The Challengers

OK, we all know Sensi is the best, but if you really want to keep up with the times, what footy games are there out there which can match SWOS' depth or playability? There are still, in my opinion, none that can beat it, but there are some that come damn close, and heres a rundown of "purple approved" modern day alternatives to SWOS.

If you think, I have overlooked a game that could gain the purple seal of approval, then please feel free to contact me. Just click on the "Contact Me" link at the bottom of the page!

WORTHY CONTENDERS

1.) Pro Evolution Soccer

It can't be denied that Pro Evolution Soccer is a great game. As a football simulation, it is outstanding. Far more realistic than that tragic EA Sports franchise. It's not as much fun as SWOS, but there canbe no doubts it is an outstanding game none-the-less.

http://www.pes5.net/

2.) Championship Manager / Football Manager- PC

Again, these games offer something far different to SWOS, but well worth dedicating some time too. About as close to real football management as we are ever gonna get.

http://www.footballmanager.co.uk/en/index.html

3.) Total Soccer

Another game, which I must confess, I have never played, but it became very popular amongst SWOS fans when it was released just after the arrival of Sensi 98 and that many SWOS fans cant be wrong!. Wasn't really a big name title and was available in the shops for a short period only, at a very reasonable price. Looked and played very much like SWOS, with a similar top-down camera angle. You may still be able to find it kicking around in online games shops.

http://www.fileplanet.com/13590/10000/fileinfo/Total-Soccer

4. Championship Soccer

Written by a SWOS fan and designed to be a SWOS clone originally. It promises to perfectly imitate the SWOS gameplay whilst adding a load of Championship manager style options. What started off as a simple SWOS clone has grown to be a great game in it's own right. And, it's only 17 euros. Bargain.

http://soccer.a-osswald.de/

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT..

And if purple was a bouncer of some kind, that had let the above games into the finest club in town, the games below are those which have been led to a back alley, and beaten to a bloody pulp. If you are a SWOS fan, avoid these like the plague.

1.) FIFA Soccer

Where do I start with EA's exploitation of the football game market. I really can't understand why people buy it. It's just plain bad. Sure, it's very glossy, the players look very realistic, it's got the stadiums, the licenses, the commentary. But, under all that, it's just not football!

2.) Kick Off

This series came about just before Sensi, and was, to be fair, one of the best footy games around before the Sensi Soccer series (not that that's saying much), but when Sensible Soccer came around, some jealous Kick Off fans decided that their game was still much better than SWOS, when infact it was cack in comparison. A game that was best summed up by a great quote in Amiga Power :
"Leave the controls alone, touch the controls a little bit, wrench the controls around until your hands fall off, whats the bloody difference? Your players still do exactly whatever the hell they feel like.""

3.) Football Glory

A blatant attempt to rip Sensi off, with almost identical graphics and gameplay system. "Sensible Soccer? We've never even seen it." claimed the developers. Bollards. The game, however paled in comparison with jerky animation, stupid goalkeepers, and pathetic, silly speech bubbles, when players "argued" with the referee. Rubbish. Tripe. Crap. Avoid. Avoid. AVOID.