Between 1991 and 1992 the mighty SNES or Super Nintendo – or Famicom as it was known in Asia – launched and took the home gaming world by storm.
The 16-bit console was a much upgraded version of the 8-bit NES and provided players a-one-step closer to an arcade experience they so desperately wanted.
The great thing about the SNES is it suited a wide variety of game genres but where things got really interesting were the assortment of soccer games developed for the system.
Before 1991 the only home gaming systems capable of delivering smooth semi-realistic soccer games were powerful PCs or personal computers such as the Atari ST or Amiga 500.
The SNES came along and changed this overnight.
Soccer games on the SNES were fast and fluid, and the graphics were of good quality for the time too.
Arcade machines never did soccer games well, this was left to home gaming systems to fulfill that need for players.
Soccer games are one of my favorite types of games to play regardless of console. Even today I play FIFA 23 and EA Sports FC 24 more than any other modern game.
This meant I spent many (many) hours playing soccer games on the SNES and to my parents’ dismay this was mainly during the time I should have set aside for homework!
I’m sure they are proud of my FIFA skills now as a result though.
There were a great many soccer games released on the SNES such as FIFA, International Superstar Soccer and the quirky Elite Soccer.
Playing these again meant reliving a lot of good memories.
Here are the best soccer games on the SNES, tried, tested and rated!
FIFA 97

FIFA 97 for SNES Review
Rating
FIFA is of course the most popular soccer franchise that has existed in the gaming industry.
There were times when Pro Evolution could potentially have taken its crown, but in recent years FIFA has absolutely dominated and has become the soccer game to play.
That isn’t to say other independent soccer games weren’t worth playing, because as you can see from this list they were, but it’s also interesting to see the early incarnations of this behemoth franchise and how they played back in the day.
FIFA 97 is an interesting title.
It wasn’t one of the early games released on the SNES, as of course the console launched in 1991 and FIFA 97 didn’t come out until six years later.
Surprisingly EA didn’t over-dramatize the opening sequence or graphics, which are a little lackluster in comparison to the other games on the list.
Be that as it may, it’s really the gameplay that makes all the difference – and the gameplay on FIFA 97 for the SNES is lightning fast!
Oftentimes it’s difficult to keep up with the running play. I was struggling when playing at times, and I am very used to and fond of all types of soccer games.
Like some of the other soccer games on the SNES, FIFA kept with only part of the pitch visible at any one time, which does make tasks such as throw ons and goal kicks slightly difficult.
The controls of FIFA 97 can be a challenge until mastered, but aren’t the controls of every FIFA game the same!
The graphics hit a sweet spot too. Bright and well done, although not too overdone. There aren’t any resemblances or players to recognise of course, this didn’t come until the PS2 version, but they are certainly good enough.
The speed of the gameplay though can make things feel as if they are out of control, which isn’t a particularly good feature of the game. It would have been better to have been at a slightly slower pace without the ferocious camera pans across the pitch.
That said, FIFA fans need to check out one of the earlier games to see how things began and how far they have come.
International Superstar Soccer Deluxe

International Superstar Soccer Deluxe for SNES Review
Rating
Despite soccer originating in Europe, the United Kingdom to be precise, this is a very American version.
There is even a ‘World Series’ option, which of course doesn’t exist in the world of soccer!
International Superstar Soccer Deluxe tantalizes with its arcade quality opening featuring photos of the players and some squads.
This was a huge deal in the 1990s.
There are a lot of game customizations included too, you can even choose to play in the snow!
For a quick play option it’s best to choose an Open Game, select your team and follow the first setting in each menu until the game starts.
It’s amazing to see how many features and modes are available though, which is a credit to the developers who really thought through immersing the player.
Each game opens with brightly sprites in a playful animated way, as the players take to the pitch for the coin toss.
Win and you can choose to kick off or choose which way to shoot first.
The graphics are good for its age although frustratingly only a small section of the pitch can be viewed at any one time.
It makes forward playing, and strategies for an attack much more difficult overall.
The controls allow you to choose a player, pass, tackle, slide tackle and also sprint, which is a nice touch that not all soccer games allow.
The controls themselves are relatively easy to get along with, despite players moving a little too sluggish at times. The sprinting works well but the diagonal play only, meaning only eight directions a player can travel in, does make gameplay slightly limited.
There’s no FIFA 23 fancy footwork here of course.
It isn’t the best soccer game on the SNES, but the limited pitch view during gameplay does add a little more intensity, which shouldn’t be overlooked.
Super Soccer Champ

Super Soccer Champ for SNES Review
Rating
Super Soccer Champ was one of the earliest soccer games released on the SNES way back in 1992, over 40 years ago now!
Although it’s one of the earliest, and released a full five years before FIFA 97 came along, it really does play well.
Often game developers can pull a magic trick out of the coding bag, and here recognizable game developers Taito did a fine job.
I don’t remember this title back in the day, so I was very excited to slot in the cartridge this time around and give it a try.
The opening sequence is pleasant enough showing a stadium and the options available, which although are limited in number, do allow the player to get straight on into the action.
The camera pans sideways along the pitch following the action as your player moves in the traditional 8 directions with the ball magnetically at the toe of their boot.
The game runs at a goldilocks speed – not too slow and not too fast, it’s just right.
The graphics are pretty decent too considering its age and it’s still a fun soccer game to play today.
It’s the nice extra touches that make Super Soccer Champ nice to play though, and I love when the theatrical diving the players do when fouled, they make Antony’s over the top fake dives look like he’s actually been fouled!
Sprinting isn’t possible here though, but catching up with opponents when they get a break isn’t too demoralizing.
Shooting though is hit and miss. Direction and speed are a challenge as well as sometimes hitting the right button – you never quite can tell whether you’re shooting or passing.
The great thing Taito did was widen the pitch view during gameplay.
This makes playing much easier and much more interesting, rather than a limited square not knowing what the rest of the players on the pitch are doing or where they are positioned.
All in all this is a great effort by Taito and a well worthy soccer title for anyone’s SNES collection!
Super Goal!

Super Goal! for SNES Review
Rating
Super Goal! On the SNES is the soccer game I remember most fondly back in the day.
Many a night, and through the night on sleepovers, did me and friends play Super Goal! Into the small hours of the night.
This is the game, out of all others on this list, I was looking forward to trying out again, but I promise to give an unbiased and fair review.
Super Goal! Was released on the SNES just a year after it went on sale in 1992 by indie game developer Jaleco.
The game didn’t have all the bells and whistles some of the soccer games in the latter half of the 1990s had, but it didn’t need them.
As the game starts the player has the choice between a standard exhibition game of one or two players, or to play the Super Cup.
After choosing your team, you can choose formation and even whether to have offsides and fouls in the game or turn them off! – FIFA, are you listening?
It’s a quirky touch but great playing against a friend with fouls turned off, nothing like a good old 1970s sliding tackle!
The gameplay is at an almost perfect pace, slightly slower than it could be perhaps but allows the players better movement around the pitch.
I did enjoy, and was reminded by, how fluid the players are around the pitch.
The developers got this part of the game right.
Shooting can be slightly hit and miss but I probably need the practise. I don’t remember it being this hard to score back in the day.
Although every player looks identical to the next, aside from the shirt colors, the graphics are decent and controls are responsive and work well.
The camera does, like most of the SNES soccer games, focus on a small area of the pitch, but the developers were still limited by size and space even on a 16-bit console.
All in all you will be hard pushed to find a better soccer game on the SNES than Super Goal! – they exist, but not many of them.
Elite Soccer

Elite Soccer for SNES Review
Rating
Elite Soccer on the SNES was released in 1994.
In terms of soccer game releases it wasn’t the earliest but it wasn’t the latest either, and yet holds many gameplay features that should have been the foundation as to how a soccer game should have been developed on the SNES.
Rage Software did a commendable job.
Let’s start with the soccer game options.
A player can choose to play a standard friendly, join the World Cup and go against other nationalities around the world or choose different cups to enter and play.
There is also a practice area to hone your skills.
What I love though about Elite soccer, well one of the many things I love about Elite Soccer, is just how intuitive the menus are, choices are and also intricate details including choosing from different substitutes and configuring your team how you want.
The gameplay is absolutely spot on and has been nailed by Rage. I loved playing this game.
It’s a fast paced game, one of the fastest and probably on par with FIFA 97, but it doesn’t feel as chaotic. It runs smoothly with great ball control, handling and passing abilities.
Shooting can be a bit tricky, but where would the fun be if this was made easy.
There are some humorous quirky touches throughout the game, like the crowd chanting ‘Boring!’ on a low scoring game.
Everything about Elite Soccer screams greatness and addictiveness.
This is easily a game you could play a whole evening, enter a world cup, win and want to start all over again.
It really is that good!
Elite Soccer on the SNES is a must for any soccer fan, and should be any SNES owners sport collection.
Striker

Striker for SNES
Summary
Striker is another game on the list developed by Rage Software, and published by Elite.
Given that Elite Soccer by Rage Software is an absolute gem, I certainly had high expectations for Striker when slotting in the cartridge to play.
Striker on the SNES has many options, game features and modes such as a standard friendly, Super Cup, World Knockout, World League and even Indoor Football!
There is even a practice area to play and improve your skills.
This is where the review of Striker gets a little difficult, as it is essentially the same game as Elite Soccer!
The gameplay, graphics, controls, boards etc.. are all an identical carbon copy of Elite Soccer.
I am going to research this a little further and update this post when I find more information, and whether Striker and Elite Soccer on the SNES are actually the same game, just released in different years with different menus.
If not, and these are two different games, then Rage Software did an amazing job selling both titles because playing them both I can find very little difference between them.
The controls are slightly better on Elite Soccer than Striker if I am honest, perhaps these were tightened up and the play made more smooth a year later.
I will be hard pushed to score Striker any less than Elite as a result, but if you were to build your collection of SNES soccer games you certainly wouldn’t need both titles, and I would choose Elite Games over Striker given the choice.
Champions World Class Soccer

Champions World Class Soccer
Rating
Champions World Class Soccer on the SNES was developed by Acclaim, yes the same Acclaim behind Mortal Kombat.
A cross between Mortal Kombat and a soccer game would be really good, but unfortunately we won’t find that here.
The opening graphics are nice but nothing to write home about.
As a player you can customize the language, what type of game you want to play, as well as setting some other basic standard settings.
What is a nice touch here is the reporter announcing the game, and being onscreen during the coin toss – which is a little odd, but works nonetheless.
The aerial view adds a different slant to the usual soccer games which tend to focus on a side view, but it does work.
The controls and gameplay struggle a little, which is surprising with Acclaim considering how versatile their characters are in Mortal Kombat.
Often at times it can feel like little league soccer and 20 players chasing the ball at the same time.
It also isn’t possible to run more than a couple of yards with the ball before the opposing team snatch it from your toes and head off towards your goal.
Perhaps with a lot of time and practice the game can be mastered but it doesn’t lend to a newbie pick up and play type of game, which is really what soccer games are about.
Champions World Class Soccer has some good graphics, and some of the better graphics seen on the SNES soccer list of games, but I was a little disappointed over the overall gameplay.