International Superstar Soccer 98 (Nintendo 64) Review

The International Superstar Soccer series actually began in the arcade, but came to notoriety thanks to the brilliant Super Nintendo translation. The supremely improved ISS Deluxe followed this on the same Nintendo platform, before eventually being dumbed-down and ported to Sega's Mega Drive. With the advent of Nintendo 64, complete with giant leap in terms of technology, football fans feared for the worst when Electronic Arts' first time effort, FIFA 64, turned out to be a major disaster. Thankfully, though, Konami's in-house team Major A had been busy working on the next generation edition of ISS, aptly called ISS 64, which became an instant success across Europe. Meanwhile, its Sony half-brother, Pro Evolution Soccer, struggled due to its mediocrity...But how do you improve upon what is already a brilliant football experience? The follow-up, ISS '98 showed exactly how!

ISS 64 looked the part for the next generation right from the start, lifting itself above the mire that was FIFA’s debut, with its jerky motion and scary footballers. For the 1998 update, everything was notched up even more, to the point where players were starting to look extremely life-like in appearance. Players had a more solid feel to them than FIFA, and from the farther viewpoints, the smooth nature of their motion-captured movements (reportedly around 17,000 frames were captured!) made them appear all the more natural. Players could be seen shaking their arms and legs whilst warming up, looking upwards when the ball was coming toward them in the air, and the officials all acted appropriately to a degree not seen before. The only drawback has to be with the bland menu screens, which are simply functional rather than having that extra flair of the EA Sports series. However, when the rest of what is on offer is heads above FIFA, with grand stadia, impressive crowds and an amazing feeling of proper football atmosphere, it is hardly a sticking point.

On the audio side, the cheesy Japanese ditties made a return and either drove people completely crazy or appealed in some strange way (as it did with me). But the emphasis was more on how the commentary from Tony Gubba was markedly improved over the previous version, giving a more rounded feel to the proceedings of each match. It did not quite live up to John Motson or Gary Lineaker standards, but it sure did make a significant difference when playing. Also, the special crowd cheering techniques that were borne of the SNES era were back, with great aplomb, giving the impression of actually being there in the stadium itself!

To start off with, the first thing that you notice with ISS98 is that Konami at this point still had yet to acquire the official licensing from FIFA. Therefore, all of the players had names that sounded slightly like their real life counterparts, but had to be spelt different to avoid legal action. Unfortunately this meant that football aficionados tended to turn their nose up at what was a game miles better than the actual licensed FIFA. However, ISS98 had far more on offer and played immaculately. Even by today's standards the selection of modes is extremely extensive, and the Scenario mode is something sorely missed from Konami's new football outings. The concept behind this particular favourite is that you are thrown in one of many real life score situations and must overturn the result. For instance, playing as Germany against England when already 5-1 down...It really brings such tense emotion to the table and stands out as a key aspect of the game as a whole, with each of the sixteen choices being superb to play through.

Moving on from the exemplary original 64-bit outing may have seemed a difficult task, but the increased computer AI for both the players in general and especially the goalkeepers alone meant that the replayability level soared to new heights and the need for many other changes was not necessary. However, the inclusion of the vertical camera angle brought a classic Sensible Soccer feel, and the blinding effect of curling the ball could easily drive a friend crazy in multiplayer. However, thanks to the improved Artificial Intelligence, there was no scoring straight from corner kicks or dribbling the whole length of the pitch and scoring (as I used to do both on many an occasion, if playing four-player and losing, my mate would say 'Raz, do that thing where you go on a scoring rampage...'). Suddenly the ante had indeed been upped.

Players were able to select from a friendly match, taking part in the International Cup, taking a chance on the Penalty Kicks, trying their best at the World League or going into Training to hone already acquired skills or learn special tricks previously thought impossible. Shooting and dead balls also had been tweaked to perfection thanks to an improved arrow system. The original had a flat power arrow, but this new edition split the arrow in two, as you could lift it up to change the trajectory of the ball as well as the strength of the kick. Player control was far tighter and passing (with feet or heads), in addition, was much more accurate meaning that although the speed was not quite as fast as FIFA, games were always much more skilful and pleasing to partake in.

But all is lost if you do not bother to use the various tactical formations to your advantage. The extensive player management options open up the game to those who play with radically differing styles. For example, if you are someone who likes catching the opposition Off Side, the stick on that particular pre-set for the appropriate response from players. More conservative? Then opt for 'defensive' instead. Exact player positions can be altered as well, along with formation and line-up, as would be expected. However, rather than leaving you to change at will, the player emotions come into effect, leaving gamers with a tough call on whether to play the less skilful, but livelier player or take the risk of your star man not performing as well as expected due to feeling down. ISS 98 is a special game that will always live on in the hearts of N64 owners the world over thanks to its attention to detail, clever tricks and extensive options...

With gameplay as good as this, proving to be ridiculously addictive, just as Pro Evolution Soccer is today, plus the six various modes to play around with and sixty four teams to choose from, nine stadia to play on, four weather conditions, choice of time of day, as well as the option of multiplayer with up to three friends, ISS '98 is a triumph in the longevity stakes. Gamers growing tired of the main game can always play around with the Create-a-Player mode as well, extending the game even more, even bringing teams up to their real life status. Value for money? More than definitely! Try beating the game on the fifth difficulty level to claim the right to be an ISS master...