love people?, WHERE'S THE LOVE? C'mon slag off scousers...You know you're dying to. And it wouldn't be the first time would it Tom? WOULD IT? WOULD IT???!!!
Oh yes you regionalist bigots, I've got your cards marked.
And there will be reprisals...
(LOL!)

Tom Charnock said...

Took your advice and bought SWWS Euro. Yeah, it's a top game. Much better than Dream Soccer in my opinion. Top stuff.

Second Sight said...

15 years later now us retro gamers are looking up these reviews. Time is crazy, these games are still great even with a series x.