Dynamite Soccer 2002 PS1 Review

Dynamite Soccer 2002 is the third entry in the series that was originally released on the PlayStation in Japan back in 2002 and follows the same aesthetic of the previous two games in the series with the use of very quirky styled graphical elements with having 3D visuals for the likes of the environment and the arenas that you're playing in but the characters and players would all be utilized with 2D Sprites which definitely became a staple in the series history and it really made it stand out as compared to other types of soccer games. 

Because even though this game had been released in 2002 like the PlayStation had already been out around seven years at this point and you had more mainstream games with likes of FIFA and ISS Pro or it would eventually become Pro Evo. 

Games like this you'd be wondering to yourself why were they developing games like this when you had games that looked better in terms of the visual quality but I suppose that was kind of the trend that these type of games were going for because they wanted to be different. 

Now had these games been released earlier in the PlayStation's lifespans here around 1995 and even in 1996, these games would have probably done quite well and would have been very popular but obviously they were popular in Japan for a reason because with the games having four entries in the series it states that it was popular. 

But with the dominance of the ISS series and FIFA it's very very hard for a lot of other types of soccer games to really make any sort of a mark on the console and even in the games industry in general. 

But what it does do it does do quite well if you have played the previous two entries in the series, they play almost identical there's very little difference in terms of what is on offer apart from updated player stats and teams and a few additional modes and features but graphically they're essentially the same. 

The dynamics of the sprites are somewhat improved with each version of the game but technically in all respects there are visually the same game in all regards. 

But how does the play and feel compared to the originals? It does play quite well but even with that I played the 1998 edition and I found that actually quite good and I found it to be simple enough to pick up and play although the gameplay speed doesn't be as fast compared to other titles. 

Now the speed has been somewhat improved in this version of the game from what I could tell from having spent time playing it but in all honesty compared to other soccer games that I've played on the PlayStation while it may not look as much say in the visual department, the graphics are nice and it does suit what the game is going for and if I'll be brutally honest like compared to soccer games I have played this game series would be the closest that I've found two likes of FIFA and ISS and even this is soccer in terms of its playability and its control systems. 

As you can dribble the ball, you can string passes together and you feel like you genuinely have more control over the game overall. 

Mind you it is difficult it is tough to score goals, the computer AI can be somewhat difficult to overcome for the most part but it generally is a good fun game to play overall and considering even though it has simulation elements but it feels more like an arcade game in all respects to it. 

But it just has a fun type of quirky nature to it that you don't often see in soccer games and that's what makes it really stand out and I just like the visual style of it. I just think it's fun and it's quirky and very different but it's interesting because even spending time looking for information on the games online, there's very little information that you can find regarding any of the games in the series that you can find on the internet or maybe if you can it's probably locked behind the language barrier because with the games being only solely seen in Japan. 

There probably is very little information that you can find in other regions about the game but having spent time playing it, it is actually a decent title or a decent array of titles although I'd imagine when you compare them to the likes of the more mainstream games they probably wouldn't have been as well received but for what to do or for they definitely play a lot better than some of the soccer games I've played on the PlayStation. 

But it will be quite difficult for many to understand what to do or even just to pick up and play in general but once you spend a bit of time with it they are a fun selection of games to really get into and if you're looking for something a little bit different you can't go wrong with these type of games. 

They are definitely quirky in their nature. 

If you want something that genuinely is visually different and it's more simplistic in terms of how it looks and it feels but it will present a challenge all the same then you can check these games out and see what you think for yourself. 

And I would love to know your thoughts on Dynamite Soccer 2002 for the PlayStation if you have played it yourself and do you know anything about this series of games and if so what do you think of them. 

Be sure to share it in the comments below and be sure to keep watching to see more content on other games similar to Dynamite Soccer 2002, you can check out the blog where we will be diving into the iconic elements of these classic video games and as always keep those gaming memories alive...