GENRE
	Extreme-Sports
	DEVELOPER
	Visual Concepts
	PUBLISHER
	Sega
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	CONNECTIVITY
	no
	BUY NOW AT

Human beings are easily bored. A dog can spend seven hours staring, with dedicated commitment, at a common hole in the wall; the rest of us, except for in extreme cases of Cheney-induced comatose, cannot. We got bored with the moon, and stopped going. It’s just another piece of rock, after all. We already have one of those.

Video games aren’t all that different. People tire of the same formulaic entries, and crave something different. Something wacky. Something taken to the extreme. Growl as you read that.

It’s a risky venture. Such things, if not handled with precision and accuracy, can quickly degenerate into a messy cluster of bright flashing lights, random acts of violence, and lots of unnecessary grunting. But when someone gets it right-- or, at least close enough-- the end product can be a lot of fun. And thankfully, Sega Soccer Slam, brought to us by the talented folk from Visual Concepts, exceeds the close enough barrier and delivers an entertaining, fast-paced, goofball experience that should rest nicely among the growing list of GameCube multiplayer titles.

visuals

The appearance of Sega Soccer Slam is understandably unique, given the nature of the game as a whole. Each of the players is an animated, over-the-top cultural stereotype that bleeds with personality and life. Fluid movements and energetic character motions give off a positive, upbeat vibe from the start. Subsequently, all of these guys are a little strange.

The players are divided up among six teams of three, each of them hailing from a similar part of the world and sharing a general element, such as fire, water, voodoo magic, and so on. Some of the more notable athletes include El Diablo-- he’s one of those masked Mexican wrestler types, but if he even as so much looks like he’s going to attempt a hurricarana, I’m notifying the authorities. This man’s a behemoth, and could probably swing me around like a sobbing croquet mallet. Also no slouch in the animated girth department is Kiril, who dedicates every kick, block, and step to his beloved Russia, and isn’t about to let us forget it. And then there’s Angus, a stubby, ill-tempered Scot who celebrates victories with armpit farts. This is obviously quite a ways from intellectual humor, but gets the job done well.

Despite the active and semi-polygon crowd, the in-game stadiums are merely standard fare. Some of the hidden arenas are a bit more aesthetically pleasing, although they too are rather underwhelming, on the whole. There are various weather effects available at your disposable, which are absolutely adequate and don’t really alter the gameplay to a noticeable degree, if at all.

audio

Notwithstanding a few forgivable shortcomings, the provided audio experience of Soccer Slam is above par, but not exactly mind-blowing. For one, the character voices, which are played on the intro screen, before the game, and after goals, are very well done and often funny. It’s not that the dialogue is particularly witty or clever, but the quotes are delivered with such vocal enthusiasm and personality that they’re amusing nonetheless. As expected, some of them border on annoying -- one of the female characters ventures into Miss Cleo territory, and the nerdish American fellow (Nova) is hurl-inducing in most regards. But as mentioned, most of them are more than respectable -- thanks largely in part to the voice samples, you’ll really get to know the zany cast of Soccer Slam.

The character themes are a mixed bag, rearing their heads after each goal, varying as to who did the scoring. The good ones are short, simple, and catchy, while others are largely forgettable. Angus has generic bagpipe music, which is admittedly entertaining; Madeira is accompanied by a zesty Brazilian beat, and Kiril’s anthem seems to channel the theme from Metal Gear Solid II. Once again, the individual themes really enhance Soccer Slam’s persona.

Of all the audio aspects, Tim Crofton’s play-by-play commentary is the most puzzling. It’s initially highly entertaining, as his British voice booms various one-liners and blabbers energetically after goals. Plus, it’s a well-documented fact that everything is funnier when spoken with a British accent. But soon enough, it becomes clear that he just doesn’t have all that much material, and begins repeating the same things he said mere moments ago. Still, unlike many sports game announcers, he didn’t fall into the annoying-beyond-reproach category.

gameplay

Quite obviously, Soccer Slam is, at its roots, a soccer game. Or for you cave-dwelling, un-American types, football. But the goal of this game was to put a new spin on the basic mechanics of soccer, which it does in spades.

The meat of Soccer Slam is Exhibition -- a straight up, team vs. team duel. Victory is obtained by putting the ball in the goal, by any means necessary. Aside from the primary soccer actions, such as pass and shoot, your characters have the ability to soundly slap the opponent into compliance. This is, much to my glee, not the least bit illegal. Or, if that doesn’t suit your fancy, you can fly in for a sliding kick that, if all goes well, will conclude with the ball in your greedy possession. It’s rather violent, to say the least. You won’t be delivering piledrivers or power bombs, but the physicality is enough to quell the deep-seeded aggression that is undoubtedly present within Nintendo fans worldwide. To further intensify matters, this all takes place at a blisteringly fast pace. Blink, and the action will be on the opposite side of the field.

And the kicks themselves are nothing to scoff at, either. These guys are showoffs. Tapping the kick button will unleash a standard kick, and holding it to power up will display a more dangerous, flashy maneuver. On top of that, there are two other kick styles, both of which defy common laws of physics. Not that anyone minds, save perhaps Newton.

Spotlight Kicks occur randomly -- a target will begin roaming around the field. By maneuvering the ball-wielding player over the target and attempting to shoot, a slow-motion, Matrix-like blast will go into effect. At this time, all is silent -- except for the crowd, which can be heard chanting or singing a song, in unison, pertaining to the character. It is all, for the lack of a better term, extremely cool. Killer Kicks are similar, except you decide when and where to use them: a power meter for your team builds up at the bottom of the screen. When it’s full, a Killer Kick is executable.

The power meter can be used in another manner, as well. You can opt to forego a Killer Kick and transform a player into some sort of whacked-out, bizarre turbo mode, the appearance of which differs according to team theme. Members of En Fuego, for example, become engulfed in flames; Tsunami players become a whirling cyclone of water. This both improves your overall performance and scares the hell out of the opposing team.

Another mode, labeled Quest, is a nice addition for single-player gaming. Here, you navigate a single team through various matchups and special challenges, earning money to buy upgrades for the various players. Winning the championship unlocks a stadium, providing some motivation to play through it a few times. However, the Quest mode obviously isn’t the focal point of the game, and is merely a pleasant accompaniment.

multiplayer

Yes, Sega Soccer Slam can be enjoyed alone -- but this is most definitely a multiplayer based game. Gather a few buddies, and the fun-factor parallels the Gamecube’s elite in terms of sheer, instantaneous fun. It’s fairly easy to learn, and the fun-looking graphical style seems to naturally attract the casual gameplayer -- you shouldn’t have trouble finding companions for this one. Sega Soccer Slam is perfect for the party-styled atmosphere, and should help pad the Gamecube’s reputation as a respectable multiplayer console.

overall

And that, ultimately, is what Sega Soccer Slam boils down to -- a great multiplayer experience, different from the norm and overloaded with personality and life. In terms of pure fun, it doesn’t get much better than this.

However, the intense focus on multiplayer mayhem is what hurts it in the long run. Those looking for a great single-player experience will have to look elsewhere. The Quest option is but a bonus; a diversion for when your usual group of friends aren’t around. And while it can be fun for a while, one can only play the computer so many times before things border on repetitive.

That being said, for those of you with access to healthy bouts of multiplayer gaming, Sega Soccer Slam is practically a must-own. For the solo players, a rent is strongly recommended -- this game should be appreciated, but perhaps may not warrant a full purchase.

In the end, Soccer Slam is still a tremendous effort on the part of Visual Concepts, who should be commended for their creativity and willingness to create something bizarre. I look forward to any further games of this style, especially if some of the same characters were to make a triumphant return. El Diablo is obviously multitalented, and would make a great bass-fisherman. Or ice dancer.

8.4/10