Visually, the game looks as good as any other sports game on the Game Boy Advance. It uses the system's scaling and rotation abilities to present a three-dimensional field with players who move closer or farther away from the camera, depending on their actions on the field. The characters themselves move stiffly, but they're pretty large and drawn with enough detail that you can recognize your favorite Disney characters. One nice touch is the instant replay system that kicks in after every foul or goal, allowing you to rewind, fast-forward, and pause the previous play. The audio that accompanies all the action isn't as solid, but the music is happy and the sound effects are diverse enough that you never get the impression that the game is quiet.
...though it's way too focused on shots on goal.
Disney Sports Soccer also isn't too shabby when it comes to the number of included gameplay modes and secrets. There are exhibition and training modes, as well as two different tournament types in which you can earn magic items that you can equip your team members with in future matches. Using the standard link cable or the GBA-GC link cable, you can also trade these items to someone else with the game or with the GameCube version of Disney Sports Soccer. Besides the traditional options, there are also six soccer-themed minigames to play, as well as a spectator mode in which you can watch two CPU teams compete against one another. All the gameplay modes, except for the spectator mode, support up to four players with the use of a GBA link cable.
Even though Disney Sports Soccer doesn't exactly conform to the traditional soccer-game formula, it is a passable choice for those who just want a simple interpretation of the sport. It may be a little too simplistic for some, but it's just right for younger players and those who find the Disney cartoon characters entertaining.
- See more CNET content tagged:
- Disney Corp.,
- soccer,
- field,
- Konami Corp.,
- Nintendo GameBoy
%20Game%20Boy%20Advance%20Game%20reviews%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/game-boy-advance-games/disney-sports-soccer-game/4505-9975_7-30965337-2.html){kind=small}