One thing that didn’t originate in Britain, however, was the SNES or Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Known as the Super Famicom in Japan, the SNES gained a new lease of life in 2017 when Nintendo released the Super NES Classic Edition. No soccer games made it to the mini-console but if you still own a proper SNES and love football (there, happy?), you might enjoy this video.
YouTube channel SNES Drunk compiled a long list of Japanese, North American, and European titles for the beautiful game in all its 16-bit glory. Some remain classics, some you’ll recognise by their names, others are best left unplayed. Either way, you’re sure to find a game you’ll enjoy. And if you don’t have a physical SNES, there’s always emulation.
My personal fave is Super Striker. It’s the only SNES soccer game I’ve played but I have fond memories of losing to my best friend in 1998. Even when I was Brazil.
Anyway, stream the video below and let us know which ones you’ve played in the comments.
Game list
- [0:50] 90 Minutes: European Prime Goal (PAL and JP only, part of the SFC series J.League Prime Goal)
- [1:30] Battle Soccer series (Battle Soccer Field no Hasha, Battle Soccer 2) (JP only)
- [1:59] Capcom’s Soccer Shootout
- [2:47] Captain Tsubasa series (Captain Tsubasa 3, Captain Tsubasa IV: Pro No Rival Tachi, Captain Tsubasa V: Hasha no Shougou Campione, Aoki Densetsu Shoot!, Captain Tsubasa J) (JP only)
- [3:25] Champions World Class Soccer
- [3:50] Dino Dini’s Soccer (PAL only)
- [4:27] Dolucky’s A-League Soccer
- [4:50] Elite Soccer (PAL title World Cup Striker)
- [5:06] FIFA series (4 games)
- [5:51] Goal! (Super Goal in PAL, Super Cup Soccer in JP)
- [6:10] Super Goal! 2 (Takeda Nobuhiro no Super Cup Soccer in JP, sequel Takeda Nobuhiro no Super League Soccer)
- [6:30] Head-On Soccer (Fever Pitch Soccer in EU, Mario Basler: Jetzt
geht’s Los! in Germany) - [6:59] International Superstar Soccer (and Deluxe)
- [7:56] Kevin Keegan’s Player Manager (PAL only) (KH Rummenigge’s Player Manager in Germany)
- [8:31] Kick Off (PAL and JP only) (Super Kick off in JP)
- [9:13] Kick Off 3 (PAL only)
- [9:30] Manchester United Championship Soccer (PAL only) (Lothar Matthäus Super Soccer in Germany)
- [10:09] Mega Man Soccer
- [10:45] Pele!
- [10:59] Sensible Soccer (as “International Sensible Soccer – World Champions: Limited Edition,” PAL only)
- [10:59] Sensible Soccer: European Champions (Championship Soccer ’94 in US)
- [11:58] Shijou Saikyou League Serie A: Ace Striker (JP only)
- [12:30] Super Soccer (Super Formation Soccer in JP)
- [12:52] Super Formation Soccer series (5 games) (JP only)
- [13:03] Super Soccer Champ 1-2 (Euro Football Champ in EU, Hat Trick Hero in JP, Hat Trick Hero 2 in JP)
- [13:39] Tactical Soccer (JP only)
- [14:10] Tony Meola’s Sidekicks Soccer (World Soccer in EU, Super Copa in SA, Ramos Ruy no World Wide Soccer in JP)
- [14:51] Ultra League: Moero! Soccer Daikessen!! (JP only)
- [15:14] Virtual Soccer (PAL only, J.League Super Soccer in JP, sequels J.League Super Soccer ’95 Jikkyou Stadium, J.League ’96 Dream Stadium)
- [15:42] World Cup USA 94
- [16:13] World League Soccer (Pro Soccer in JP)
- [16:27] World Soccer ’94: Road to Glory (Striker in EU, Eric Cantona Football Challenge in FR)
- [17:11] Zenkoku Koukou Soccer 1-2, 96 (JP only)
- [17:32] Zico Soccer (JP only)