Soccer Brawl

{{Infobox video game

|title = Soccer Brawl

|image = Soccer Brawl arcade flyer.jpg

|developer = SNK

|publisher = SNK

|producer = Eikichi Kawasaki

|designer = S.Chinatsu
T. Yokoyama

|composer = Yasumasa Yamada

|platforms = Arcade, Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD

|released = Arcade{{vgrelease|WW|14 February 1992}} Neo Geo AES{{vgrelease|JP/NA|13 March 1992}} Neo Geo CD{{vgrelease|JP|31 March 1995|NA|October 1996}}

|genre = Sports

|modes = Single-player, multiplayer

|arcade system = Neo Geo MVS

}}

{{nihongo foot|Soccer Brawl|サッカー・ブロール|Sakkā Burōru||lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a futuristic soccer game first released in arcades on February 14, 1992. It was available on the Neo Geo on March 13 the same year and later for the Neo Geo CD on March 31, 1995.{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3ABeepMD_JP_1993-12.pdf&page=128|title=Oh! Neo Geo Vol. 16 - サッカー•ブロール|magazine=Beep! MegaDrive|issue=51|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=December 1993|page=126|lang=ja}}

Gameplay

File:NEOGEO Soccer Brawl.png

Soccer Brawl is a futuristic soccer game that uses either bionic people or cyborgs for the players. It is a two-player game where you pick a home land from one of eight countries. After selecting one of two stadiums, SNK Stadium in Osaka or Super Dome in San Francisco, the 5-on-5 soccer match begins with a goalie for each team. You can hold either A for a power shot while on offense, or A for a super shot to disable opponents while on defense. You can perform tackle and slide. Captain wears a kerchief, can't shoot and can make super shot. Power shots rebound from walls except walls behind the goalie.

= Rules =

There are no fouls. Throw-in is made in case of the ball landing outside of field line. Match time is 2 min 30 sec.

= Teams =

There are 8 teams, which differ by color, super shots and, possibly, some parameters.

{{fb|United States}} (purple and white)
{{fb|Germany}} (yellow and black)
{{fb|England}} (yellow and purple)
{{fb|Spain}} (pink and yellow-green)
{{fb|Brazil}} (yellow-green and yellow)
{{fb|Italy}} (pink and blue)
{{fb|South Korea}} (blue and yellow-green)
{{fb|Japan}} (red and white)

= Super shots =

USA and England: super shot flies on a "figure eight" trajectory.

Italy and Germany: super shot flies on zig-zag.

Spain and Brazil: super shot is energy sphere surrounded by eight small balls.

Korea and Japan: super shot flies in a circle behind captain and flies straight.

Neo Geo CD version

It is possible to choose the difficulty level: Beginner, Normal, Hard, and MVS. A match consists of 2 periods. It is possible to set period time (15, 30, 45 or 90 min), but it is not actual minutes. The half time shows are humorous monochrome skits showing unlucky attempts of engineers to build robots. Also, there are no women on the score screen.[https://tcrf.net/Soccer_Brawl_%28Neo_Geo%29 The Cutting Room Floor]

Reception

{{Video game reviews

|GR = (Switch) 60%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/switch/227657-aca-neogeo-soccer-brawl/index.html|title=ACA NeoGeo: Soccer Brawl for Nintendo Switch|work=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=2019|access-date=2019-08-17}}

|Allgame = (Neo Geo) {{Rating|1.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Knight|first=Kyle|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17070&tab=review|title=Soccer Brawl (Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System) - Review|work=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|date=1998|access-date=2019-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115224242/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17070&tab=review|archive-date=2014-11-15|url-status=live}}

|CVG = (Neo Geo) 91 / 100{{cite magazine|last1=Rand|first1=Paul|last2=Boone|first2=Tim|url=https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-125/CVG125_Apr_1992#page/n39/mode/2up|title=Reviews - Neo Geo -- Soccer Brawl|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=125|publisher=Future Publishing|date=April 1992|pages=40–41}}

|Fam = (Neo Geo) 24 / 40{{cite magazine|title=NEO GEO GAMES CROSS REVIEW: サッカーブロール|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|issue=332|publisher=ASCII|date=28 April 1995|page=26|lang=ja}}

|GameFan = (Neo Geo) 182 / 200{{cite magazine|last1=Halverson|first1=Dave|author-link1=Dave Halverson|last2=Off|first2=Greg|url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_1_Issue_02#page/n8/mode/1up|title=Viewpoint - Soccer Brawl - Neo Geo|magazine=GameFan|volume=1|issue=2|publisher=DieHard Gamers Club|date=December 1992|page=9}}

|GamePro = (Neo Geo) 20 / 20{{cite magazine|last=Fan|first=Fanatic|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_035_June_1992#page/n75/mode/1up|title=Neo•Geo ProReview: Soccer Brawl|magazine=GamePro|issue=35|publisher=IDG|date=June 1992|page=74}}

|JXV = (Neo Geo) 13 / 20{{cite web|author=Rockstar78|url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00019048-soccer-brawl-test.htm|title=Test de Soccer Brawl sur NEO par jeuxvideo.com|work=Jeuxvideo.com|publisher=Webedia|date=November 2, 2013|access-date=2019-08-09|language=fr}}

|NLife = (Switch) 6 / 10{{cite web|last=Frear|first=Dave|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/soccer_brawl_neogeo|title=Soccer Brawl Review (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=December 4, 2017|access-date=2019-08-17}}

|rev1 = Consolemania

|rev1Score = (Neo Geo) 86 / 100{{cite magazine|last=Corrado|first=Davide|url=https://archive.org/stream/Consolemania-021#page/n39/mode/2up|title=Soccer Brawl (Neo Geo)|magazine=Consolemania|issue=21|publisher=Xenia Edizioni|date=July–August 1993|pages=40–41|lang=it}}

|rev2 = Consoles +

|rev2Score = (Neo Geo) 85%{{cite magazine|author1=El Nio Nio|author2=Rocket|url=https://archive.org/stream/Console_Plus_Numero_007#page/54/mode/2up|title=Neo Geo Review - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Consoles +|issue=7|publisher=M.E.R.7|date=March 1992|pages=54–55|lang=fr}}

|rev3 = Génération 4

|rev3Score = (Neo Geo) 90%{{cite magazine|last=Roux|first=Christian|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero042/G%C3%A9n%C3%A9ration%204%20N%C2%BA42%20Mars%2092%200128.jpg|title=Console Test – Soccer Brawl – Neo-Geo|magazine=Génération 4|issue=42|publisher=Computec Media France|date=March 1992|page=128|lang=fr}}

|rev4 = Hobby Consolas

|rev4Score = (Neo Geo) 96 / 100{{cite magazine|last=Sanz|first=José Luis|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:HobbyConsolas_ES_012.pdf&page=64|title=Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl - Desafío Total|magazine=Hobby Consolas|issue=12|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=September 1992|pages=64–67|lang=es}}

|rev5 = Joypad

|rev5Score = (Neo Geo) 94%{{cite magazine|last1=Demoly|first1=Jean-Marc|last2=Nini|first2=Nourdine|url=https://www.abandonware-magazines.org/affiche_mag.php?mag=84&num=1776&album=oui|title=Test - Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Joypad|issue=7|publisher=Yellow Media|date=April 1992|pages=118–119|lang=fr}}

|rev6 = Joystick

|rev6Score = (Neo Geo) 93%{{cite magazine|last=Demoly|first=Jean-Marc|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numero025/Joystick%20025%20-%20Page%20130%20%281992-03%29.jpg|title=Tests - Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Joystick|issue=25|publisher=Anuman Interactive|date=March 1992|page=130|lang=fr}}

|rev7 = Mega Fun

|rev7Score = (Neo Geo) 79%{{cite magazine|last1=Noak|first1=Philipp|last2=Hellert|first2=Stefan|url=http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=8807&s=3|title=Special - Neo Geo - Robo Army|magazine=Mega Fun|issue=11|publisher=CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG|date=August 1993|pages=28–30|lang=de|access-date=2019-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232116/http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=8807&s=3|archive-date=2018-10-21|url-status=live}}

|rev8 = Micom BASIC Magazine

|rev8Score = (Neo Geo) {{Rating|4}}{{cite magazine|last1=Yamashita|first1=Nobuyuki|author2=Itabashi|url=https://archive.org/stream/micomBASIC_1992-07#page/n232/mode/1up|title=Super Soft 大特集 - 今、『NEO・GEO』がおもしろい！: サッカーブロール|magazine=Micom BASIC Magazine|issue=121|publisher=The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|date=July 1992|page=209|lang=ja}}

|rev9 = Player One

|rev9Score = (Neo Geo) 71%{{cite magazine|last=Pottier|first=Christophe|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Player%20One/playerone_numero019/Player%20One%20019%20-%20Page%20084%20%281992-04%29.jpg|title=Tests De Jeux - Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Player One|issue=19|publisher=Média Système Édition|date=April 1992|page=84|lang=fr}}

|rev10 = Sinclair User

|rev10Score = (Neo Geo) 84%{{cite magazine|last=Cook|first=John|url=https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-120#page/n46/mode/1up|title=Coin Ops: Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Sinclair User|issue=120|publisher=EMAP|date=February 1992|page=47}}

|rev11 = Superjuegos

|rev11Score = (Neo Geo) 87,0 / 100{{cite magazine|last=J. Martinez|first=Antonio|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superjuegos_004#page/n47/mode/2up|title=Consola - En pantalla: Soccer Brawl - El futbol del próximo milenio (Neo-Geo: arcade)|magazine=Superjuegos|issue=4|publisher=Grupo Zeta|date=August 1992|pages=48–49|lang=es}}

}}

In Japan, Game Machine listed Soccer Brawl on their April 1, 1992 issue as being the eighth most-successful table arcade unit of the month, outperforming titles such as Hat Trick Hero.{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=423|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 April 1992|page=25|lang=ja}} In North America, Play Meter listed the game in their April 1994 issue to be the sixty most-popular arcade game at the time.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-20-number-5-april-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%205%20-%20April%201994%20%28Compressed%29#page/6/mode/1up|title=Equipment Poll - Video & Pinball Combined|magazine=Play Meter|volume=20|issue=5|publisher=Skybird Publishing|date=April 1994|page=6}} The title received mostly positive reception from both critics and reviewers alike since its initial release in arcades and Neo Geo AES.{{cite magazine|last=Knauf|first=Andreas|url=https://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=10984&s=2|title=News - Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Video Games|issue=6|publisher=Future-Verlag|date=February 1992|pages=12–13|lang=de|access-date=2019-08-17}}{{cite magazine|last=Iturrioz|first=Javier|url=https://archive.org/stream/Superjuegos_040#page/n77/mode/2up|title=A Pie de Pista: Neo Geo - Soccer Brawl|magazine=Superjuegos|issue=40|publisher=Grupo Zeta|date=August 1995|pages=78–79|lang=es}}

In 2014, HobbyConsolas identified Soccer Brawl as one of the twenty best games for the Neo Geo CD.{{cite web|last=Alonso|first=Álvaro|url=https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reportajes/20-mejores-juegos-neo-geo-cd-63564|title=Reportaje: Los 20 mejores juegos de Neo Geo CD|work=HobbyConsolas|publisher=Axel Springer SE|date=February 19, 2014|access-date=2023-02-06|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302151141/https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reportajes/20-mejores-juegos-neo-geo-cd-63564|archive-date=2014-03-02|url-status=live}}

Notes

References

External links

[https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/582039-soccer-brawl Soccer Brawl] at GameFAQs
[https://www.giantbomb.com/soccer-brawl/3030-35418/ Soccer Brawl] at Giant Bomb
[https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9604 Soccer Brawl] at Killer List of Videogames
[https://www.mobygames.com/game/soccer-brawl Soccer Brawl] at MobyGames