Association football or soccer video games are a subgenre of sports video games. The earliest examples appeared on video game consoles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Early home computer versions of such games also appeared during the 8-bit era in the early to mid-1980s.
History
Early console and 8-bit computer days The first arcade system labeled as "Soccer" came out in 1973, being a variation of Pong in the guise of a soccer game: Taito's Soccer. The first home video game console was the Magnavox Odyssey, which received an association football game with the title Soccer in 1974. This game was controlled by paddles, similar to the Pong games of the time, and relied on a transparent overlay that simulated a soccer pitch on the television. It was essentially a table tennis game with a soccer skin overlaid on it.
In 1977, the launch of the Atari VCS (also known as the Atari 2600), based on the inexpensive MOS 6502 microprocessor architecture, brought video gaming to many homes. This was the first successful mass-market modular video game console, and it made it possible to play a variety of different games on the same console. In 1980, Atari's Pelé's Soccer/Championship Soccer became the first console association football game to be playable at home. It resembled an actual football pitch much more than previous games, featuring a scrolling field, and it also had a celebration screen, a novelty for video games at the time. The graphics, although still crude by modern standards, were considered much better than in the Pong variants that preceded it. The 1983 updated Atari RealSports Soccer improved the graphics and gameplay, under the RealSports brand of updates to several sport video games. Its release happened around the time of the video game industry crash of 1983.
In the early 1980s, the 8-bit home computer market, also based on the MOS 6502 microprocessor architecture, was going well. In 1982, the first successful home computer version of an association football game, called simply Soccer, was launched by Thorn EMI for the Atari 800 range of computers, both on cartridges and on 5¼-inch floppy disks. The launch of the Commodore 64, also in 1982, brought home computers to many more households, and the development of association football video games really took off. The 16-bit home computer era of the latter 1980s continued the trend.
Arcade games The first association football arcade game was released one year after Atari's Pong machines: Taito's Soccer (1973). It resembled a 2-player Pong game in both graphics and gameplay. Over the decades that followed, many more arcade association football game machines were produced. Back Street Soccer Exciting Soccer Football Champ Goal Kick LiberoGrande Pro Soccer Soccer Super Sidekicks Super Sidekicks Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship Super Sidekicks 3: The Next Glory Neo Geo Cup '98: The Road to the Victory The Ultimate 11: SNK Football Championship Tehkan World Cup Tecmo World Cup '90 Video Action Virtua Striker Virtua Striker 2 Virtua Striker 2 version '98 Virtua Striker 2 version '99 Virtua Striker 2 version '99.1 Virtua Striker 2 version 2000 Virtua Striker 2 version 2000.1 Virtua Striker 3 Virtua Striker 3 version 2002 Virtua Striker 4 Virtua Striker 4 version 2006 Winning Eleven Arcade Game Style Winning Eleven Arcade Game Style 2003 Winning Eleven 2006 Arcade Championship Winning Eleven Arcade Championship 2008 Winning Eleven Arcade Championship 2010 Winning Eleven Arcade Championship 2012 World Championship Soccer
Video game consoles
Atari
Atari VCS (2600) Pelé's Soccer/Championship Soccer RealSports Soccer International Soccer
Atari 5200 RealSports Soccer
Atari Jaguar Sensible Soccer Fever Pitch Soccer
Atari Lynx World Class Fussball/Soccer
Nintendo Note: consoles are listed in chronological order (first handhelds, then home consoles), while individual games or series are in alphabetical order.
Game Boy Elite Soccer FIFA International Soccer FIFA Soccer 96 FIFA 97 FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 Football International Goal! International Superstar Soccer J-League Fighting Soccer: The King of Ace Strikers J-League Supporter Soccer J-League Live '95 J-League Winning Goal Matthias Sammer Soccer Nintendo World Cup Sensible Soccer: European Champions Soccer Mania Super Kick Off World Cup 98 World Cup USA '94
Game Boy Color David Beckham Soccer David O'Leary's Total Soccer 2000 The F.A. Premier League Stars 2001 FIFA 2000 International Superstar Soccer 99 International Superstar Soccer 2000 Mia Hamm Soccer Shootout O'Leary Manager 2000 Player Manager 2001 Pocket Soccer Ronaldo V-Soccer Soccer Manager Three Lions Zidane: Football Generation
Game Boy Advance 2006 FIFA World Cup Alex Ferguson's Player Manager 2002 David Beckham Soccer Disney Sports Soccer European Super League FIFA Football 2003 FIFA Football 2004 FIFA Football 2005 FIFA 06 FIFA 07 Football Mania Formation Soccer 2002 Go! Go! Beckham! Adventure on Soccer Island International Superstar Soccer International Superstar Soccer Advance J.League Pocket J.League Pocket 2 J-League Pro Soccer Club wo Tsukurou! Advance J-League Winning Eleven Advance 2002 Monster Battle Soccer O'Leary Manager 2000 Premier Action Soccer Premier Manager 2003–04 Premier Manager 2004–2005 Premier Manager 2005–2006 Soccer Kid Steven Gerrard's Total Soccer 2002 Total Soccer Manager Ultimate Beach Soccer XS Jr. League Soccer Wi-El: World Soccer Winning Eleven World Advance Soccer: Road to Win Zidane: Football Generation 2002
Nintendo DS Fab 5 Soccer FIFA 06 FIFA 07 FIFA 08 FIFA 09 FIFA 10 FIFA 11 FIFA Street 2 FIFA Street 3 FIFA World Cup: Germany 2006 Foot 2 Rue Nicolas Anelka Football Academy Football Director DS Ico Soccer Imagine: Soccer Captain Inazuma Eleven Inazuma Eleven 2: Firestorm Inazuma Eleven 2: Blizzard Inazuma Eleven 3: Sekai e no Chousen!! Bomber Inazuma Eleven 3: Sekai e no Chousen!! Spark Inazuma Eleven 3: Sekai e no Chousen!! The Ogre Jake Power: Soccer Star Pro Evolution Soccer 6 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Real Football 2008 Real Football 2009
Nintendo 3DS FIFA 12 FIFA 13 FIFA 14 FIFA 15 Inazuma Eleven GO: Light Inazuma Eleven GO: Shadow Inazuma Eleven GO Chrono Stones: Thunderflash Inazuma Eleven GO Chrono Stones: Wildfire Inazuma Eleven GO Galaxy: Big Bang Inazuma Eleven GO Galaxy: Supernova Mario Sports Superstars Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Pro Evolution Soccer 2014
Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom 4 Soccer Simulators Captain Tsubasa Vol. II: Super Striker Goal! Goal Two! Kick and Run Kick Off Konami Hyper Soccer Nintendo World Cup Power Soccer Soccer Tecmo Cup Soccer Tecmo World Cup Soccer Top Striker Ultimate League Soccer World Trophy Soccer
Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom Ace Striker Battle Soccer: Field no Hasha Battle Soccer 2 Capcom's Soccer Shootout Captain Tsubasa 3: Koutei no Chousen Captain Tsubasa 4: Pro no Rival Tachi Captain Tsubasa 5: Hasha no Shōgō Campione Championship Soccer '94 Champions World Class Soccer Dino Dini's Goal Dolucky no A.League Soccer Elite Soccer Fever Pitch Soccer FIFA International Soccer FIFA Soccer '96 FIFA Soccer '97 Gold Edition FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 Football Champ Goal! Goal! Two Hat Trick Hero 2 International Superstar Soccer International Superstar Soccer Deluxe J.League Soccer Prime Goal J.League Soccer Prime Goal 2 J.League Soccer Prime Goal 3 J.League Super Soccer '95 Jikkyō Stadium Kevin Keegan's Player Manager Kick Off 3: European Challenge Manchester United Championship Soccer Mega Man Soccer Sensible Soccer Shijō Saikyō League Serie A: Ace Striker Soccer Kid Striker (video game) Super Copa Super Formation Soccer 94 Super Formation Soccer 95: della Serie A Super Formation Soccer 96: World Club Edition Super Goal! 2 Super Kick-Off Super Soccer Super Soccer Champ Tactical Soccer Tony Meola's Sidekick Soccer Ultra League Virtual Soccer World Cup USA '94 World League Soccer World Soccer '94: Road to Glory Zenkoku Kōkō Soccer 2 Zico Soccer
Nintendo 64 FIFA '99 FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 FIFA Soccer 64 International Superstar Soccer '98 International Superstar Soccer 2000 International Superstar Soccer 64 J World Soccer 3 J-League Dynamite Soccer 64 J-League Tactics Soccer Jikkyo World Soccer: World Cup France '98 Mia Hamm Soccer 64 Premier Manager 64 World Cup 98 World League Soccer 2000
GameCube 2002 FIFA World Cup Disney Sports Soccer ESPN MLS ExtraTime 2002 FIFA Football 2002 FIFA Football 2003 FIFA Football 2004 FIFA Football 2005 FIFA 06 2006 FIFA World Cup FIFA Street FIFA Street 2 Intellivision Lives! International Superstar Soccer 2 International Superstar Soccer 3 Jikkyō World Soccer 2002 RedCard 20-03 Sega Soccer Slam Super Mario Strikers UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 Urban Freestyle Soccer Virtua Striker 3 ver.2002 Winning Eleven 6
Wii 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Academy of Champions: Soccer Canimals Ultimate Football Fantastic Football Fan Party FIFA 08 FIFA 09 FIFA 10 FIFA 11 FIFA 12 FIFA 13 FIFA 14 FIFA 15 Happy Tree Friends Super Soccer Inazuma Eleven GO Strikers 2013 Inazuma Eleven Strikers Inazuma Eleven Strikers 2012 Xtreme Kidz Sports International Soccer Mario Strikers Charged Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Real Madrid: The Game Street Football 2 Tamagotchi Football Cup
Wii U FIFA 13
Nintendo Switch Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions Despelote Desktop Soccer Desktop Soccer 2 EA FC 24 EA FC 25 FIFA 18 FIFA 19 FIFA 20 FIFA 21 FIFA 22 FIFA 23 Football Heroes League Football Manager 2018 Football Manager 2019 Football Manager 2020 Football Manager 2021 Football Manager 2022 Football, Tactics & Glory Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Legendary Eleven Mario Strikers: Battle League Nintendo Switch Sports Retro Goal Soccer on Desk Sociable Soccer 24 Sociable Soccer 25 Street Power Football
Nintendo Switch 2
Sony
PlayStation 2002 FIFA World Cup 4-4-2 Soccer Actua Soccer Actua Soccer 2 Actua Soccer 3 Actua Soccer Club Edition Adidas Power Soccer Adidas Power Soccer 2 Adidas Power Soccer International 97 Adidas Power Soccer 98 Alex Ferguson's Player Manager 2001 Alex Ferguson's Player Manager 2002 All Star Soccer Backyard Soccer Championship Manager Quiz Chris Kamara's Street Soccer Combination Pro Soccer Complete Onside Soccer David Beckham Soccer Dynamite Soccer 98 Dynamite Soccer 2000 Dynamite Soccer 2002 Dynamite Soccer 2004 Final ESPN MLS GameNight European Super League FA Manager FA Premier League Football Manager 2000 FA Premier League Football Manager 2001 FA Premier League Stars FA Premier League Stars 2001 FIFA 96 FIFA 97 FIFA Road to World Cup 98 FIFA 99 FIFA 2000 FIFA 2001 FIFA Football 2002 FIFA Football 2003 FIFA Football 2004 FIFA Football 2005 Football Madness Formation Soccer '97: The Road To France Formation Soccer '98: Ganbare Nippon in France Fox Sports Soccer '99 Goal Storm Hyper Formation Soccer International Soccer Excite Stage 2000 International Superstar Soccer Deluxe International Superstar Soccer Pro International Superstar Soccer '98 ISS Pro Evolution ISS Pro Evolution 2 J.League Virtual Stadium '96 J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven '97 J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven 3 J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven 2000 J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven 2000 2nd J.League Jikkyō Winning Eleven 2001 J.League Soccer: Jikkyou Survival League J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven 2000 2nd J.League Winning Eleven '98-'99 Kick Off World LiberoGrande Liberogrande International LMA Manager LMA Manager 2001 LMA Manager 2002 Marcel Desailly Pro Soccer Namco Soccer Prime Goal Olympic Soccer Onside Soccer Player Manager Player Manager Ninety Nine Player Manager 2000 Premier Manager 98 Premier Manager 99 Premier Manager 2000 Pro Evolution Soccer Pro Evolution Soccer 2 Pro: Foot Contest 98 Puma Street Soccer Ronaldo V-Football