Sega Worldwide Soccer 97 (known as both Sega Worldwide Soccer PC and Victory Goal Worldwide Edition in Japan) is a football video game by Sega released for the Sega Saturn in 1996. It was followed by three more titles: Sega Worldwide Soccer '98 still on the Saturn and two editions of Sega Worldwide Soccer 2000, the second being Sega Worldwide Soccer 2000 Euro Edition for the Dreamcast.

Sega Worldwide Soccer 97, produced by Sega themselves, was one of the Saturn's killer apps in the peak of popularity for the console. It was the sequel to Victory Goal, one of the debut titles of the console, which had a poor performance critically and commercially. However, there was little overlap in the development staff of the two games. The gameplay was also highly praised, and was the top-rated football game until International Superstar Soccer 64 was released one year later. The game was ported to Microsoft Windows, with this version being released in Japan only on September 25, 1997.

Gameplay Sega Worldwide Soccer 97 features more than 48 international teams. Because the game did not possess licences for real player names, most players are fictional, although their names can be edited using the Sega Saturn's internal memory. The teams' kits were designed to resemble their contemporary real-world counterparts.

Four principal modes are included: Exhibition, World League, Worldwide Cup and Cup Tournament. Matches incorporate player injuries and suspensions, statistical tracking and instant replays. The game also features play-by-play commentary and allows the player to alter the viewing angle during replays.

The game also includes a create-a-player feature and supports multiplayer play.

Development and release Unlike the earlier Western Worldwide Soccer, which had been adapted from a game originally designed around Japan's J.League, Sega Worldwide Soccer 97 was designed around international teams from the outset.

For the North American release, Sega selected United States international and LA Galaxy player Cobi Jones to appear on the cover. GameRevolution reported that Sega promoted Jones following the early success of Major League Soccer, issuing a press release announcing his selection for the box art. Jones was also included as a player on the United States team.

Reception

The original Sega Saturn release was met with critical acclaim. Tom Hall of GameSpot said it "may be the best soccer game ever released"; GamePro called it "a completely fresh, must-play gaming experience"; Rob Alsetter wrote in Sega Saturn Magazine that it was "perhaps the best soccer sim yet"; and Next Generations review concluded, "Quite simply, WWS '97 is the best recreation of any sport, ever." Common subjects of praise were the smoothness of the player animations, the easy-to-learn controls, the realistic soccer elements, and the way the game encourages players to be spontaneous and creative.

The game also received strong reviews in continental Europe. French magazine Player One awarded Sega Worldwide Soccer '97 94%. German magazine MAN!AC gave the game 80%, praised the game's presentation, controls and multiplayer play, while regarding the graphics as particularly impressive among contemporary 32-bit football games. However, it noted that it offered less tactical and statistical depth than more simulation-oriented titles. Italian magazine Console Mania awarded the game 91 out of 100, praising its player animations, responsive controls and ball physics, and considering it an effective balance between arcade-style gameplay and simulation. In Spain, Hobby Consolas also gave it 94 out of 100, describing it in its review headline as "the revelation of the season".

Commercial performance The Sega Saturn version sold over 340,000 units in Japan. In Portugal, Sega Worldwide Soccer '97 topped the Sega Saturn sales chart broadcast by the television programme Templo dos Jogos in December 1996. It was also one of the top-selling Sega Saturn games of 1996 at HMV's Oxford Street store in the United Kingdom. In France, Worldwide Soccer '97 was included alongside Sega Rally Championship in Sega's Saturn "Action Pack", launched on March 4, 1997. Sega France stated at the time that Worldwide Soccer '97 had remained near the top of the charts since its release.

In South Korea, the PC release sold around 10,000 copies in 1997, making it one of the company's biggest releases that year. Electronic Times reported the game had received a boost in interest generated by South Korea's 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

Legacy In 1996, Sega Worldwide Soccer 97 was featured on British television programme GamesMaster, where professional footballers Richard Rufus competed against Michael Duberry and Chris Armstrong in matches using the game.

In November 1997, Electronic Gaming Monthly ranked Sega Worldwide Soccer 97 74th in its list of the 100 best console video games of all time. The magazine stated that the game had "set the standard for all other soccer games to follow", comparing its position among football games to that of the Madden NFL and NHL series in their respective sports. It particularly praised the player animation, artificial intelligence, passing system and graphics.

References

External links Official website