Part III

Virtua Striker

Released: 1994
Developer: Sega
Console: Arcade

Modern soccer gaming began with Virtua Striker, the first 3D soccer game. It ran on Sega's Model 2 arcade board, which offered detailed characters and fluid animation at 30 frames per second. Playability was more rigid than its contemporary 2D competition, but Virtua Striker lit up arcades with its fast and amazing graphics eventually becoming one of the most recognized franchises around the globe... The game featured 18 international teams, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. This game also established the simple three-button layout and fast arcade gameplay that are hallmarks of the series.
Here's what the developer/manager Satoshi "Bin" Mifune has said about the series upon the release of Virtua Striker 2002 for the Dreamcast:

The VS series is originally for arcades, and it emphasizes playing with two players against each other... I think real soccer is very 'free.' It's been hard for a game to reach it, but we want the users to feel as if they actually kick the ball on the field. Therefore, we have tried to improve the graphics, movement reality, and control. We know nothing has changed inside us since we created the original VS...Other soccer games sometimes look like they are made from the viewpoint of the audience, not the players -- and I can't get into those games. But I think this is because I want the feeling of taking part in the game on the field rather than controlling a famous soccer player.

Actua Soccer

Released: 1995
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Console: PC DOS

This is the first game in the very popular Actua series. Actua attempted to revive the arcade feel of 2D games into a true 3D playing environment. At the time of its release, it was one of the first titles to attempt that. The game had a feature allowing 4 players to compete at once on the same PC! The graphics in Actua Soccer were cutting edge with a lot of camera angles, thrilling action replays, stadium and crowd details and great sound effects.The combination of all of these factors produced an atmosphere of unparalleled realism.

FIFA '99

Released: October 31, 1998
Developer: EA Games
Console: PC, Nintendo 64 & PlayStation

EA have raised the bar for all successive soccer games with the release of their masterpiece FIFA '99. With its unparalled realism, this game finally buried the Actua Soccer series and almost took out of the race Virtua Striker. FIFA '99 offered a large pool of teams (over 250 club and 45 international) and players with their realistic strengths and weaknesses. Passing into space, lofted balls, set pieces... the developers had taken everything that was touched upon in their previous titles (FIFA '98, World Cup '98) and have refined it. Controls and responsiveness had improved significantly and new moves were added, including chest trapping, fakes, jukes and in-air moves. The game is narriated in real-time commentary by Gary Lineker, Mark Lawrenson and Chris Waddle. For some reason Brazilian superstar Ronaldo didn't appear in FIFA '99, but this is easily forgotten thanks to the many technical innovations paraded in the game.

< History of Soccer Gaming Part II