If you grew up in the late 90s, your football gaming memories are likely split into two clear eras: before FIFA 98: Road to the World Cup (with that iconic Blur soundtrack) and after . But lurking in the shadows of arcades and on the Sega Saturn/PlayStation shelves was a bizarre, brilliant alternative: Juego Tecmo World Cup ’98 .
Tecmo World Cup ’98 isn't a great football game. It’s a great arcade game that happens to use a football. It’s loud, it’s unfair, and the ball is on fire.
It also predicted the future of arcade sports games. You see its DNA in Mario Strikers Charged and Rocket League —games that prioritize "Did you see that?!" over "That was a disciplined defensive shape." Should you play it today? Only if you have a CRT TV, a six-pack of soda, and a friend who doesn't mind losing 11-8.
And honestly? That’s way more fun than a 0-0 draw. Did you ever unlock the secret teams? Drop a comment below if you remember the code for the All-Star squad!
If you grew up in the late 90s, your football gaming memories are likely split into two clear eras: before FIFA 98: Road to the World Cup (with that iconic Blur soundtrack) and after . But lurking in the shadows of arcades and on the Sega Saturn/PlayStation shelves was a bizarre, brilliant alternative: Juego Tecmo World Cup ’98 .
Tecmo World Cup ’98 isn't a great football game. It’s a great arcade game that happens to use a football. It’s loud, it’s unfair, and the ball is on fire.
It also predicted the future of arcade sports games. You see its DNA in Mario Strikers Charged and Rocket League —games that prioritize "Did you see that?!" over "That was a disciplined defensive shape." Should you play it today? Only if you have a CRT TV, a six-pack of soda, and a friend who doesn't mind losing 11-8.
And honestly? That’s way more fun than a 0-0 draw. Did you ever unlock the secret teams? Drop a comment below if you remember the code for the All-Star squad!