Simple straightforward soccer sim
Goal! was a bit of an underwhelming game graphically. It was released in 1993, back when other soccer simulations were already dabbling in 3D or in better, more close to the player graphics. However, Virgin Interactive took to another avenue, one presenting the game from a slightly lateral titled position, which, truth be told, worked pretty good. The game was very much like a more polished version of Sensible Soccer, whom it did actually match in playability and ease of control. Even more so, Goal! managed to bring forth even more crisp graphics which lend the game to longer periods of gaming, without the side effect of leaving one with a slight headache. Unfortunately however, the gameplay I a bit too slow, and getting from one point of the field to the other seems to take a bit too much time, as if the developers somehow either miscalculated a normal player's speed or the length of the field. However, the slower speed of the game might be conducive to explaining the rules of football to someone who is not familiar with them, and maybe smaller children will find this game a good tool to learn the basics of soccer. At any rate, I'd much rather recommend you play Sensible Soccer for an unpretentious but far more enjoyable soccer sim that still plays fantastically well today after so many years. Compared to Sensible Soccer, Goal! furthermore evidences its small but significant problems.
