Holy Shit! Codemasters Confirms New Sensible Soccer! First Screens!

Really! For PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC.

Posted by Staff
Prepare to be very pleased. Codemasters has announced that Sensible Soccer is to be given a fresh burst of life via the magic of a modern day remake, in development for Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC.

Due for release in Q2 of next year, Codemasters promises a faithful update the original 16-Bit classic footy gem that paved the way for relationship-ruining soccer marathons now the territory of Konami’s Pro Evolution series.

A tongue in cheek press release explains that the “…all-new Sensible Soccer will launch Q2 2006 and come complete with lightning fast football action, mesmerising dribbling, physics-defying sliding tackles and, most famously, a huge amount of unbelievable goals, that can go curling into the top corner, thanks to the outrageous levels of after-touch.”

Updates include a new cel-shaded, big-headed approach to player design (as you can see from the screens to the right), 50 preset competitions to enter and four-player multiplayer goodness.

“Following the success of Sensible Soccer's recent mobile edition and the fantastic retro Plug 'n' Play TV version of the game, it's great to bring a truly new version out for the first time in over eight years on all of the major formats." says Jon Hare, now a director of Tower Studios and games design consultant. "We are doing everything in our power to modernise and recreate the sheer playability, fun and footballing depth of the original and remind the playing public just what they have been missing out in the current market of slow, drab sims."

Codemasters also promises some “…special content that will celebrate the series' 15-year anniversary,” likely to be a remake of the MegaDrive version.

We’re excited. And so should you be. Expect more on this as we get it.

Comments

Greg2k 1 Nov 2005 17:05
1/15
Would I sound like a raving Nintendo fanboy if I were to say Codemasters suck for INSISTINGLY ignoring Nintendo for no apparent reason? How much would it cost to port to the Gamecube? I mean come on, surely you'd still make a profit?
TommyG 1 Nov 2005 17:33
2/15
Brilliant Headline, Sums it up!!!
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ann0uk 1 Nov 2005 20:39
3/15
I think that is another sign of the biased attitude that the industry has towards Xbox and Playstation.
This is similar to the success of Soul Calibur 2 on gamecube compared to Xbox and PS2 but yet Namco ignored Gamecube to make a PS2 exclusive sequel. Great business sense I must say.
That is not going to change, Gamecube is reaching the end of its life cycle.
Joji 1 Nov 2005 20:47
4/15
Totally agree with you Greg. Codemasters seem to be a developer that still dodges Nintendo a lot, possibly due to them locking horns years ago over the Game Genie cheat cart case for the NES/SNES. Perhaps Nintendo did over react on that one, but it's all history now, get over it.

If you look at how long the GC has been out hardly a single Codemasters game has made it to the GC, in fact I remember when a Colin Mcrae game was due out for it, but despite being completed was cancelled and just released for Xbox, PS2 and PC (go figure). If you ask me it makes crap business (correct me if I'm wrong here) sense when there's not ONE really decent rally game on the GC and a lot of GC gamers that would buy it. Can you really tell me that next to no Codematers games on GC is acceptable? I suppose it's up to them mind.

Now we have Sensible Soccer which they also can't bother with porting to GC. This why I now don't buy their games because I'd like to know their excuse for lack of GC support (despite the obvious 3rd place it occupies GC gamers would still be playing the game on the Rev too). To hell with them, I'm glad EA and Konami (on jap import as Winning Eleven but better than nothing at all) can fix us GC gamers with some footy. (hey, I have a PS2 also mind so I'm not biased)

I'm now wondering if Codemasters will bother applying for a Rev development license because they seem to treat Nintendo like the games industries Oliver Twist. A starve him and he will suffer, go away and die kind of attitude.

Respect is a two way street, but don't bite the hand that feeds you. You may need to be that dogs best friend someday and that Rev launch day draws nearer on the horizon. Should be interesting to see if Codemasters still opts for MS and Sony development then.

Nice to see SS again for it's nostalgic sake, but I honestly have to say I was never a fan of it (Let's hope there's more camera angles than those pics show, playing footy up/down field can be trickier these days). I was too busy playing ISS on my SNES and N64, games I feel were much better but over shadowed by FIFA, back in the day.

Sure Ann0uk, GC is almost at the end of it's life cycle but the Rev's backwards compatibility kind of gives GC a 'get out of jail free card' sort of life extension. If the conflicts of backwards compatbility that the Xbox 360 and PS2 have are avoided, many people will withhold selling their GC games collections. SS could have found a new audience on a Pro Evoless GC, where FIFA rules practically unchallenged. Bad business move if you ask me.
Greg2k 1 Nov 2005 22:21
5/15
Joji wrote:
If you look at how long the GC has been out hardly a single Codemasters game has made it to the GC, in fact I remember when a Colin Mcrae game was due out for it, but despite being completed was cancelled and just released for Xbox, PS2 and PC (go figure).

You know Colin Mcrae is on f**king N-Gage? I mean seriously, there must be NO profit margin on that system. But of course, why the hell would they settle for making a game for the GBA if they could go for the N-Gage?
NiktheGreek 2 Nov 2005 10:02
6/15
Greg2k wrote:
Would I sound like a raving Nintendo fanboy if I were to say Codemasters suck for INSISTINGLY ignoring Nintendo for no apparent reason?

Ah, but this where my non-Spong knowledge of you comes in. You are a raving Nintendo fanboy. =P

Greg2k wrote:
Joji wrote:
If you look at how long the GC has been out hardly a single Codemasters game has made it to the GC, in fact I remember when a Colin Mcrae game was due out for it, but despite being completed was cancelled and just released for Xbox, PS2 and PC (go figure).

You know Colin Mcrae is on f**king N-Gage? I mean seriously, there must be NO profit margin on that system. But of course, why the hell would they settle for making a game for the GBA if they could go for the N-Gage?

Except Colin McRae was indeed brought to GBA (not as recently, mind) and was developed in-house, as compared to the outsourced N-Gage version. Incidentally, the only other Codemasters games for current Nintendo platforms I could find were Pop Idol and Second Sight, both of which were only published by the company.

Personally, I have the feeling that Codemasters might have good reasons not to want to bother with Nintendo platforms. Maybe GBA development didn't work out for them, or Nintendo's developer relations in Europe are poor? There's also the fact that the type of software they put out today isn't what you'd generally associate with the Gamecube audience. Besides the MTV Music Generator series and the titles they do publish on Nintendo systems, the main Codemasters output is realistic racing simulators, sports games and war-themed games. These particular genres have never been too popular on Gamecube, and in these declining days for the system I'd imagine that they're even less profitable.

What I don't get is the slight outcry over this. Codemasters only supported the SNES and N64 with a single game each, these being ports of existing Micro Machines games that were published by other companies. Their most actively supported Nintendo system (if you don't count unlicensed NES games) was the Game Boy Color, with an astonishing five games released, again with other publishers taking on the non-development aspects in a few cases.

ann0uk wrote:
I think that is another sign of the biased attitude that the industry has towards Xbox and Playstation.

This isn't strictly true. Even before those platforms came along, Codemasters passed over Nintendo consoles in favour of Sega consoles and various home computer formats. To put it another way: Codemasters snubbed Nintendo before it became fashionable to do so.

Joji wrote:
This why I now don't buy their games because I'd like to know their excuse for lack of GC support (despite the obvious 3rd place it occupies GC gamers would still be playing the game on the Rev too).

Why is the lack of support for Nintendo consoles (something they've always been guilty of, as we've demonstrated) only causing you not to buy Codemasters games now? You have a PS2 anyway, so you can still buy most of the console games they publish. "This company doesn't develop games for one of my consoles, so I won't buy the games it does develop for the other" seems to be a slightly nonsensical way to go about things, with all due respect.
king skins 2 Nov 2005 12:26
7/15
didn't they have some bad blood back in the NES days when Codemasters where making unlicenced games for the NES? I think that Nintendo tried to sue them a put them out of bussiness...

Anyway a NEW SENSIBLE SOCCER!!!!!!!! f**king wikkid =D

I still remember the Mega Drive version!! :) Created my own team full of my mates :) ah so much fun
config 2 Nov 2005 14:00
8/15
Sod the Megadrive version - we want the original, classic Amiga version.


...and when do we get Cannon Fodder?

Oh, and Mr Hare; where's that version of Wizball we spoke about at E3 back in 2001?*


(*yes, I now - licensing issues, Infogrames, etc)
king skins 2 Nov 2005 14:23
9/15
I was to poor to own an Amiga and had to stick with the Mega Drive version

You can get Cannon Fodder as part of the Sensible Soccer Plug n Play: http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=1108

Also comes with Mega-Lo-Mania... and a free Sensible Soccer t-shirt

Cannon Fodder would be a good game to remake on the Revolution...
kid_77 2 Nov 2005 14:37
10/15
king skins wrote:
Also comes with Mega-Lo-Mania... and a free Sensible Soccer t-shirt

Ah, Mega-lo-mania was f**king class:

"The minez been distwoyed!"

"Ergonomically tewiffic"

"Pukka design"

etc.
Patmos 2 Nov 2005 16:09
11/15
wouldn't they release it as sensible "football" over in Europe? I am under the impression that their is a general frown for the word "soccer", just a question from across the pond!
TigerUppercut 2 Nov 2005 16:15
12/15
Patmos wrote:
wouldn't they release it as sensible "football" over in Europe? I am under the impression that their is a general frown for the word "soccer", just a question from across the pond!

Our weird food eating buddies in Europe can use either foccer or football. I also this that Sensible Football sounds a bit rubbish.
DoctorDee 2 Nov 2005 16:31
13/15
Our weird food eating buddies in Europe can use either foccer or football. I also this that Sensible Football sounds a bit rubbish.

Erm... We're in Europe.

And it's England that has the problem with "Soccer". But the problem is predominantly with Americans stealing the name of our sport for their gay version of Rugby, and then giving football a (crap) new name. Especially when what the Americans (mistakenly) call football has demonstrably less foot/ball contact than what we (correctly) call football.
Joji 2 Nov 2005 19:43
14/15
Forgive my sometimes childish rants. What I meant was I'd have no trouble finding other games to buy than those of Codemasters. A large collection of my games are japanese games anyway, but it shouldn't always be like that. Other nations make good games, u.k included and I like other games.





gamestester 2 Nov 2005 21:25
15/15
Just in time for the world cup...probably going to be the fastest selling game ever in the UK.
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