World Cup Soccer

From Sega Retro

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WCS Title.png

World Cup Soccer
System(s): Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, ZX Spectrum
Publisher: Sega,
Commodore 64
Amiga
ZX Spectrum
Elite Systems
Developer:
Genre: Sports

















Release Date RRP Code

World Cup Soccer (ワールドカップサッカー), is a football game developed and published by Sega in 1989. It was subsequently brought to the Sega Master System by Sega and various home computers by Elite Systems in the following year.

World Cup Soccer has been marketed under many names. In Japan the Mega Drive version has always been known as 'World Cup Soccer and in United States, World Championship Soccer (although some earlier cartridges erroneously use the simplified development name, Soccer on the title screen). In Europe, however, the game was originally sold as a joint venture between Sega, Spanish firm Olivetti and Virgin Mastertronic, becoming World Cup Italia '90, holding the Italian 1990 FIFA World Cup license for a short period. Later variants in Europe are simply titled Sega Soccer.

Gameplay

World Cup Soccer is a top-down football game which adheres to most of the sport's rules. There are no free kicks.

Teams

There are 23 national teams in most versions of World Cup Soccer, with the exception of the Master System version which ups the count to 30. The home computer variants exchange Japan for the Republic of Ireland.

Mega Drive

  • Algeria
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • China
  • Denmark
  • England
  • France
  • Holland
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • Morocco
  • Peru
  • Poland
  • Scotland
  • Rep Korea
  • Spain
  • Uruguay
  • USA
  • USSR
  • W. Germany
  • Yugoslavia

Master System

  • Argentina
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Cameroon
  • Czechoslovakia
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • China
  • Denmark
  • Egypt
  • England
  • France
  • Holland
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Mexico
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Scotland
  • Rep Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • UAE
  • Uruguay
  • USA
  • USSR
  • W. Germany
  • Yugoslavia

No later releases addressed the issue of West Germany, the USSR and Yugoslavia, which had all ceased to exist by the beginning of 1993.

Despite its official Italia '90 license, neither of the games were adjusted to reflect the participants of the event. The Master System version has all 24 qualifying teams plus an extra six more, but the Mega Drive port makes no effort, continuing to include Algeria, China, Denmark, France, Hungary, Japan, Morocco, Poland and Peru despite neither of these countries qualifying. Mexico, included in both, did not even enter the world cup.

History

Legacy

The game was followed by World Championship Soccer II in 1994.

Production Credits

Commodore 64 Version

  • Programming and Music: Mike Lympany
  • Grafix: P Robinson and S Beal
  • Technical Assistant: D Wainwright
  • Managed: S Hosseini
  • Animated Pixels Production

Physical Scans

Mega-Tech version

Mega-Tech,
WorldChampionshipSoccer MT cover.jpg
Cover

Mega Drive Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
90 №29
83 №1, p39
64 №4, p39
83 №95, p120
85 №10, p122
55 №4, p79
40 №9, p23
35 №11, p21
64 №1, p81
64 №20, p115
82 №5, p44/45
45 №16, p49
40 №23, p55
87 №6, p31
80 №18, p68
62 №8, p26
Sega Mega Drive
66
Based on
16 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[1]
ACE (UK) NTSC-J
91
[2]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
60
[3]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
83
[4]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
64
[5]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
80
[6]
Console XS (UK) PAL
83
[7]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
83
[8]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
51
[9]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
83
[10]
Joystick (FR)
85
[11]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
55
[12]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
55
[13]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
69
[14]
Mega (UK) PAL
20
[15]
Mega (UK) PAL
40
[16]
Mega (UK) PAL
35
[17]
MegaTech (UK)
64
[18]
Mean Machines (UK)
64
[19]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
64
[20]
Power Play (DE)
76
[21]
Raze (UK) PAL
82
[22]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
45
[23]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
25
[24]
Sega Pro (UK)
87
[25]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
80
[26]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
62
[27]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
70
[28]
Tilt (FR)
75
[29]
Top Secret (PL) Mega Games I
75
[30]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
74
[31]
Sega Mega Drive
65
Based on
31 reviews

World Cup Soccer

Mega Drive, US
WCS MD US Box.jpg
Cover
WCS MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, US (Sega Classic)
WCS MD US Box SegaClassic.jpg
Cover
WCS MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU (Italia '90)
WCS MD Italia90 EU Box.jpg
Cover
WCS MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
WCS MD JP Box.jpg
Cover

Master System Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
48 №4, p110
44 №112, p78
80 №12, p126
51 №3, p34/35
85 №20, p114
70 №2/34
50 №5, p51
94 №5, p44/45
44 №15, p10/11
40 №23, p60
72 №6, p31
Sega Master System
62
Based on
11 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Sega Master System
N/A
Based on
0 reviews

World Cup Soccer

Master System, EU
WCS SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, EU
8-language variant
WorldCupItalia90 SMS EU 8lang cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, AU

WorldCupItalia90 SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR
SuperFutebolII SMS BR cover.jpg
Cover
SuperFutebolII SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR (Alt)
SuperFutebolII SMS BR altcover.jpg
Cover
SuperFutebolII SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, CA
WorldCupItalia90 SMS CA cover.jpg
Cover

Amiga Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
44 №63
Amiga
44
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
CU Amiga (UK)
41
[32]
Amiga
41
Based on
1 review

World Cup Soccer

Amiga, EU
WCS Amiga EU Box Front.jpg
Cover

Amstrad CPC Version

Amstrad CPC, EU

Atari ST Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
72 №14, p176
Atari ST
72
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Joystick (FR) PAL
72
[33]
Atari ST
72
Based on
1 review

World Cup Soccer

Atari ST, EU

Commodore 64 Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
42 №63
Commodore 64
42
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Zzap!64 (UK)
42
[34]
Zzap! (IT)
57
[35]
Commodore 64
50
Based on
2 reviews

World Cup Soccer

Commodore 64, EU

DOS Version

DOS, EU

ZX Spectrum Version

ZX Spectrum, EU
WCS Spectrum EU Box.jpg
Cover
  1. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 341
  2. ACE, "February 1990" (UK; 1990-01-04), page 81
  3. Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1990" (JP; 1990-01-08), page 72
  4. Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 39
  5. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 39
  6. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 51
  7. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 136
  8. Computer & Video Games, "October 1989" (UK; 1989-09-16), page 120
  9. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 115
  10. Hobby Consolas, "Febrero 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 21
  11. Joystick, "Novembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 122
  12. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "December 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 79
  13. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  14. Mega Drive Fan, "January 1990" (JP; 1989-12-08), page 73
  15. Mega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-17), page 60
  16. Mega, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 21
  17. Mega, "August 1993" (UK; 1993-07-15), page 21
  18. MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 81
  19. Mean Machines, "May 1992" (UK; 1992-04-28), page 115
  20. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 143
  21. Power Play, "12/89" (DE; 1989-11-13), page 74
  22. Raze, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-01-31), page 44
  23. Sega Power, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-07), page 49
  24. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
  25. Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 31
  26. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  27. Sega Force, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-09), page 26
  28. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86
  29. Tilt, "Septembre 1990" (FR; 1990-0x-xx), page 87
  30. Top Secret, "Kwiecień 1995" (PL; 1995-xx-xx), page 57
  31. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 226
  32. CU Amiga, "February 1991" (UK; 1991-01-xx), page 72
  33. Joystick, "Mars 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 176
  34. Zzap!64, "July 1991" (UK; 1991-06-13), page 69
  35. Zzap!, "Luglio 1991" (IT; 1991-xx-xx), page 18