|
 |
Welcome to PocketMatrix.com, a Mobile Devices enthusiast website. If you're a developer, be sure to check out our developer forums.
You can change your sidebar preferences in your Profile. |
| Soccer Kid |
| .: By: Michael Walker :: Device used: iPAQ 3835 :: June 20, 2002 :. |
|
 |
|
| Introduction |
| Join me in this brief flashback to the glory days of the Super NES: Nintendo is flying high due to the enormous success of the Super Nintendo and it's games, including Super Mario World. Many game companies, wanting to jump on the Mario bandwagon, released their own platform games featuring forgettable characters and flawed gameplay. At a first look, Soccer Kid appears to be a Pocket PC rendition of one of those horrible games. Heck, it was even originally released for the SNES! However, if you take the time to play it for even 5 minutes you will discover just what a great game it is. What makes Soccer Kid so much more different from other platform games out there, though, is that the game's young protagonist keeps a soccer ball by his side, which he uses to attack (and hopefully defeat) various enemies with. Though this sounds corny and stupid, the game is quite enjoyable and will always have a spot on my Pocket PC. |
|
|
| Getting Started |
| Just like most other PocketPC games out there, Soccer Kid is installed through ActiveSync. It takes up 2.7mb, and can fortunately be installed onto a storage card for those of you with limited RAM. Once you start the game, you are presented with an introductory movie that features deafeningly loud music. One of the first things you'll want to do is go to the options menu (File --> Options) and lower the volume. That options menu is also where you enter your registration code if you've purchased the game and where you can opt to run the game in landscape mode if you wish. |
|
|
| Controls |
| The basic controls for Soccer Kid are simple enough. The B button (either of the 2 outer hardware buttons on your basic PPC layout) makes Soccer Kid jump, and the A button (the 2 inner buttons) makes him bounce the ball with his foot. There are also onscreen controls when playing in portrait mode. This sounds simple enough, right? Well things get quite confusing when you start adding in tricks. Soccer Kid, being the soccer star that he is, can perform a number of tricks using his ball. The main one you'll probably want to use is his regular kick, which can be performed by pressing left or right and the B button at the same time. Using just that move is simple enough. However, there are a variety of other moves, such as bouncing the ball, hitting it up, jumping and then pressing the A button while you're hitting the ball with your head to header it. Other than that, though, the controls are perfect in portrait mode. The landscape controls are a bit tougher, though. The hardware controls are exactly the same, but it's hard to hit a direction on the control pad AND a button directly beneath it at the same time. Fortunately, the developers have included on-screen controls. If you tap on the top-right quarter of the screen, the effects are the same as pressing the B button. The lower right quadrant is the equivalent of the A button. However, the help guide included did not mention this at all, so I was only able to discover it through trial and error. |
|
|
| Interface |
| Soccer Kid's interface is pretty straight forward. From the main menu, you can start a new game, enter a password to skip levels, or go to the options menu. Strangely enough, there are two different options menus; the one accessible from the main menu and the one found on the filebar. The in-game options only allows you to turn off music and sound effects, and to do a sfx and music test. The other options menu will allow you to adjust the volume, register the game, switch between portrait and full screen, and choose how many frames to skip, if any. This oddity is probably due to the porting from the SNES version. Getting back on track to the main menu, the details put into it just amazes me. It's not just a static screen. Sometimes a handyman will run on and throw wrenches at Soccer Kid; maybe this time the great singer Pavarocci will belt out the words "Press Start". I think you're starting to get the idea. Someone apparently put a lot of time and effort into this menu. |
|
|
|
|
| Gameplay |
| "But how about the gameplay? That's more important than anything else! Tell me about it!" you're probably saying now. Well, I won't keep you waiting. To say it in simple terms, Soccer Kid is great. It's like reliving the "good old days" of the Super Nintendo, when gameplay was 100 times as important as graphics. If you've played any good platform game before, you'll know what this game is about. The game is solid, with a perfect combination of puzzles and action. The story line is as hokey as every other game of the genre; the 1994 World Cup trophy has been stolen by an alien, who then hit a crater while leaving earth, causing the Cup to shatter and all 5 pieces were spread around the earth. Enter Soccer Kid, a valiant young boy. You, playing the role of Soccer Kid, have to jump, run, and kick your way through multiple levels to retrieve all 5 pieces of the trophy. You will encounter many enemies along the way, but you have your soccer ball to defeat them. Yes, I know the premise is a bit corny, but the gameplay more than makes up for it. The way the game is organized is through 5 levels, each with 3 areas, a boss, and a trophy piece at the end. This works out well, but the only way to save and resume your game is by using passwords given out after you successfully get a trophy piece. This can be hard for the casual gamer, as you need to defeat all three areas (plus the boss) in a level in one sitting in order to save. |
|
|
|
|
| Graphics and Sound |
| When I said this game reminded me of the Super NES, I wasn't kidding. The graphics look exactly like they were taken from the SNES version of the game. This isn't a bad thing, though. The cartoony style fits the gameplay perfectly. The music sounds just like the music in every other platform game. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not that great. The sound effects add a nice touch, but they're still standard fare. An odd noise when you jump or collect items, a high-pitched "Ow!" when Soccer Kid gets hurt, etc. |
|
|
| Final Thoughts |
| Soccer Kid is the platform game to have on your Pocket PC. Okay, so the only other choices are Rayman and the beta of Weebook,, but that's not the point. The point is that Soccer Kid is just a great game. It also only takes up 2MB of storage space, because "we realise how important your space is!" Available for all ARM and MIPS processors, Soccer Kid costs only $10, a great bargain for all the gameplay you're getting. If you have ever enjoyed a platform game before, then don't hesitate to try the demo! Soccer Kid is truly a gem of a game, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone with a Pocket PC. |
|
|
| Pros |
Cons |
- Provides a challenge even to the most experienced platformer
- Nostalgia-inducing for SNES fans
- Very entertaining (and addictive) gameplay
- Bright, cartoony graphics
- Reasonably priced
- Small filesize
|
- Overly complex controls
- Two separate option screens can be confusing
- Not enough chances to save
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
