Kick Off
REDISCOVER RETRO GAMING - CLASSIC 8-BIT NINTENDO NES
NINTENDO NES
Game Title:Kick Off
System:Nintendo NES
Players:1-4 Players
Genre:Sports
Developer(s):Dino Dini
Release Date(s):1992
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Kick Off was published by Anco Software and released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992.
With Kick Off the ball did not stick to the player's feet but instead was realistically kicked ahead from the players, in a manner similar to real life 'dribbling'. This added a degree of difficulty and skill requirement at the same time. Other attributes, such as action replays, players with different characteristics, different tactics, fouls, yellow cards, red cards, injuries, injury time and various referees with different moods also featured, Kick Off was truly one all footy fans in the early 90's were waiting for. Just about every single rule of football has been programmed into Kick Off, including off-sides, fouls, penalties and yellow and red cards!. This game was truly groundbreaking at the time!
Unfortunately the NES version is garbage compared to versions made for different platforms, such as the Sega Master System, Commadore Amiga and Atari ST. The NES version suffers right from the off, the player select system is awful, often choosing a player in a completely hopeless position. Then there's the control system itself. Slide tackles are hopelessly inaccurate, with players sliding about about like unguided missiles and never in the direction you want them to. Passing is completely hit and miss with players not running onto the ball as they're supposed to do, which is immensely frustrating, especially as the computer players swoop in and grab the ball virtually every time. The collision detection is vague and the ball seems to go through players more often than not. Accurate shooting is very tricky due to this, so it's fortunate, then, that the keepers are completely useless and jump out of the way of the ball if you manage to actually get it on target. And the Verdict is...
A game that should have given so much to the world of Nintendo, actually gives very little, this really is a pathetic conversion of a much loved brilliant game on other platforms.. Whichever way you look at this, either as a conversion, as a football simulation or simply as a game in its own right, Nintendo Kick Off is dreadful in every respect! |