Years ago, arcade-style sports games ruled the industry. There wasn’t a moment where you couldn’t jump in on a four player bout of NBA Jam or nail someone with a devastating leg drop in NFL Blitz. But since that time, we’ve had far few games that have taken the light-hearted approach to sports, instead opting for an all-too-serious sim that, while entertaining, can’t replace the dormant thrills of a versus match of NBA Street Homecourt.
And that’s where the developers at Gamajun come in. Working alongside the publishing team at Maximum Games, it’s just produced Street Power Soccer, a game that relies more on tricks and fancy techniques to score goals instead of pure FIFA-style strategy. And, despite a few things working against it – like the complete lack of online play – it caters back to a time where the thrill of the sport was the thing, rather than the sheer authenticity.
Getting Footy With It
Right off the bat, Street Power Soccer introduces you to the mechanics via a tutorial. Here, you’ll learn the basics of everything you can do in the game, from performing offensive moves to keep control of the ball to defensive techniques, like stylish steals. But there are other aspects as well, like doing little lobs to fellow teammates to keep the ball in play or, once you’ve built up enough energy, performing a devastating kick that all but guarantees a goal. It definitely plays to the classic rules of arcade sports, right down to saving those shots for when they really count.
That said, it does have its problems. The offensive moves to get past opponents with the ball don’t always work in your favor, even if you manage to get the timing perfectly down. Also, there can be occasional miscommunications when it comes to switching between teammates. This can be crucial, if only because the AI behavior isn’t as aggressive as we were hoping it’d be, and it can cost you crucial plays. But, for the most part, it still works better than not. There are also various modes included within the game. The big one here is Become King, which works sort of as a story mode as you become the Street Power Soccer King (or Queen – there are women players here, too). It’s not exactly the best-structured tale, but it does have some good challenges to overcome.
The others – Trick Shot, Freestyle and Panna – don’t offer much variety, but instead mini-game style rules where you try to get better at your craft. They’re okay, but don’t be surprised if you only go to them a couple of times in the long run. Street Power Soccer’s big draw here is multiplayer, as you can challenge a friend locally in a two-player battle. Four player would’ve been more ideal I think, but this isn’t too bad, and the sessions can be a lot of fun. But, again, no sign of online multiplayer, which is a bummer considering this is a full price ($49.99) title.
A Pretty Good Presentation
Street Power Soccer reminded me – in a way – of the classic FIFA Street, in that it didn’t take itself too seriously when it came to soccer. The visuals, while not the cleanest out there with its sprites, aren’t bad, with a variety of inspired areas to play on and some delightful characters that offer their own twist on the proceedings. The game also moves at a fluid pace, not letting up even during its most frenetic moments of scoring.
Also, the soundtrack is excellent. A mixture of fun street tunes and original beats produced specifically for the game, it’s a blast to listen to while you score your goals. I could’ve done without some of the bits and pieces of annoying voicework, but the music more than makes up for it, especially if you feel like getting into the groove.
A Good, But Not Great, Game of Soccer
There are flaws that keep Street Power Soccer from being a champion. Its price is way too high – this would’ve fared better as a $20 offering – and the lack of online competition will likely leave it leagues behind any of the FIFA games. But it’s got some fun gameplay to it once you get used to it, and local multiplayer is a gas. Plus, that soundtrack may just bop around in your head for days.
A soccer champ it is not, but Street Power Soccer is a fine reminder of the arcade sports games of old. We could use more stuff like this these days.
Available for PlayStation 4.
