Tecmo Cup Football Game
Encyclopedia
Tecmo Cup Football Game was a 1993 video game. While the game was about to be published by Sega
with license from Tecmo for the Mega Drive/Genesis
, it was cancelled due to the release department of Sega Europe's policy regarding third party games (along with many other games, most of them that already had a Japanese release, like Splatterhouse 3
or Golden Axe III
). The game would have enjoyed a Europe
-exclusive release because the game was heavily promoted on many magazines and promo videos at the time. 'SuperJuegos' magazine from Spain even had a VHS promotion video including footage of the game and promoting its further release. There is a ROM of this game, which features dodgy English translated text, and gameplay that seems unfinished.
The game greatly resembles the Captain Tsubasa
series and games in appearance of character
s and gameplay
. A similar game was released a year before for the Nintendo Entertainment System
under the title Tecmo Cup Soccer Game
, which was also released in Europe as Tecmo Cup Football Game.
Unlike other soccer simulators
, Tecmo Cup Football Game plays more like a role-playing game. The player runs around the field normally, but when he comes into contact with an opposing team member, a turn-based 'battle' is initiated. The player then has the option to perform a variety of moves such as dribbling, tackling and shooting, in addition to player-specific moves, some of which are physics-defying and destructive.
The game follows a young boy named Robert (who greatly resembles Tsubasa Ozora
), with a passion for soccer and a dream of winning the World Cup. To achieve his ambition, he joins the Dreams F.C. with his brother David and soon becomes captain and star player of the team.
Robert must defeat all opposing teams in the national tournament. Shortly after the victory, Robert is contacted by an agent called Sylvia, who offers Robert the position of captain in the new all-star
team called the Ours. The Ours play a few matches against other clubs, and soon compete in the preliminary league
. If the team qualifies, they get to compete in the Tecmo Cup.
With this game, Tecmo tried to preserve the rivalry between characters in the original Captain Tsubasa series. The result was a confusing storyline coupled with odd behaviour of characters for ambiguous reasons. This, and the several player line-up changes that occur, such as David leaving and rejoining, add little depth to the game's already distorted storyline.
As soon as the player comes into contact with an opponent a menu screen is shown, in which the player decides what to do next. Options differ depending on if the player is in possession of the ball or not. If in possession of the ball, the player has the option to dribble past the opponent, pass to a teammate, perform a one-two (multiple passes between player and teammate), or shoot. When not in possession of the ball, the player has the option tackle the opponent, perform a passcut (if anticipating a pass), block the opponent, or simply stay put.
The player does not have to come in contact with an opponent to perform the above moves, he can perform them at any point during the game.
In addition to the default options mentioned above, there are also player-specific variations of the moves such as Robert's Gigadrive shot or Alfred's Kaiser tackle. These special abilities seem to defy the laws of physics (in a manner very similar to Shaolin Soccer
), but contribute significantly to the dynamic action of the game.
Before the start of each match, each player is assigned an amount of "guts" proportional to their level. Every default move they perform during the match takes a small amount from their guts. The more work a player does on the field, the more guts they lose. Thus, guts can be thought of as a measure of energy a player has. Special abilities will take a huge amount of guts from the player, rendering him useless after they perform one or two. When the player is very low on guts, all he is able to do is pass to another player with more guts, or keep running with the ball. After every half-time, some of the player's guts are replenished.
However, the guts for a player do not regenerate when not controlling the player, unlike the Captain Tsubasa games.
In a somewhat humorous gesture, commentary is provided by an orange parrot wearing a suit, who is heavily biased towards the player's team. He cries if the team loses, but celebrates when the team is victorious.
Kick Off is the main mode of gameplay, following the game's storyline. After winning each match, a 30-letter password
is given to the player so he can continue his progress at a later time should he wish to stop. If a match is lost, the player has to repeat it as many times as it takes to win, thus there is no "game over
". This does not apply to the second match in this mode, Dreams vs. Hams, which is next to impossible to win (there are those which have accomplished this feat to disappointing results—the game continues on as normal ). If the player loses in this match, the game simply loads the next match. Also, the guts system does not seem to apply to opponents in this mode—they can use their special abilities over and over again.
In All Stars
mode, the player gets to create a custom team called the Dragons. The player first chooses the half-time
length, and then proceeds to choose from the thirty playable characters. The player can then use this team to play against another human player, or against the CPU
, the opposing team being called the Tigers in both cases.
When playing against a human player in this mode, the menu interface shown is slightly different, to prevent the opposing player from knowing what the other player selected.
Password
mode allows the player to enter the 30-letter password obtained from Kick Off mode to continue their progress.
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
with license from Tecmo for the Mega Drive/Genesis
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
, it was cancelled due to the release department of Sega Europe's policy regarding third party games (along with many other games, most of them that already had a Japanese release, like Splatterhouse 3
Splatterhouse 3
Splatterhouse 3 is the title of a video game released by Namco for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1993. It is the sequel to Splatterhouse 2 and was one of the first games to be given a rating by Sega's own Videogame Rating Council. In North America the game was given a MA-13 rating by the council for...
or Golden Axe III
Golden Axe III
is the last installment in the Golden Axe series released for the Sega Mega Drive on June 25, 1993. The cartridge unit was only released in Japan while the North American release was a Sega Channel exclusive....
). The game would have enjoyed a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
-exclusive release because the game was heavily promoted on many magazines and promo videos at the time. 'SuperJuegos' magazine from Spain even had a VHS promotion video including footage of the game and promoting its further release. There is a ROM of this game, which features dodgy English translated text, and gameplay that seems unfinished.
The game greatly resembles the Captain Tsubasa
Captain Tsubasa
, also known as Flash Kicker, is a popular long running Japanese manga, animation, and video game series, originally created by Yōichi Takahashi in 1981...
series and games in appearance of character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
s and gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
. A similar game was released a year before for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
under the title Tecmo Cup Soccer Game
Tecmo Cup Soccer Game
Tecmo Cup Soccer Game is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Released in 1992 by Tecmo, it is a soccer game...
, which was also released in Europe as Tecmo Cup Football Game.
Features
- Note: The following information from here to the end of the article is intended for the ROM version of the game intended for Sega Mega Drive/Genesis emulators.
Unlike other soccer simulators
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
, Tecmo Cup Football Game plays more like a role-playing game. The player runs around the field normally, but when he comes into contact with an opposing team member, a turn-based 'battle' is initiated. The player then has the option to perform a variety of moves such as dribbling, tackling and shooting, in addition to player-specific moves, some of which are physics-defying and destructive.
Story
Captain Tsubasa
, also known as Flash Kicker, is a popular long running Japanese manga, animation, and video game series, originally created by Yōichi Takahashi in 1981...
), with a passion for soccer and a dream of winning the World Cup. To achieve his ambition, he joins the Dreams F.C. with his brother David and soon becomes captain and star player of the team.
Robert must defeat all opposing teams in the national tournament. Shortly after the victory, Robert is contacted by an agent called Sylvia, who offers Robert the position of captain in the new all-star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team called the Ours. The Ours play a few matches against other clubs, and soon compete in the preliminary league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
. If the team qualifies, they get to compete in the Tecmo Cup.
With this game, Tecmo tried to preserve the rivalry between characters in the original Captain Tsubasa series. The result was a confusing storyline coupled with odd behaviour of characters for ambiguous reasons. This, and the several player line-up changes that occur, such as David leaving and rejoining, add little depth to the game's already distorted storyline.
Characters
There are 30 playable characters, many of which are remodeled versions of one another, with minor variation in such things as hair and eye colours and hair lengths. Only the more important characters in the game are given a unique appearance. These characters include Robert, David, and Alfred.| Player | Team (position) | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Robert | Dreams (CF) | The game's protagonist. As a child, he played soccer with his brother David, and soon becomes captain of Dreams F.C. and the Ours. |
| David | Dreams (MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... ) Sharks (MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... ) |
Robert's older brother. Is constantly doubtful of his abilities and leaves Dreams F.C., only to return at a later point in the game. |
| Alfred | Ham (CF) Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... (CF) |
Extremely skilled player, and is captain of both Ham F.C., and the German national team. Robert's primary rival. |
Gameplay
Tecmo Cup Football Game is a radical departure from traditional soccer simulators; the game resembles an RPG more than anything. The player runs around the field normally, navigating by means of a miniature overhead view of the field located at the bottom of the screen, on which they are represented by the number they occupy on the team. The player in possession of the ball is seen as a tiny football.The player does not have to come in contact with an opponent to perform the above moves, he can perform them at any point during the game.
In addition to the default options mentioned above, there are also player-specific variations of the moves such as Robert's Gigadrive shot or Alfred's Kaiser tackle. These special abilities seem to defy the laws of physics (in a manner very similar to Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
), but contribute significantly to the dynamic action of the game.
Before the start of each match, each player is assigned an amount of "guts" proportional to their level. Every default move they perform during the match takes a small amount from their guts. The more work a player does on the field, the more guts they lose. Thus, guts can be thought of as a measure of energy a player has. Special abilities will take a huge amount of guts from the player, rendering him useless after they perform one or two. When the player is very low on guts, all he is able to do is pass to another player with more guts, or keep running with the ball. After every half-time, some of the player's guts are replenished.
However, the guts for a player do not regenerate when not controlling the player, unlike the Captain Tsubasa games.
In a somewhat humorous gesture, commentary is provided by an orange parrot wearing a suit, who is heavily biased towards the player's team. He cries if the team loses, but celebrates when the team is victorious.
Game modes
The game consists of two modes, Kick Off and All Stars, as well as having a Password option.Kick Off is the main mode of gameplay, following the game's storyline. After winning each match, a 30-letter password
Password
A password is a secret word or string of characters that is used for authentication, to prove identity or gain access to a resource . The password should be kept secret from those not allowed access....
is given to the player so he can continue his progress at a later time should he wish to stop. If a match is lost, the player has to repeat it as many times as it takes to win, thus there is no "game over
Game over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
". This does not apply to the second match in this mode, Dreams vs. Hams, which is next to impossible to win (there are those which have accomplished this feat to disappointing results—the game continues on as normal ). If the player loses in this match, the game simply loads the next match. Also, the guts system does not seem to apply to opponents in this mode—they can use their special abilities over and over again.
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
mode, the player gets to create a custom team called the Dragons. The player first chooses the half-time
Half-time
In some team sports such as association football and rugby, matches are played in two halves. Half-time is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match...
length, and then proceeds to choose from the thirty playable characters. The player can then use this team to play against another human player, or against the CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
, the opposing team being called the Tigers in both cases.
When playing against a human player in this mode, the menu interface shown is slightly different, to prevent the opposing player from knowing what the other player selected.
Password
Password
A password is a secret word or string of characters that is used for authentication, to prove identity or gain access to a resource . The password should be kept secret from those not allowed access....
mode allows the player to enter the 30-letter password obtained from Kick Off mode to continue their progress.
Trivia
- The game had redone versions of the music in Tecmo Cup Soccer GameTecmo Cup Soccer GameTecmo Cup Soccer Game is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Released in 1992 by Tecmo, it is a soccer game...
, but the theme when the enemy team has the ball was the one in the Japanese version of Tecmo Cup Soccer Game.