Game Review Data
 


Game Title

Zidane - Football Generation
Publisher
Cryo
Features
1 Player. Battery Save.
Format
Football/Soccer
Reviewer
Andrew Blanchard


RATING

Playable!


Ratings Scale:

Excellent!

Good!

Playable!

Ho-Hum!

Yuck!


Archived Game Reviews:

From A - Z

 

 
Introduction

French International, Zidane is possibly one of the most famous footballers in Europe right now having just been sold for a gazillion francs to well, some other team. Here he lends his name to an International football game on the GameBoy Color. This is by no means the first soccer game to appear on Nintendo's little handheld, as for years now numerous companies have been trying to squeeze the excitement of this beautiful game into a tiny cart. This could be one of the last for the GBC though, but is it any good?

Screen Shots

GamePlay

It's very difficult to alter a console football game in any way and this title sticks to the tried and tested formula. People don't want a pre-show and there's no real plot as such, other than winning, so it's usually straight into the game. First it's to the options for the type of game you want. It's a good idea to start off with the 'Friendly Match' which consists of a single game and can last 2,5 or 10 minutes as can all the different games. There is also a difficulty setting too but you'd be advised to keep it on the first level until you're really comfortable with the game. The players are a little sluggish and appear to be moving in slow motion but this is fine for a GBC version and the screen size. There is, however, an added problem in that whoever has the ball slows down even more giving other players an advantage which can sometimes feel a little unfair.

Next is the 'Arcade Mode' in which you'll always play in Zidane's team. This is a knockout competition so only winning teams are promoted. Lose a match and it's all over but continue winning and you'll become World Champion. Finally there's the 'Tournament' which is possibly the strongest of all the options. This is similar to a real competition and is set up in groups which you must top in order to progress to the quarters, semis and then finals. This the section of the game that really shows off its complexity and the tables convey an incredible amount of game information. This option does include a save feature on the battery backup just in case you don't want to play the whole of the world in one sitting. There are also some advanced options you can call upon, such as team formations, but you'll only really use these after you've played the game a few times and worked out the right strategy for you.

Control

The usual stuff for a football sim of any description with only two tactics available to you, pass and shoot although keeping it simple makes the game far more playable. There is, however a nice additional option whereby using the 'select' button you can change the viewpoint at any time during the match. The various menus are also a breeze to navigate through and it's always very obvious what to select.

Graphics

This is unfortunately where the whole game comes unstuck. It's not that the graphics aren't good as they are and the chunky footballers run around the pitch with great ease. The problem is to do with the player AI, as soon as one of your players has the ball it seems like every opposition player runs to you making things rather messy. You can't see the ball, you've no idea which team has possession and, to make matters worse, there's a huge amount of graphical dropout. On the plus side there are some wonderful hi-color cut screens which greet you at half and full time or when a goal is scored.

Sound & Music

The in-game music is minimal and most of the sound comprises of the fans chanting and clapping. This isn't a bad thing as I've always found music a little distracting in any sports sim. There is, however, a soundtrack to the various menus and options but to be honest you'll hardly notice it.

Final Comments

The developers have tried hard here to produce a football sim worth playing and the options available and the ability to change your viewpoint go some way towards achieving that. The gameplay, however, can be frustrating and the confusing graphics are unforgivable. On the plus side it is easy to pick up and play and you'll be playing a decent 5 minute match in no time at all. There are, however, loads of football games out there for the GBC so try before you buy.

@ EAGB Advance 2002. All rights reserved.