

For example, the rocket power-up will rapidly catapult the ball at the goal from anywhere on the field, whereas the bomb power-up acts as a defensive maneuver that will knock over the player in possession of the ball. The simple controls make it easy to just jump into the game and play, and there are a number power-ups you can pick up to liven up the game. Curving your shots is also made easy - you simply move the control stick after you kick the ball. The ball bounces off so-called "plasma walls" that surround the different fields, you can pass short and long, perform foot-in and slide tackles, two different skill moves, and determine the strength of your shots by holding down the button longer. It's all very simple and easy to understand. Gameplay Soccer Mania takes the basic soccer rules, reduces the number of players on each team to six Lego guys, and dumps anything that could interrupt the game, such as offsides, throw-ins or free kicks. Multitap support for four-player matches.Use power-ups to gain shields, invincibility, steal the ball, or turn the ball into a rocket or a bomb.Team creation: assemble a custom six player team of your choice.Skill Zone mode features training mini-games.23 themed stadium environments, including snowy valleys, castles, pirate ships, cowboy forts, and outer space.Customize your own LEGO soccer team, from standard soccer players to cowboys, pirates, and Martians.

Using players from the LEGO universe and soccer fields inspired by LEGO's most popular themes, Soccer Mania tries to bring the popular toy license to life with simple, arcade-style gameplay, complete with power-ups usually at home in kart racing games. Football" is trying to stand out from the fray by targeting first and foremost the younger gamer.

But that hasn't stopped EA from readying its third footie game for PS2 owners: Soccer Mania. If you're looking for proof that soccer is on the rise in the US, how about the flood of videogame soccer titles that have hit consoles this year? With all the big names in sports publishing trying to cash in on the 2002 World Cup, one wonders if there's actually a market hungry enough for all these different games¿ Whether you're looking for deep soccer sims from EA or Konami or the over-the-top three-on-three action of Sega's Soccer Slam, there are plenty of choices out there for new and old soccer fans.
