Championship Soccer '94

TAKE ON THE WORLD

Let's throw the ball in and expfore this latest entry into the multitude of soccer games that have been flooding onto the gaming market this post-World Cup summer. The game features 40 of the world's top soccer teams. A Goodyear blimp view of the field and the fast-paced action of the players allow for quick ball movement up and down the pitch.

A multiple offensive and defensive f setup allows you to direct your players for an offensive rush or put them in a defensive shell. After each goal, the computer automatically replays the action.

A key to scoring in this game is to go for the corners when you're in close, and you will see the GOAL GOAL GOAL symbols in big red letters flutter across the screen.

The Iceman and I went head-to-head at this game, he took Scotland and I took Italy. I handed him his lunch in the first game, but he rebounded and handed it back to me in a 12-6 drubbing.

Just in time for the World Cup in America, Human has revamped their superb four-player soccer game. True to the real McCoy, there are 24 national squads competing for global glory, including the host American team. Featuring a diagonal view playing field in simulated 3-D, the game is smooth and easy to get into. Up to four players can engage in a wild team competition using a multi-tap. Besides the national squads, you can assemble international all-star teams! What's more, you can edit your own name into the game. Check this game out and discover why soccer is the most popular sport in the world!

First things first: This game has awful graphics. But there's more than graphics to a game, and Championship Soccer has enough other features to compensate.

Kicks...

As in the SNES version, you get tons of options, including approx-imately 100 actual European club and national teams and a choice of exhibition, World Cup tourney, or European League play.

Also like the SNES game, the Genesis Championship Soccer gives you strong controls. These players can really motor, and they respond instantly to your button presses. Another cool control feature is the ability to change your formations during any dead-ball situation in the middle of a match. Most soccer games limit you to formation changes only at halftime.

...and Misses

Unfortunately, the graphics don't measure up to the rest of the game. The players are tiny and lack detail, and their movements border on robotic at times. Additionally, when teams have similar colors, they're hard to tell apart.

The sound isn't much better. The music during a match is almost as bad as what you'd hear in a doctor's office. Thankfully, it can be turned off. The crowd noise, especially after a goal, is also loud and obnoxious.

If graphics and sounds aren't a high priority for you, CS '94 has fantastic controls and options galore. They make this game a kick!

At first glance, Championship Soccer '94 for the SNES doesn't look like a champion. A closer inspection, however, reveals that it has all the tools to be a contender. CS '94 has excellent controls and enough options to make up for weak graphics.

Awesome Options

Game-play options are the strength of this game. There are almost as many ways to play CS '94 as there are teams (and that's a lot, with more than 100 European club and national teams to pick from). You can play exhibitions, a World Cup tournament, or enter a European League.

You'll have to work for your wins. The SNES teams are tougher than those in the Genesis version -- they're a little faster and their keepers don't let many shots slip past. But some of the best controls for any soccer game are at your fingertips. Players respond quickly to commands, and you can accurately adjust the flight of the ball after you shoot.

Tripped Up

The sound is only average. Luckily, you can turn off the soundtrack during a game. The crowd noise sounds more like selected riffs from Anthrax than anything you'd hear at a soccer match.

The graphics are, in a word, lame. It's difficult to distinguish any features, including arms and legs, on these midget players.

Despite the below-par graphics and average sounds, Championship Soccer '94 has enough options and action to keep even the casual soccer fan entertained. It scores!