Adidas Power Soccer International ’97

This sequel to the early PlayStation bestseller adidas Power Soccer expands on the number of available leagues (from 3 to 5, with Spain and Italy adding to the English, French and German leagues) and a “Top 20” division with top European Clubs, as well as 56 national teams. The usual game modes and options in the genre make a presence here, being possible to play cups, tournaments or leagues.

As with the previous game, the same fast-paced gameplay remains, while the regular mode isn’t much different from the remaining sports game in the first years of the console, with the face buttons controlling the basic aspects of the game, such as passing, lobbing or kicking (or different kind of lunges on defence). However, the game gains a new dimension in the “arcade mode”, where it’s possible to bend the rules with infamous kicks to the head or unleash the trademark move of the series – the Predator Megakick, named after the then revolutionary boot models. However, doing those decrease the players’ stamina meter, and after the bar is depleted, players not only no longer can make special moves, but also take longer to recover from a tackle, so longer games can be won (or lost) by the number of players that can’t feel their legs no more.