Nintendo World Cup

Football where you can knock an opponent to the ground with a sliding tackle and kick the ball so hard it flies out of the bounds of physics? Welcome to Nintendo World Cup, an arcade soccer brawl that treated the rules more as a joke. On the Game Boy it was one of the most entertaining ways to play a bit of soccer on a handheld with a group of friends.

The game comes from Technos Japan and is part of the wider family of games tied to the Kunio series. Instead of a serious simulation it offers brisk matches between smaller teams, where there are no offsides or fouls. On the contrary, slides and shoving are basic equipment, and knocking an opponent's player out of action for a while is a legitimate tactic.

The spice of the whole experience is the special shots. Once properly charged, a kicked ball can start to glow and fly with unstoppable force, giving the goalkeeper no chance. These over-the-top moments turn otherwise plain football into a catchy arcade game, one that is chiefly about fun and needling each other rather than realism.

Nintendo World Cup came out on multiple platforms, and the handheld Game Boy version brought this crazy soccer along for the ride. Even though the monochrome screen took away some of the flair, the core of the fun remained. Quick matches, simple controls, and the chance to ruin your opponent's day with a single hard tackle.

Thanks to its link to the world of Kunio, which is very popular in Japan, the game holds a firm place in the hearts of fans of this brand. For players looking for an undemanding yet catchy football arcade game on the Game Boy, it's a likeable choice to this day, one that takes soccer with a wink and a sense of humor.

Why play: Crazy arcade soccer with no regard for the rules, with hard tackles and over-the-top shots, ideal for quick and funny matches.