Dino Dini's Soccer

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Dino Dini's Soccer

Developer(s)	Dino Dini (Megadrive) EuroCom (SNES)
Publisher(s)	Virgin Games
Designer(s)	Dino Dini (Megadrive) - SNES version was an interpretation by EuroCom
Release date(s)	1994
Genre(s)	Sports
Mode(s)	Top-Down
Rating(s)	ELSPA Rating : 3+
Platform(s)	Game Boy, NES, PC, Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Master System, Super NES
Media	8 Megabit
Input	1-2 players

Dino Dini's Soccer was a conversion of Goal! for the Amiga to the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis in North America) by Dino Dini himself. Dino Dini's Soccer had all the relevant features of the Amiga version and it was graphically superior to it. The game implemented an innovative 4-way play feature.

There was also a conversion to Super NES, however this version was only an interpretation of the game, and Dino was unhappy to have his name associated with it, as he was not responsible for any of that version and had no creative control what-so-ever on it. The SNES version features a very different control method, with the ball on sticking to your foot to make running with the ball easier. The game is viewed from above and played up and down the pitch, without the left-to-right option of Goal. Matches can be between 2 or 20 minutes, and the scanner which shows player positions on the rest of the pitch can be moved, resized or disabled. The method of triggering aftertouch onto a pass can be chosen as well.

The game features a variety of tournaments, including the full World Cup and its qualifying rounds, and the European Championships, or individual matches, as well as being able to configure a league or cup tournament ot your own specification. Only international teams are included, although their names can be customised. Unlike most soccer games of the time, player ethnicities are accurately depicted.