Were football games more fun before FIFA?

Those of us old enough to remember gaming in the 80s and 90s recollect a time when FIFA didn’t dominate as a variety of different football games seemed to be released every year. So were football games more fun before FIFA took over? Well, it’s hard to answer as for every classic, there was an utter abomination. To prove the point, here are three of the best retro football games... and three of the worst.

[Grindlefly]

What lets fifa down is the online - total garbage, but its the people playing not the game

Every match I play im against either Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern and the opposing player always quits when they are losing

[gphunk]

and how about the pausing mid attack? pausing doesn't belong online but they could have added a timer to make it fair, or only allow pausing during dead ball situations.

[yezz]

Games have become more realistic and technical which is great but it comes with a price. The simplicity of the old games is what made them fun.

Those old sports games or a shooters were unrealistic but simple and you knew that, so the annoyance levels weren't so high if something strange happened. Now you play BF4 or FIFA 14 and every single thing that isn't realistic will probably annoy you because you feel cheated. We will always demand more and more...

[Pogmathoin]

SWOS was incredibly addictive.... Kick off was simplistic brilliance....

[TKCMuzzer]

Loved Kick Off 2, first game had for my Amiga. SWOS still stands as the most addictive football game to date and possibly one of the most addictive games in general, simple, great controls and fun.

[mcstorm]

I agree I still have my Amiga 32 and pull swos out every now and again. I do miss some of the simple fun games we dont see any more. SWOS, Worms, Sensible golf, Xtype, Speedball, james pond and many more part of the reason I have kept my Amiga although Nintendo have don a great job with some of the classics on the Wiiu like new super Mario and donkey Kong.

[lfc_4eva]

@above.

Yep KO2 was the boy. Never really got the huge love for SWOS though. I always felt KO2 on the Amiga500 was pure arcade style action. It was fun, fast and a total blast.

[Budobear]

I hated sensible soccer with a passion but only because my Brother would always beat me at it. Speedball 2 was my game!

[iceman06]

I used to play a game called 5-A-Side...it was pretty bad, BUT you could juggle the ball on your head for the entire length of the field...so bad...yet so good! LOL

[bohemian 23]

No, they just used to call them by their proper name "soccer"

[Allsystemgamer]

Football is the proper name. It's only North America that call it soccer.

[dennett316]

No, other countries do as well. Both terms are absolutely fine, the name "soccer" was invented by the people who created the rules of the game way back when.
We in the UK call it football because it's our main ball sport. Rugby is actually called Rugby Football. American Football is actually called Gridiron Football, Australia has a version called Australian Rules Football...they are all variations of the same basic concept. Each region has their dominant form, and that is the one commonly contracted to simply "football".
Both names are equally valid.

[Allsystemgamer]

@dennet

That's an interesting tidbit to know. Gonna look more into this now.

[gedden7]

IDK but I know American football (NFL)games were more fun before EA obtained the NFL license...

[barb_wire]

Way before FIFA really started to dominate, especially in Europe.. the go to football game of the mid-late 90's was Anco's 'Kick-Off' on the Amiga/Atari ST.. it was a top down game, fast as hell, brutal AI considering the tech. They used to be tournaments for it.

Sensible Soccer, is another - a little slower but just as fun and just as popular.

[lfc_4eva]

KO2. Still have fond memories of the little dudes waddling onto the pitch. Just remembering now about how I used to run over a defenders outstretched leg to get a penalty. Hehehehehe. I was doing this well before Suarez!

YNWA!