Back to 1990 for the unofficial game of the Italia 90 tournament, Italy 1990 by US Gold.
Played this alot from tape on my 6128. Which is just as well as the animations on the disc version really slow things down. A case of a disc version not adding much to the gameplay!
Graphically this really wasn't much, but the pace of this game is what made it. A bit too easy against the computer as well, but two player games of this is still fun to this day!
Also if you're an Amstrad player, Winners Edition is the way to go, unless you want the losing team to win the world cup! xD
This looks like a pretty good football game, and that's coming from a non-football fan so make of it what you will.
My only issue is that the pitch on the CPC and Speccy versions are too big - waaay too big compared to the size of the players. The C64 version has the right scale of pitch, although it looks like there's a lot less room for tackles, etc given the smaller space. Perhaps the CPC and Speccy could have done with slightly larger players; to make their pitches look about the right size.
I think it looks nice enough and almost is a great game , but the speed and movement is just so twitchy to be enjoyable. My personal opinion , I am sure it ticks many peoples boxes though
Remember seeing reviews and ads for games like Italia 90 or Gazza 2 etc and wanting to play them.
Turns out I'm really bad at football games so best thing I spent my money elsewhere.
My brother on the other hand would've loved this game.
Quote from: seanb on 02:44, 14 November 15
Remember seeing reviews and ads for games like Italia 90 or Gazza 2 etc and wanting to play them.
Turns out I'm really bad at football games so best thing I spent my money elsewhere.
My brother on the other hand would've loved this game.
Gazza 2 really was the soccer game to destroy all soccer games.
I'm not a massive soccer fan at all myself, but my best mate was, so he'd always request a footy game of some sorts to be loaded up. Every soccer game I could get my hands on ended up being played, including some of the worst ones known to man (Peter Shilton's Handball Maradona anyone?)
But the sheer speed of Italy 1990 made it the game that it was. Even as a non soccer fan, if you got tackled, you're left with the "holy crap!" feeling because of the speed, that you knew the pressure was on to try and get the ball back. I had more excitement playing Italy 1990 than I had watching the actual World Cup.
Which is saying a lot because Ireland didn't do too badly that year.
For me the beautiful game on the CPC existed only in Emlyn Hughes International soccer.
Quote from: Shaun M. Neary on 20:05, 14 November 15
Peter Shilton's Handball Maradona
Wow, is that a game title or a word salad? :o
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 22:06, 14 November 15
Wow, is that a game title or a word salad? :o
If only! At least the salad has a chance of being tasty, this game on the other hand... not so much.
Peter Shilton's Handball Maradona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Shilton%27s_Handball_Maradona)
*looks at screengrab in link*
*eyes melt*
OMFG! :'( :'(
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 01:51, 15 November 15
*looks at screengrab in link*
*eyes melt*
OMFG! :'( :'(
Try playing it! You're literally playing as the goalie!
Quote from: Shaun M. Neary on 03:06, 15 November 15
Try playing it! You're literally playing as the goalie!
Guys, guys! I've got it, the theme for our next game!
Excellent, Smithers! Do tell!
You know how when kids play football, they always want to be the striker?
Yes?
Well let's make a game where you play the exact opposite!
You're a genius, Smithers!
I had actually paid for the full price release and had it on original, so I didn't dare dislike it :D But jokes apart, I had really enjoyed it. Quite different from the rest...
Oh, also, I really didn't mind the animations. They looked really cool back then indeed...
Quote from: Gryzor on 17:54, 15 November 15
I had actually paid for the full price release and had it on original, so I didn't dare dislike it :D But jokes apart, I had really enjoyed it. Quite different from the rest...
Oh, also, I really didn't mind the animations. They looked really cool back then indeed...
I guess anything looked better compared to the likes of World Cup Carnival! xD
Possibly the best football game on the system... OMG :o
It was an ok game, but far from being the best...
Quote from: remax on 13:14, 18 November 15
Possibly the best football game on the system... OMG :o
It was an ok game, but far from being the best...
Had more fun with it than any other football game on the system. The Gazza games were terrible, Kick Off sucked on all formats, Match Day was old and ran slowly, where do you go from there? There was the Peter Beardsley game which was ugly beyond belief
Italy 1990 was far closer to the 16 bit football games than other CPC football games which were dated and played badly. When I came to get my first Amiga football game (Striker) it felt quite like Italy 1990.
Then I got Sensi on the Amiga and realised all other football games were dross.
Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 13:31, 18 November 15
Had more fun with it than any other football game on the system. The Gazza games were terrible, Kick Off sucked on all formats, Match Day was old and ran slowly, where do you go from there? There was the Peter Beardsley game which was ugly beyond belief
Italy 1990 was far closer to the 16 bit football games than other CPC football games which were dated and played badly. When I came to get my first Amiga football game (Striker) it felt quite like Italy 1990.
Then I got Sensi on the Amiga and realised all other football games were dross.
Of course Emlyn Hughes was by far superior.
Emilio Butrageno, despite really lacking options was better too.
Kick Off, even horrible to see, was far more realistic and playable.
Matchday II, even if slow, allows you to make pass and have something like a real football game.
Fighting soccer was far more amusing in versus/cooperative play.
Italy 90 was enjoyable, and i did for some time, but at some point you understood how to score and then it was nothing like a football game. This game finally came down to taking the ball, running to the goal in slalom, and shooting from the angle of the area. Goal everytime and even in multiplayer, as it was totally impossible to defend because of dumb player slection, the score would go to something like 32-31, the looser being the one who missed one or 2 occasions. So at some point it went back in its box and never came out unlike many other soccer games that i still enjoy playing to these days (i often play Buitre, Emlyn Hughes or Matchday II).
Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 13:31, 18 November 15
The Gazza games were terrible
Huh?! Ok, the first one was utter shit, but what was so terrible about the second?
Gazza 2 was unfinished, no league or cup compo! Massive disappointment! It played an alright game of soccer, but there were quite a few bugs.
If they'd of ironed out a few bits and bobs, included a knockout or league system, it might have been up there!
Quote from: Shaun M. Neary on 18:17, 19 November 15
Huh?! Ok, the first one was utter shit, but what was so terrible about the second?
It's so empty. Like they got to the point it working and just releasing it.
Haven't played the CPC version for ages but have played the Speccy which is basically the same and it has so few teams and game options. It's also very easy to get lost where you are on the pitch even with the scanner. Could do with being more zoomed out so you can get a better idea of your bearings and where you are hitting the ball.
Just one of those games where you think "of if only you'd had the time to refine this". Sadly it has that in common with many games of the era which were produced on tight deadlines.