Reviewed: 14 February 1998
I first got wind of ISS from English SNES mags, which being in Australia, are the most reliable source of information. I have recently got the 'soccer bug' after watching Australia's ill-fated World Cup campaign. Especially the final playoff against Argentina, where Australia lost 2-1 on aggregate, was magic.

ISS had seen rave reviews but unfortunately, in Australia, no one had the rights to publishing Konami games. I eventually received a copy, sent over from the UK by my visiting sister, on 30 June 1995.

The first thing that immediately strikes me is the tiny playing view of the field with large players, and a large radar. Not being a radar fan I approach the game with caution. Secondly, I notice the well-constructed passing game that ISS possesses. I pass the ball around like a true professional and instantly know there is something special about this game.

Up until then, we used to play Striker heaps, and occasionally, the original Fifa for a bit of fun, and eventually Kick Off 3. KO3 would certainly have got a longer run, but ISS hit us too soon. I had only had it KO3 month.

ISS also seems very slow. Compared to other soccer games, it is! But this is real football, not soccer-pinball like Striker and Sensi. I have actually timed a player running from end to the other and it takes about 16 seconds. The average pitch being 120 metres and Olympic sprinters running 100 in 10 seconds, ISS is a touch off the pace. I have my snes converted to play at NTSC speed and it suits the game perfectly. They are 2 seconds quicker to run the field. More realistic indeed.

My first game is Switzerland against Austria. I don't know why. I also notice the outstanding goal keeping, and some of the goals come from rebounds. I lose 4-1. First impressions are very good though. But after extensive play, how does it hold up after intense play ? Excellent.

Game-play: Konami have certainly nailed how all football games should play. The fundamental element of having to pass and cross well, and doing it realistically, to win, is revolutionary. My friend and I are playing every week and can not fault it. Your teammates are intelligent, they run forward to good positions and defend and attack in numbers. No more rigidity to the team's formation. The way to score is to pass heaps and try and make a run through the defence as quickly as possible. Same with crossing. Get the ball there quick and get a cross in before a defender blocks you. That is the other good thing. The defenders are a touch faster than a player dribbling so it is important to find those openings and take them quickly.

Shooting at goal is also revolutionary. Instead of blasting with a designated button; in conjunction with the directional-pad, you are given the option of placing the ball to all parts of the net. A low shot to the corner will do most of the time. There is after-touch and you can even nutmeg the goalie! A good shot will nearly always bring a rebound and a lot of goals a scored this way, even multiple rebounds. By the way, there are virtually no Fifa goals (bombs from 40 yards out), so don't waste time trying to score them.

Also there are no separate buttons for heading and other 'special' moves. The pass button will pass on the ground, pass with the head or even scissor-kick pass. It depends on if the ball is in the air or on the ground or behind you. Likewise with shoot and lob. The shoot button will do a shoot-header or a shoot-grounder, depending on where the ball is. The fourth button is 'run'. Note, the players stroll normally and then run. Not run then sprint. It is held down, not tapped repeatedly. There has been a bit of conjecture whether balls should stick to the feet or the player should have to control the dribble (because players can change direction wildly with too much ease). Konami have the answer. The ball does stick to the feet, but only when strolling can you change directions anywhere. When running, you can only change direction after the completion of the dribble and then only at 45 degree angles or in the opposite direction. To change at greater angles you must slow down. This certainly is the way to go and has settled the debate in my books. Overall, the button set-up and moves are a great innovation and this greatly simplifies things.

Defence is also great. Men funnel back and defend in great numbers. It is near impossible to break through a concerted defence. You can actually 'sweep' and let your teammates mark the attacker. If he gets too close, they will even tackle them for you. If they get through, you can take him yourself.

Usually it is best to score on the counter or retreat to draw the defence out. Just like real life. You have a standing tackle and the obligatory sliding tackle and a dirty move. The standing lets you 'step-in' and grab the ball and instantly win possession. Another great innovation. The sliding tackle performs like in other games. The only bad thing is that you really only force the ball loose, not win possession. If you tackle a winger, the ball will invariably go out. There are a lot of throw ins.

Free kicks and corners are fairly simple. You control where an arrow is pointing and then shoot, lob or pass. Simply but effective. Penalty kicks are the usual 'take-a-guess-and-dive-for-the-ball' affairs. Substitutions and other changes are made at dead-ball situations by hitting 'select'.

Options: There are three difficulty levels, and they are very challenging. Level 1 is a cinch! Two will test you until you get used to the game. Level 3 is a real bitch, but once mastered, you should never lose. Although playing good teams with crap teams will provide the ultimate challenge. The tournament (World Cup style) and the league (play each team twice) are standard affairs and will provide a challenge. It is a pity that these are only one-player. You can also turn off fouls and offsides, change the length of halves and set the weather.

When selecting a player, there are two types of manual control and auto control. You can highlight the closet player or, in conjunction with the directional-pad, anyone on the field!!! There are 24 international teams. The players do resemble real life players but have fictitious names. Your players also start with varying form and get tired during play. There are many formations to choose from (I find the default the best) and even strategies.

Another outstanding feature is the scenarios. You are stuck into a situation where a you are a goal down with 1 min left. Can you win? There are 12 scenarios like this and again is another outstanding innovation by Konami.

The replay facility is also excellent. As soon as a goal is scored it cuts into it immediately and is easy to control. You can view it at slo-mo, reverse or frame by frame. Of course if you can't be bothered, hitting 'start' will cancel it and return you straight back to the kick off. There is no going to the menus here.

Graphics: The game features big sprites and a realistic looking stadium and weather effects. There is Fine, Rain and Snow. I like the way the cameramen shy away when a long shot comes at them. The little animations when the player takes the ball down and the goal celebrations are good too. Although once a player receives a ball and you want to immediately go the other way, the animation in turning the ball the other way gives the defender a chance to tackle you or you may miss your opportunity to break through the defence. A minor niggle. Overall the graphics are very good and close to the best for a sports game, if not perfunctory, and serve the game very well.

Sound: The sound is excellent. The bongo drums, the crowd cheering every raid on goal, the kicking and dribbling and even the sound of the ball hitting the posts is excellent. The quality is good and deserves to be put through a stereo. There is even a small amount of commentary!

Faults: There are a few things that can be improved. As I stated earlier, the game could be a tad quicker and I feel sliding tackles should win the ball, at least sometimes. Also the lob function is a little too 'lobbish' for my book. It would be good if crosses and long-balls could be whipped in a bit more. Though it does not affect the gameplay, it would just look better. Beginners will notice a lot of rebounds. Once shooting proficiency increases, these are less frequent. The tournaments and leagues are single player only, and are rigid in structure. You can't set the number of teams or anything. Every team participates and it is only one-player.

Overall: ISS is near perfection; 9.5/10. With great graphics and sound, accompanied by the most perfect of gameplay you could ever hope for and a brilliant 2-player mode, what more you could you want? Konami definitely have a winner here and have the created perfect 'football-video-game' engine. This is the first and only soccer game that forces you to play football and implement real football tactics, rather than exploiting bugs and "hotspots" iin order to win. Outstanding!!

In 1998. The original really stands the test of time. If you have a SNES, get it; if only to complete your ISS series. Considering the vast improvement in ISS Deluxe, which I did not think was possible, I would mark it down to 8/10. Once completely mastered, winning is easy. Placing shots near the posts will either score or hit the post. Shooting just as the goalie dives at your feet will dink him. Watch for rebounds. Good crosses are lethal too. Games are generally high scoring, especially when you become adept at placing your shots and crosses, so I suggest you play 3 min halves. Five min halves will see, on average, 6 goals a game, and rarely nil-nils. It is inferior to Deluxe and a bit slow, but is different enough to warrant a purchase; considering you could find one these days for $10!!

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