{{Short description|1998 video game}} {{one source|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox video game | title = Viva Football | image = Viva Football (game).png | caption = | developer = Crimson Studio | publisher = Virgin Interactive | released = {{vgrelease|PAL|September 15, 1998}}{{vgrelease|NA|September 1, 1999}}{{vgrelease|JP|February 10, 2000}} | genre = Sports game | modes = Single-player, Multiplayer | platforms = PlayStation, Windows }}
'''''Viva Football''''' (known as '''''Viva Soccer''''' in North America, '''''20 Reiki Striker Retsuden''''' in Japan and '''''Absolute Football''''' in France) is an association football video game released for the PlayStation and Windows. It was developed by Crimson Studio and published by Virgin Interactive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Viva Football |url=https://www.ign.com/games/viva-football |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=2023-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126174205/https://www.ign.com/games/viva-football |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Scullion |first=Chris |date=2021-04-20 |title=Remembering the original European Super League… on Dreamcast |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/blog/remembering-the-original-european-super-league-on-dreamcast/ |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=Video Games Chronicle |language=en-GB |archive-date=2023-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126174218/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/blog/remembering-the-original-european-super-league-on-dreamcast/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Gameplay == The game features every international team which played the FIFA World Cup and their qualifiers between the 1958 and the 1998 World Cups, a total of 1,035 teams and 16,544 real life players, including lists of starters, substitutes and national reserves for all teams.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Wilton |first=Pete |date=February 1999 |title=Review: Viva Football |journal=Official PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Future Publishing |issue=42 |pages=92–93}}</ref> Players can choose from friendly mode which allows you to select any team and create your own matchups to play against the computer or a friend, or a History mode which allowed players to participate in any World Cup from 1958 to 1998 or to pit teams from any period against one another.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Thomas |first=Sam |date=Easter 1999 |title=Review: Viva Football |journal=PlayStation Pro |publisher=IDG Media |issue=33 |pages=46–48}}</ref> They can also play in a Training mode to practise their skills. Players are also able to perform different goal celebrations when they score.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Gibbon |first=Dave |date=January 1999 |title=Preview: Viva Football |journal=Ultimate PC |publisher=Rapide Publishing |issue=18 |pages=44–47}}</ref>
There was no commentary in the game, with the game instead featuring an 'PlayerChat audio engine' in which the players shout phrases such as "To me!" and "Through ball".<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |date=August 1998 |title=Pre-Screen: Viva Football |magazine=Edge |publisher=Future Publishing |issue=61 |pages=40–41}}</ref> The language of the players' speech can be altered in options which included the chance for the players to speak in their own native language.<ref name=":2" />
==Development== ''Viva Football'' was Crimson's second game, after ''Pinocchio'' for the Super Nintendo and Mega Drive. The game spent two years in development and its title was chosen by Simon Swift, Lead Artist at Crimson, as a "celebration of world football". The data for the over 16,000 players was gathered over a period of "about 18 months" in collaboration between Crimson's lead researcher Nick de Palma and Gavin Hamilton, the editor of ''World Soccer Magazine''.<ref name=":2" />
Motion capture for the game was performed at Jim Henson's Creature Shop by members of Barnet's playing squad.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Groves |first=Will |date=1998 |title=PrePlay: Viva Football |journal=Official PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Future Publishing |issue=Football Special |pages=48–49}}</ref>
In an ''Edge'' interview Simon Humber of Virgin Interactive claimed that ''"Viva Football'' is more like real life soccer than any other game", pointing to its "open-ended game structure", contrasting with the "on-rails" gameplay of other titles like ''FIFA'' or ''ISS. Viva Football'', by contrast, he said, had implemented a control method that focuses on kicking strength as much as direction, allowing for more varied approaches to play.
Humber added that over a year was spent developing the player AI: <blockquote>"Originally we thought, 'why don't football games look like football games?' and then we realised it came down to the use of space. We started simulating some stuff which analyses space on the pitch and after a few weeks it fell into place...What goes on off the ball is just as important as what happens on it, which is gets missed in a lot of computer games. [In ''Viva Football''] as you move everyone else makes run to complement what you're doing. They don't just react to what you're doing, they're proactive."<ref name=":3" /></blockquote>
==Reception== {{Video game reviews | rev1 = ''CVG'' | rev1Score = 4/5<ref name=":4" /> | rev2 = ''The Independent'' | rev2Score = 4/5<ref name=":6" /> | rev3 = ''Official PlayStation Magazine (UK)'' | rev3Score = 7/10<ref name=":0" /> | rev4 = ''PC Zone'' | rev4Score = 66%<ref name=":7" /> | rev5 = ''PlayStation Pro'' | rev5Score = 8.5/10<ref name=":1" /> | rev6 = ''Total Control'' | rev6Score = 73%<ref name=":5" /> }}
The game received largely positive reviews.
Steve Key of ''Computer and Video Games'' scored the title as 4/5, stating that it "makes it easy for you to pick up the basic controls and still leaves lots to learn with regards to trick moves and more complete controls".<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Key |first=Steve |date=March 1999 |title=Review: Viva Football |journal=Computer and Video Games |publisher=EMAP |issue=208 |pages=55}}</ref> Sam Thomas of ''PlayStation Pro'' disagreed, describing the control system as "one of the trickiest ever" for a football game on the console, suggesting that it would prove challenging for new players, but added to the realism of the gameplay.<ref name=":1" />
Giving the title 73% in ''Total Control'' Nick Jones praised the breadth of team options, the "intelligently-thought out" controls, but criticised the "old-fashioned graphics" arguing that the title looked a "little rough around the edges and doesn't compare favourably with ''ISS '98'' or ''FIFA '99''".<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=Nick |date=20 January 1999 |title=Review: Viva Football |journal=Total Control |publisher=Rapide Publishing |issue=4 |pages=74–75}}</ref>
David Gordon of ''The Independent'' awarded the game a score of 4/5, pointing to the addictive nature of the gameplay and impressive graphics.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=David |date=27 March 1999 |title=Video Games |pages=230 |work=The Independent |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/719984293/?clipping_id=104083212&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjcxOTk4NDI5MywiaWF0IjoxNjc0NzQ1MTQ2LCJleHAiOjE2NzQ4MzE1NDZ9.0jI6V66IANnTb0UoSkU5M0-v9Lc68mEWW--1xIjnc-0 |access-date=26 January 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Writing for ''PC Zone'' Steve Hill argued that "Crimson have succeeded in recreating all the tedious parts of football: the misplaced passes, the numerous offsides, niggly challenges, aimless freekicks and wayward opportunities".<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Hill |first=Steve |date=July 1999 |title=Review: Viva Football |journal=PC Zone |publisher=Dennis Publishing |issue=77 |pages=97}}</ref>{{clear}}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:1998 video games Category:Association football video games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:PlayStation (console) games Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom Category:Virgin Interactive games