Football is a beautiful game that is adored by millions across the world including myself. Unfortunately, the market in the video game space is severely lacking in football-based titles with the FIFA franchise totally dominating the genre. Only a select few other titles such as Football Manager and eFootball exist, so I feel there is always room for others to edge their way in. Super Arcade Football is a game that surprised me because at first glance it just looks like a low-budget retro-based stab at kicking a bag of air about. What it turned out to be is a super addictive game that is clearly inspired by the Sensible Soccer games of times gone by and it plays really well.

Introduction

Super Arcade Football is a simplistic arcade football game that is played from a top-down perspective. There is a story mode where you take control of Balarm FC and must save them from the brink of bankruptcy. Alongside this, there are single matches, tournament modes with local and online multiplayer to extend the longevity of the game. Cross-platform multiplayer is featured between Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles, so if you’re looking to play with mates who haven’t quite made the jump to current-gen machines, then you’re in luck.

Gameplay

Believe me when I say that anyone can get the hang of Super Arcade Football, even your gran. Everything is controlled with the analogue sticks and the A button but even though button presses are minimal, the gameplay is moreish. Passing the ball is as simple as using the stick to aim and the tap of the A button. Pressing the A button and holding it when in possession of the ball kicks it further. Shooting is where the real precision comes in and you’ll need to utilise the power bar to ensure you can bag goals. I personally enjoyed attempting to score goals from outside the box as it was satisfying to see them curl in and ping off the bar and across the line.

When you’re not in possession you can again use the A button to go in for slide tackles. The majority of the time these came out as successful or without caution but you can be booked for hard challenges and players can also become injured and be stretchered off. It appears that matches can be set for 3 or 5 minutes with the ability for extra time. Penalties also happen although it was rare that I got an opportunity to take one. If I had to criticise anything about the gameplay it would be that it was far too easy to play against the AI and after you get comfortable I didn’t even come close to losing or even conceding.

Online Multiplayer

Whilst I was ecstatic that online multiplayer exists on this game and that I wasn’t expecting it, everything is quiet. Searching for matches unfortunately results in no matches the majority of the time. After waiting for ten minutes or so in the evening UK time I managed to match up with a couple of players and the competitive element provides much more enjoyment to the game. Winning matches will accelerate you up the leaderboards and give you a ranking, although you’ll have a totally randomly assigned username for the game and not your gamertag. The fact the online space is here though is a big green tick as games of this calibre rarely feature it. If you want to play against friends online then you can create a room and join each other privately.

Graphics & Audio

I keep referring back to Sensible Soccer over and over, but you really get those vibes from the top-down pixel-illustrated visuals. Teams and players have alternative names to their real ones. For instance, Tottenham Hotspur are called London Spurs and the Arsenal goalkeeper is known as Seeman, you get the picture. You can alter the weather elements and pitches to be indoor, grass or snow-covered which gives it a simplistic yet varied type of game each time you play if you so desire. If you play around with modifiers then you can have mud or oil strewn across the pitch makes for a different look and outcome.

Sound effects are actually pretty decent with crowd noise sounding as you’d hear it in person. The soundtrack is really well done and I have since found out that this is because Barry Leitch composed the playlist. He has created plenty of music across a plethora of video games in the past including racer Horizon Chase Turbo.

In Conclusion

Super Arcade Football gripped me more than I thought it would in all honesty. I love that there is a campaign mode with plenty of scenarios to work through with some cutscenes to keep the experience interesting. Online play works exceptionally well with leaderboards showing off the best players which really piqued my interest. The only downside is with so few playing the game, it is extremely hard at the time of writing to get an actual game with a real-life player. The ability to play with people from the comfort of your own home is a big plus and being able to mix things up with modifiers to keep matches fun and fresh is a plus point. For the low price of £6.71 is well worth your time if you loved Sensi Soccer back in the day or just generally love football, you’ll find plenty of enjoyment.