Sensible World of Soccer

It just remains for us to say, if you’re looking for a quality title to download, go with SWOS. It’s the sensible choice.

The best sports game on Xbox Live Arcade. [Feb 2008, p.103]

The inclusion of online features add even more longevity to the game.

Were it not for the online issues – and we pray Codemasters fix these sharpish – SWOS would be getting a 9/10 if not more. As it stands, we’re going to cop out and give it that annoying almost-amazing score.

One of those rare gems that stands the test of time, thanks to its near-flawless gameplay. And while the temptation must have been huge to overhaul the game for the next-gen release, it’s great to see that the SWOS developers didn’t cave to it. While the game may not be the prettiest game on the Marketplace, it’s certainly one of the most fun.

It plays a lightning-fast, ultra-competitive game, and the statistics are unbeatable in their completeness. [Oct 2007, p.96]

All minor gripes aside though, SWOS remains a triumph of playability over tedium and proves the franchise is still a strong contender for the greatest football game of all time.

Sensible World of Soccer is a timeless classic that has not lost any of its magic through the times.

Simple, down to earth footballing fun.

People may turn their back on this thanks to its 2D visuals and oddball soundtrack, but not sampling this small nugget of gold for yourself, for those reasons alone, would be not be sensible at all.

Unlike most sports games that feel dated and tired years later, this one holds up quite well. It’s simple and fast, removing two of the hurdles many people find with the sport of soccer. The game also features an admirable amount of depth for a game that can be played with just a d-pad and the A button.

If you spent hours of your childhood playing SWOS, you won't be disappointed with this updated version. With all of its original features intact and the addition of online multiplayer, there's plenty of depth here for those who are willing to devote time and practice.

Most retro titles on the arcade are basically nostalgia trips with horribly updated graphics. Luckily this isn’t one of those games because they haven’t messed with the formula, and anything they have added only improves on it.