Kick Off 2

STORY / GAMEPLAY
This is a soccer (football) game, so there's no actual story. As in every sports games, your main goal is to always win. Kick Off 2 (along with its data disc "Kick Off 2 - The Final Whistle" that followed a year later) is a full size, multi-directional scrolling soccer game that includes everything and in the correct proportions. Both opponent teams play the game based on tactics. The players move into position to receive passes and gain ball possession. The ball, as on a real game, travels ahead of the player thus making tackling a matter of skill rather than a choice. Each tiny player that runs on the pitch has a unique combination of attributes and skills suitable for the skill level at which the game is played. The game includes all details necessary for such a game, like action replays, players with different characteristics, a variety of tactics plus fouls, yellow cards, red cards, injuries, injury time and different referees. Anco released their first Kick Off game for the Amiga and the Atari ST and it was immediately considered pioneering in soccer computer games as it brought some features that were never included in a football game before. Note that the first Kick Off in the series was initially released for the Atari ST. Kick Off 2 is better and more complete than its predecessor, offering great soccer fun, either in Single or in 2 Players mode.

GRAPHICS / SOUND
The Atari ST version has good graphics with fast animation and vivid colors although there are significant differences on the pitch's details compared to the Amiga (some lines and the goalpost's nets are missing). As with the player models, the animations are also minimal due to the game’s camera angle. The multi-directional scrolling is particularly smooth for an Atari ST soccer game.
The sound is also good (utilizing the 1MB RAM systems - 1040 ST/STE) and consists of sampled looped cheers for goals and similarly tiny jeers for fouls, as well as decent sounds for when the ball's kicked. There are also a few short samples of crowd chants when the ball goes out of play or when there’s a free kick within striking distance.