is a sports video game developed and published by Sega for arcades in 1997. It is the sequel to the 1994 video game Virtua Striker, and the second game in the Virtua Striker series. A series of updates was released from 1998 to 1999, starting with Virtua Striker 2 ver. 1998 and ending with Virtua Striker 2 ver. 2000.1 (バーチャストライカー2 ver.2000.1, Bācha Sutoraikā Tsū ver.2000.1), that latest update being released for the Dreamcast in Japan in 1999, and then internationally in 2000, with the North American version re-titled to Virtua Striker 2. A sequel, Virtua Striker 3, was released in 2001.
The arcade game was a major success in Japan, where it was the second highest-grossing arcade game of 1998 and the overall highest-grossing arcade game of 1999. The Dreamcast version, however, received mixed reviews from critics.
Amusement Arcades UK list
Virtua Striker 2 Butlins Minehead (1999–2003) Megabowl (2001)
Virtua Striker 2 ver. 1998 Tenby (2001–2006) (In Arcade Games Room Amusement In Heatherton Activity Park and New Minerton Leisure Park)
Virtua Striker 2 Version '99 Porthcawl (1999–2007)
Reception
Arcade In Japan, Virtua Striker 2 was a major commercial success in arcades. Game Machine ranked Virtua Striker 2 and Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 98 collectively as the second highest-grossing arcade software of 1998, behind Tekken 3. The following year, Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 99 was the highest-grossing arcade software title in Japan, while Ver. 98 ranked fourth. Game Machine also noted that Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 2000 had entered its annual rankings despite having been available for only three and a half months, citing this as evidence of the series' popularity.
Dreamcast The Dreamcast version received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40. In the United Kingdom, Computer and Video Games said the arcade gameplay "will initially dismay" International Superstar Soccer (ISS) fans, but that it is not a "simulation, it's a full-on arcade game." They called it "the finest arcade football game ever" and said, though some might criticise the lack of depth, "the massive andrenaline rush you get" from playing "more than compensates." They compared it to Crazy Taxi, in that both provide "instant" fun gaming. In North America, Rob Smolka of NextGen said that the game "may look good, but the poor controls drag this one down to rental status." Jake The Snake of GamePro said, "With its dazzling graphics and a speedy but authentic action, Virtua Striker 2 is at least a weekend rental for any soccer fan with a Dreamcast or for anyone who enjoys a fun, great-looking game."
Reception in continental Europe was mixed. French magazine Dreamzone praised Virtua Striker 2 as an enjoyable arcade-style football game, recommending it to players seeking an experience similar to the arcade original while considering it less suitable for those wanting a deeper football simulation. German magazine MAN!AC was considerably more critical, awarding the game 67 out of 100. Although praising its visual presentation, the magazine criticised its controls, artificial intelligence and limited depth, regarding it as inferior to more simulation-oriented football games.
Italian magazine Console Mania awarded Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 2000.1 75 out of 100. The magazine praised its graphics, sound and immediate playability, but considered its longevity and overall depth more limited. Spanish magazine Revista Oficial Dreamcast gave the game 8 out of 10, praising its graphics and arcade-style action while considering its gameplay in need of improvement and noting several limitations compared with more comprehensive football simulations.
In the United Kingdom, Virtua Striker 2 performed strongly on the Dreamcast sales charts. For the week ending 19 February 2000, it ranked third on the Chart-Track Dreamcast chart, having placed second the previous week. Official Dreamcast Magazine described the game as continuing a "strong showing" on the chart. It also ranked second on retailer HMV's Dreamcast sales chart. The game sold 239,511 in Japan and 47,836 in the United States.
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