10 best football games ever

In case you hadn’t heard, we’ve revealed our list of the Best 100 Games Ever. But with the Premiership season just starting, we thought we’d pick the 10 best footie games of all time…

Kick Off 2 1990

Still revered today as one of the finest kicky-ball games of all time, Dino Dini’s masterpiece was serious soccer for the soccerati. Unlike previous games, the Kick Off series featured a ball that didn’t magically stick to players’ feet. We take that for granted now, but blimey was it tricky back then!

Platform: Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad, Spectrum, NES

FIFA 10 2009

The current daddy of footie games, FIFA 10 is the choice of the Stuff team after finally toppling the Pro Evo series. Our epic Office World Cup is finally coming to an end after about 4 months.

Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, DS, PSP, iPhone, PS2

Sensible World of Soccer 1994

Silly sprites and 10ft slides were the order of the day for arguably the most fun football game ever. After years of the rather serious Kick Off 2, the original Sensi Soccer was a welcome slice of banana-bending frivolity. This updated version featured nearly every pro team on the planet. All looking silly.

Platform: Amiga, PC

Pro Evolution Soccer 4 2004

After so many great PES games, it seems churlish to pick a favourite. But consensus of opinion is that the fourth instalment was the best of the bunch.

Platform: PS2, Xbox, PC

Microprose Soccer 1989

Most memorable for being relentlessly frenetic. It also introduced variable levels of aftertouch – so you could alter how much you can swerve the ball – and for the changeable weather conditions. The team that created this was later responsible for Sensible Soccer.

Platform: Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad, C64, Spectrum

Football Manager Handheld 2010 2010

The legendary Championship Manager series has evolved into the Football Manager franchise. And yet this handheld version is oddly, endearingly reminiscent of the early Champ Man games. Take charge of your favourite team and guide them to glory from the sidelines. But remember, it’s no fun starting at the top.

Platform: iPhone

Match Day II 1987

Possibly the first good footie game for home computers. The tiny power meter was a revelation, but the best thing was watching the teams line up to “When the Saints Go Marching In”. Brings a tear to the eye.

Platform: Amstrad, C64, Spectrum, MSX

Flick Kick Football 2010

Not a complete game of football, granted, but an infuriatingly addictive sub-game. Just a ball, a goal, goalie and various configurations of defenders in a wall. Use a swipe of your finger to lob it, curl it and get a bonus points for particularly skilful shots inside the posts or just under the crossbar.

Platform: iPhone

Tehkan World Cup 1985

Don’t remember it? Imagine it sitting across a smokey pub, near the dartboard… There you go. This was the first good football coin-op, featuring two-player action and trackball control in a table-style cabinet (usually with beer stains).

Platform: Arcade

Actua Soccer 1995

The first football game to use full 3D graphics – and it wasn’t half bad. Interestingly, you could take control of just one player on the pitch. In case, y’know, you wanted to goal hang.

Platform: PlayStation, PC, Mac, Saturn

Now check out Stuff’s 100 Best Games Ever