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"Branded Adidas Soccer, i suppose!!!"

Adidas Power Soccer is definitely not the best soccer game, perhaps just average. For your information, Adidas Power Soccer was released in 1996. In fact, many diehard soccer fans might find Adidas Power Soccer disappointing because of a lack of realism. However, casual sports fan should most likely to love it.

Adidas Power Soccer features a solid cast of European soccer teams and a variety of modes like friendly matches, entire league seasons, league championship, cup tournaments, as well as a choice of in-depth league simulation mode or fast and furious arcade option.

Similar to Acclaim's NBA Jam before it, Adidas Power Soccer favours arcade-style action more than sim-style realism. What does that mean? The simulation mode isn't that worth to check it out but will still be okay.

Move over to the graphics first. The players are quite well animated and they move quite smoothly. The stadiums are quite detailed as you can see signboards all around, as well as seeing the crowds cheering. However, compare to soccer games today, it's far away. And, don't forget that Adidas Power Soccer was made in 1996. Still, it lacks the realism that today's soccer game has managed to deliver.

The background tune is okay and the sound effects are quite good. For example, when a ball hits the goal post, you can hear a loud bang. The crowds' cheer are quite convincing. As for the commentary, i have to say that it sucks. The announcer is annoying as the commentary is very narrow. All the while, you hear almost the same thing and it gets boring this way.

The controls are decent. During special events like performing a free kick, throw in, goal kick and so on, you can see some animated buttons, which tell you what are some of the buttons that you can press to perform a certain move, such as long pass, short pass, shoot etc.

What makes Adidas Power Soccer unique is the special moves that players have, thus allowing for spectacular skills, shots and even fouls in the arcade mode. The special moves are in a word, beautiful. Flaming Kicks, Flaming Goalies etc. What more do you want? Besides that, Adidas Power Soccer also features a choice of usual team strategies.

Generally, Psygnosis has done a great job. With the name Adidas and famous European soccer teams, Adidas Power Soccer should sell pretty well. Adidas Power Soccer is easily one of the good-looking soccer games in 1996, but talking about the best, it's still far away.

Graphics : 7.5/10.0
Concept : 7.5/10.0
Control : 7.0/10.0
Music : 6.5/10.0
Sound : 7.0/10.0
Gameplay : 7.0/10.0
Replay : 6.0/10.0
Challenge : 7.0/10.0
Overall : 7.0/10.0


Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/01/00, Updated 12/16/02