International Superstar Soccer 98

Due to the date of release, the game focuses on 1998 FIFA World Cup and includes each qualified team plus more. Every team which participated in tournament has home, away and goalkeeper World Cup official kits featuring manufacturer logos and national emblems (with the exception of the United States, whose main uniform is the red-and-white striped kit from the 1994 tournament) and the rest has those used in qualifications. In the European version, the squads are in accordance with official 1998 FIFA World Cup squads as well. Teams that did not qualify have line-ups from the qualifiers (in the North American version, all teams have lineups from the qualifiers). However the players' names are misspelled due to the lack of a FIFPro license, though they have their actual numbers, appearance, age, height, weight and abilities. In the European version, the game has more sponsors other than Reebok, such as Apple and Continental AG, which appear in adboards.

The Japanese version was an officially licensed World Cup product and also included unlicensed player names, save for the Japanese squad.

International Superstar Soccer 98 featured 6 different game modes:

• Open Game: a friendly match against the computer or another player with choices of stadium, weather and time of day, as well as match handicaps (player condition, goalkeeper strength and number of players on the field, from 7 to 11). It was also possible to spectate CPU vs. CPU matches.
• International Cup: This mode is where the player selects a team from one region and attempts to get them to the International Cup 98, starting from the respective region's qualifiers.
• World League: 48 international teams participate in a round-robin tournament with home and away matches.
• Scenario: 16 situations wherein the player is placed in a match in progress. Depending on the difficulty, the player must either administer a victory (in easier matches), or win a match by breaking a tie or turning the result around (in higher difficulties).
• Penalty Kick Mode: Two teams take a series of five penalty kicks to select the winner. In case of a draw, they undergo successive sudden death rounds.
• Training: Practice of shooting free kicks, corner kicks and defensive play with a selected team. The player may also practice freely on the entire field without an opposite team.

52 national teams (48 in the Japanese version; Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Greece are absent from it) are featured in the game, in addition to six All-Star teams, only accessible through a cheat code or by winning the 'World League' on level 5.

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• {{fb|GER}}
• {{fb|FRA}}
• {{fb|ITA}}
• {{fb|SUI}}
• {{fb|AUT}}
• {{fb|NOR}}
• {{fb|DEN}}
• {{fb|SWE}}
• {{fb|ENG}}
• {{fb|SCO}}
• {{fb|WAL}}
• {{fb|NIR}}
• {{fb|IRL}}
• {{fb|ESP}}
• {{fb|POR}}
• {{fb|NED}}
• {{fb|BEL}}
• {{fb|SCG|name=Yugoslavia}}
• {{fb|CRO}}
• {{fb|ROU}}
• {{fb|BUL}}
• {{fb|RUS}}
• {{fb|GRE}}
• {{fb|TUR}}
• {{fb|JPN}}
• {{fb|KOR}}
• {{fb|KSA}}
• {{fb|UAE}}
• {{fb|IRN}}
• {{fb|AUS}}
• {{fb|KAZ}}
• {{fb|UZB}}
• {{fb|CMR}}
• {{fb|NGA}}
• {{fb|RSA}}
• {{fb|TUN}}
• {{fb|MAR}}
• {{fb|EGY}}
• {{fb|LBR}}
• {{fb|GHA}}
• {{fb|USA}}
• {{fb|CAN}}
• {{fb|JAM}}
• {{fb|MEX}}
• {{fb|BRA}}
• {{fb|ARG}}
• {{fb|COL}}
• {{fb|URU}}
• {{fb|PAR}}
• {{fb|BOL}}
• {{fb|CHI}}
• {{fb|PER}}

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{{Video game reviews

|MC = 91/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/international-superstar-soccer-98/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-64|title=International Superstar Soccer '98 for Nintendo 64 Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921095459/https://www.metacritic.com/game/nintendo-64/international-superstar-soccer-98|archive-date=September 21, 2022|url-status=live|access-date=September 13, 2023}}

|Allgame = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|last=McCall|first=Scott|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13739&tab=review|title=International Superstar Soccer '98 - Review|website=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114221150/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13739&tab=review|archive-date=November 14, 2014|access-date=October 24, 2020}}

|CP = 94%{{cite magazine|author1=Panda|author2=Toxic|title=International Superstar Soccer Coupe de Monde 98|language=fr|magazine=Consoles +|issue=80|date=September 1998|pages=108–10}}

|Edge = 9/10{{cite magazine|author=Edge staff|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a1/Edge_UK_061.pdf|title=Jikkyou World Soccer: World Cup France '98|magazine=Edge|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=61|date=August 1998|page=98|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828185628/https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a1/Edge_UK_061.pdf|archive-date=August 28, 2023|access-date=September 13, 2023}}

|EGM = 9/10{{cite magazine|last1=Davison|first1=John|last2=Kujawa|first2=Kraig|last3=Hager|first3=Dean|last4=Ricciardi|first4=John|url=https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-655-146.jpg|title=IS Soccer '98 [sic]|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=110|date=September 1998|page=146|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507231127/https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-655-146.jpg|archive-date=May 7, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=September 13, 2023}}{{efn|Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 9.5/10, one gave it 8.5/10, and the other gave it 9/10.}}

|Fam = 33/40{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=14531&redirect=no|title=実況ワールドサッカー 〜WORLD CUP FRANCE'98〜 [NINTENDO64]|language=ja|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Enterbrain|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913160535/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=14531&redirect=no|archive-date=September 13, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=September 13, 2023}}

|GI = 9/10{{cite magazine|title=International Superstar Soccer '98|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=FuncoLand|issue=64|date=August 1998}}

|GameFan = 94%{{cite magazine|last1=Higgins|first1=Geoff "El Nino"|last2=Mowatt|first2=Todd "Video Cowboy"|url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_6_Issue_08/page/n51/mode/2up|title=International Superstar Soccer '98|magazine=GameFan|publisher=Metropolis Media|volume=6|issue=8|date=August 1998|page=50|access-date=October 30, 2020}}{{efn|In GameFan{{'}}s viewpoint of the game, one critic gave it 93, and the other 95.}}

|Hyper = 87%{{cite magazine|last=Toose|first=Dan|title=International Superstar Soccer '98|magazine=Hyper|publisher=Next Media Pty Ltd|issue=60|date=October 1998|pages=56–57}}

|IGN = 9.1/10{{cite web|last=Schneider|first=Peer|date=November 4, 1998|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/11/05/international-superstar-soccer-98|title=International Superstar Soccer '98 Review|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819145944/https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/11/05/international-superstar-soccer-98|archive-date=August 19, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=September 13, 2023}}

|N64 = (PAL) 92%{{cite magazine|last=Kitts|first=Martin|title=International Superstar Soccer '98|magazine=N64 Magazine|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=20|date=October 1998|pages=54–59}}
(JP) 91%{{cite magazine|last=Weaver|first=Tim|title=Jikkyou World Soccer: World Cup France '98|magazine=N64 Magazine|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=18|date=August 1998|pages=72–75}}

|NGen = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_44/page/n87/mode/2up|title=International Superstar Soccer 98|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=44|date=August 1998|page=87|access-date=October 30, 2020}}

|NP = 8.5/10{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-353-97.jpg|title=International Superstar Soccer '98|magazine=Nintendo Power|publisher=Nintendo of America|volume=111|date=August 1998|page=97|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913161116/https://www.nintendo64ever.com/scans/mags/Scan-Magazine-353-97.jpg|archive-date=September 13, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=September 13, 2023}}

}}

The game received "universal acclaim" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Cubed3 praised the game's "ridiculously addictive" gameplay, create-a-player, six various modes (which have an option of 64 teams, nine stadiums, four weather conditions and a choice of night or day) and the ability to play multiplayer with up to three players.{{cite web|last=Riley|first=Adam|date=March 21, 2006|url=http://www.cubed3.com/review/330/1/international-superstar-soccer-98-nintendo-64.html|title=International Superstar Soccer 98 (Nintendo 64) Review|website=Cubed3|access-date=January 14, 2018|archive-date=January 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109064028/http://www.cubed3.com/review/330/1/international-superstar-soccer-98-nintendo-64.html|url-status=live}} GamePro, however, said, "Soccer fans will find little reason to kick off with ISS '98."{{cite magazine|author=Air Hendrix|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_111_October_1998/page/n191/mode/2up|title=International Superstar Soccer '98|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG Entertainment|issue=121|date=October 1998|page=192|access-date=October 30, 2020}}{{efn|GamePro gave the game all 3.5/5 scores for graphics, sound, control, and fun factor.}} In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40.

Next Generation said in its August 1998 issue, "After a few hours of play, you'll forgive the apparent lack of improvement and realize that subtlety is everything in the most popular sport on Earth. The only thing that could really improve this series would be the inclusion of real players' names and correct uniforms. Until that happens, Superstar Soccer is just a shade short of perfect." Six issues later, the magazine ranked it at #50 in its list of the Fifty Best Games of All Time, saying that the game "simply represents one of the finest examples of the genre. Although soccer in the U.S. enjoys nowhere near the popularity of other sports, the quality of this simulation should ensure its place on every serious gamer's shelf."{{cite magazine|author=Next Generation staff|url=https://archive.org/details/NextGeneration50Feb1999/page/n73/mode/2up|title=The Fifty Best Games of All Time (#50)|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=50|date=February 1999|page=73|access-date=October 30, 2020}}

{{clear}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{moby game|id=/9131/international-superstar-soccer-98/}}

{{International Superstar Soccer/Pro Evolution Soccer}}

{{FIFA World Cup video games}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:International Superstar Soccer 1998}}

Category:1998 FIFA World Cup

Category:1998 video games

Category:International Superstar Soccer

Category:Konami games

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:Nintendo 64 games

Category:Nintendo 64-only games

Category:Sports video games set in Saudi Arabia

Category:Video games developed in Japan

Category:Video games set in 1998