In Sega Soccer Slam, youll unleash merciless kicks, tackles, and steals against excitable, colorful characters from all over the world. Each character in this game wields special powers and moves that earn the big score. Get to the random spotlight that appears on the field and your character will shoot skyward with the ball and slam it toward the unsuspecting goalie. In quest mode, you can unlock secret stadiums and uncover hidden items to improve your already stellar performance. Watch the intensity rise as you utilize your new power moves in other game modes. If youre a little rusty on the field, practice mode will get you going again. When youre confident in your smash mouth hits and soccer tackles, throw in some bad weather and gather up a bunch of friends for a rowdy round-robin tournament.

Review
Sega Soccer Slam may mention the beautiful sport in its title, but youll not find any competition here for the FIFA or Pro Evolution series. This is pure arcade football: loud, colorful, completely unrealistic, yet so much fun. Gameplay is simple: three-a-side fast footie action. You can head, dummy, sliding tackle, shoot, pass, and conjure some quite unbelievable super-special shots using button combos and shot gauges. The pace is frenetic, with most games being tense 9-7 affairs. The football action plays really well.

The game is similar in style to Virtua Tennis, though, in concept a lot less serious. Modes of play are standard: arcade, tournament, quest, etc. Play out the quest mode and the similarity to the aforementioned tennis title is clear. You select one of six preset teams based on continent and elemental power. Fire, water, toxic, spirit, electric, and ice form the special powers that each team can unleash on the pitch.

Teams are taken on in a round-robin style league with a special challenge offered to you after each match. The challenges are fun and in the style of Virtua Tennis; complete each one and youll be given cash to spend in the shop, where you can purchase kit upgrades, new grounds, and game artwork. Win the leagues and youll be able to unlock extra hidden teams. Other game modes allow you to create a personalised super team and unlock more characters.

The games graphics are excellent, and each player is instantly recognizable with great animations and detail. The stadiums are well animated, and the sound effects are vibrant. The game oozes Sega quality. All in all, Sega Soccer Slam is ideal for those less serious sessions and for pick-up-and-play gaming. --Laurent S. Hall -- Amazon.co.uk