£2.99
Code Masters

Two tough New York gangs have decided to settle their differences in Street Gang Football with a game of footy on the city back streets. But there aren't any FA rules here matey, nope these guys play strictly to their own rules. The game is split into two one minute halves with each team doing everything to get the ball, short of murder. And apart from the human obstacles cars, buildings, pavements, potholes etc also thwart your attempts to reach the oppositions goal line.

Most arguments can be settled fairly peacefully, but the occasional punch up occurs when a goal is disputed and the winners are awarded the points. Street Gang Football is my favourite section from 4 Soccer Simulators, so I greatly enjoyed causing a bit of computerised aggro against either the computer player or a second person. Graphically the game is good with the back streets looking really dark and dingy, and the players out to cause some damage on their way to the oppositions goal. If you haven't already got 4 Soccer Simulators take a look.

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Code Masters
£2.99
Reviewer: Marcus Berkmann

Another 'New Release' from Code Masters. Don't you find it a bit confusing when every Code Masters game has 'New Release' splattered all over it, whether it was a new release last week or in 1987? Still, never mind, cos its latest title is very much a new release and, yes, another footie sim. Are there no limits to the number of footie sims the market will bear? This one trades on the old street gang schtick - play the game in the streets and bounce the sphere off walls, cars and passers-by. For the sake of novelty, a little gritty realism has been introduced - whenever there's a disputed goal, the two teams start arguing and eventually fighting. This combat part of the game is straightforward enough - you just alternate the left and right keys (or jiggle your joystick) at speed in the old Hyper Sports style. From then it's back to the football, which isn't nearly as much fun because it's a damn sight harder. It's not a bad game - two may enjoy it more than one - but there's nothing terribly new here other than the timely introduction of violence into the previously rather tame world of the footie sim. Plays well enough, certainly, but it's hardly gripping.

Label: Codemasters
Author: In-house
Price: £1.99
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon

Hang about, this is just a little confusing. I can understand a company dragging out a good idea by creating sequels and rehashes and whatnot, but I can't fathom out for the life of me why those lovely Masters of Code should choose to release a continuation of their previous full-price release, Four Soccer Simulators. Let's all confess together shall we, FSS wasn't very good, was it?

SGF is awful, but entertaining in the way that it's laughably bad. It's the little 'added extras' that make it funny. Put your ear right up next to the page and listen closely, and I'll explain in great detail.

Both players take control of an 11-a-side Bronx Street gang, and meet in some deserted alley to do battle. Or rather, to do football. This isn't your average, normal boring football game. This is a game where the rules don't apply, and a foul or disallowed goal results in a right old spiffing punch-up.

The punch-ups are nothing short of side splitting. They usually start with a sprog with a speech bubble saying something like 'Goal'. This is then followed up with about another ten sprogs all shouting different things, resulting in a bit of a scrap. 'Goal'. 'No it wasn't', 'Yes it was', 'No it wasn't', 'Grrr', 'Do you want to fight about that', 'Yes', 'Alright then', 'Let's go' etc. The fight itself is a small cloud of dust in the middle of a circle of cheering lads. To win the fight you have to waggle your joystick as fast as possible, making your energy meter go up and your opponents go down. The first player who's energy meter hits zero, loses.

The football game itself is pretty bad. Insofar as still graphics go, it's not that bad. The backdrops are very detailed, and the men are characteristically designed. Now, when it all starts moving, well that's another story. The scrolling is slow and jerky and the animation, what there is of it, is just as slow and jerky.

It plays badly. By bad, I mean you seem to have very little control over the game. Your man seems to change direction at random and a lot of the game is spent without a player on screen. I am a great fan of computer football games, but I had absolutely no fun playing this one.