Kick Off 2
A ball that doesn't stick to your feet, breathtaking speed, and a top-down view that turns football into a game of perception and anticipation. Kick Off 2 is for many old-timers not just a great football game but a downright sacred classic, and on the Atari ST it ranked among the best experiences you could have on the pitch. This game redefined what computer football could look like and how it could play.
The key innovation of the series was the way the ball was controlled. Unlike games where players glued the ball to their feet, in Kick Off 2 the ball moved independently and you had to control your running and kicks with a far greater dose of skill and timing. This resulted in a fast, almost relentless pace of the match, where reflexes and a sense of positioning decided everything. The bird's-eye view gave an overview of the whole pitch and the game offered extensive options from friendly matches to tournaments.
Behind the game stood designer Dino Dini and it was released under the Anco brand. Kick Off 2 built on the successful first installment and pushed its concept toward perfection, adding new options, tactics, and details such as corner kicks and cards. On machines like the Atari ST and Amiga it became the benchmark of the genre and sparked passionate debates among fans of competing football series.
The cultural significance of Kick Off 2 is enormous. The game built a devoted community that is still dedicated to it today, holds tournaments, and considers it the pinnacle of arcade football. For many players it remains the yardstick against which they measure all other football games, and its influence on the genre is undeniable.
Today Kick Off 2 can still get the blood pumping. Its controls have a high skill ceiling and reward those who learn to tame them with an experience that modern arcade football can hardly offer.
Why play: For demanding, fast, and immensely satisfying arcade football with legendary ball control that retains a devoted community to this day.
Game 23 of 72 for Atari ST
The same title elsewhere (2)
Kick Off 2 came out simultaneously on the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST, and plays almost identically on both machines — the same fast top-down view, responsive joystick control and rules carried over unchanged. The main difference is heard rather than seen: thanks to its Paula sound chip, the Amiga offers richer sampled audio, louder crowd noise and punchier kick effects, while the Atari ST makes do with simpler sound from its older chip. Graphics and game speed are comparable on both platforms, so picking one over the other is more a matter of taste than a real difference in the experience — anyone who prefers fuller sound should go for the Amiga.
