The Football Game That Beat FIFA To a World First - Actua Soccer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Many memeroble football games were released throughout the 90s including ISS Pro Evolution, FIFA, and Adidas Power Soccer. Before any of those classic soccer games came about, Actua Soccer was released and it started a gaming revolution for the PlayStation 1 (PS1), MS DOS, and Sega Saturn. In this video, we're going to talk about everything that made Actua Soccer such an amazing and important game, It introduced the world to a modern approach to gaming, well before EA or Konami, and played a huge role in shaping football games throughout the 90s and 00s.
Retro SamBam is a video game documentary channel dedicated to Retro Gaming and telling the many wonderful stories of Classic Video Games. So many classic games were made for the PlayStation, Nintendo, and Sega that influenced modern gaming culture. If any of these gaming history videos causes an onset of nostalgia, please remember to leave a thumbs up 👍🏻
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Thanks for sharing this. I’m a Norwegian teacher, and grew up with Actua Soccer. It was the start of a dedication and years ahead that I could never could have imagined. I have talked to most the programmers, designer and other people in the team of the game. After years of work and setbacks I got the source code of the Macintosh version in 2014. I had two journeys to Sheffield prior 2014, and picked up the source code backups in Sweden eventually. It is a shame that all original backups were lost when Infogramers (ATARI that bought Gremlin in 1999) closed their doors. Everything from the Sheffield office was thrown and the building demolished. This game got an extremely interesting history, and that team worked with a passion and interest far beyond what the boring professionalized game industry today does. It’s two different worlds apart. It is truly a game with its own spirit. Far beyond anything from that period.
Just think of a game that even got the legendary Arne Scheie as commentator on the Norwegian version. Yes, the game was republished in many countries to multiple language. The team was interested to reach as many as possible with the game. There are an American, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Norwegian version with commentators of their language. In the US the game is named VR Soccer and is just as famous as Actua Soccer, distributed by Interplay. In Norway, a unknown company (for myself) called AddOn, published "Fotball Feber", which would be football fever in English as the Norwegian version of Actua Soccer. However it never really made any success, and I probably got one of very few copies that is still around in my collection.
Actua soccer 1 was a totally different game with a different team and source code. AS 2,3 and (4) were a different source code by a different team. Many of the programmers in the first version were headhunted to EA. Eventually several of them formed their own company. The main programmer of version 1 still works for EA today.
The Premier manager was not a Gremlin coded game. It was a republish with English menus of the Spanish Dynamic Multimadias successful series called PCFutbol. They went into liquidation in the same period as Infogrames.
Wow, Thanks Thomas! It must've been amazing to get the chance to speak to the programmers! There's no doubt that these guys put their heart and soul into the game.
Thanks for all of the extra info. I like to keep my videos short and sweet with just enough nostalgia that doesn't overwhelm people, but I'm sure a lot of people would love to read the extra details you've taken the time write. In which case, I've pinned your comment to the top of the video. Hope that's okay! 😁
@@RetroSamBam Thanks for your feedback. I’m delighted that you use time to reply. I’ve been on this journey since the 90s. Back in 1995 I was only a toddler at 10 years. It’s been very interesting to talk to the programmers and other team members. However sadly many of the programmers of the Actua Soccer 1 hasn’t been easy going. Those I met in Sheffield were mostly programmers of other games like Lee Hickey, Asad Habib and Sie Barlow. Amazing guys all of them.
However I did a trip to Sweden to Julian Gardner, the porter of the mac version, and had a chat with him. That’s the final talk we have had together. However he was the only one reaching out to me of anyone back in 2006 when he mentioned he did the port. I think Julian is amazing and I am very much thankful to his effort.
The designer, Wayne Laybourn, is a fantastic and emphatic guy indeed, just like the PS1 interview video sort of reveals. He also gives me a feedback when I’ve asked him for some details.
I also talked in early days with the musician, himself in person (Neil Biggin), which have written a bit in this thread already. My impressions is that he is a very social, professional and positive guy.
I’ve also talked a lot with Paul Hiley, which is a truly amazing and intelligent guy. He did some parts of the motion captures and work on a pitch code for the game, which was eventually used in the game.
Of the owner at Gremlin I’ve been in touch with Barry Hatch. He is still in the gaming industry. He has been very generous with me compared to most others. He used time, even if he is a very busy guy, on both trips I did to Sheffield to meet me.
Not to mention the owner Martin Holley of Runecraft, the company Julian work for. Gremlin and Runecraft work a lot together for example for these Actua ports where Julian was a contractor. He had never touch a Mac previously, but was extremely talented and mastered it quickly. He did the port in 6 months. After evaluating the port myself I’m truly impressed. Martin described Julian as the most intelligent and talented programmer he had ever worked with. 👍🏻
Sadly many of the programmers of version one left on bad terms. They were not good payed, and that probably haven’t been a very good start point for me to work on. My experience and impressions is that Ian wasn’t the easiest guy around and a true business man so to speak. 🗣️ He even holds on to the IPs today like an angry dog, and there isn’t little chance there would be any new version with the Actua Soccer name around during his lifetime.
Many ex-Gremlins, like the PS1 porter Philip Rankin, works at SUMO in Sheffield to day. Those guys, without mention names, told me to keep my hands off. They don’t seem friendly at all. There is certainly a lot of mixed feelings about their old workplace.
I did at one time make a history document. There is a lot you could have mentioned indeed. I am very glad and feel humbled for anyone that did accept to meet or talk to me. For me this journey will continue throughout my life. Actua shaped my childhood and the history is extremely interesting. That the programmers are very hard to get makes it probably even more interesting as you have to go to secondary sources to try to figure out things. I wish I had a big audience I could have somehow could have used as a platform to get the story told after all that research, but sadly I don’t got that. 👍🏻
It's a great story about Fotball Feber - do you have any scans at all? Was it on PC? I'd love to be able to archive something. I've obtained an italian version with George Weah on the cover.
@ I got the original in my collection of Football Feber. I also got most versions launched including the boxed Floppy disk version. 👍🏻
@ could you do me a scan or photo for the Gremlin Archive?
Golden age of footie games. Actua, Pro Evo/ISS, FIFA, Libre Grande, This is Football, Viva Football, World League Soccor, Adidas Football and so many others. Killer management games too, LMA Manager will forever live in my heart. We had it too good.
Not to forget Fever Pitch Soccer on the SNES was mental. It was like NBA Jam where the ball would go on fire.
Even FIFA spinoffs like street.
Me and my friend played actua soccer 2 for hours after school, I remember it let you customise players and teams - we created our school team, happy memories. It was way ahead of its time.
Ex gremlin here. My first game was working on actua soccer 4 which was released as uefa challenge great times
Judging by the video that came with Actua Soccer, the team looked amazing! Bet you lot had a right laugh 😁
Thanks for the game bro! I played it with my brother in Indonesia, far away from its homeland… enjoyed so much..!!
Mate loved the game thank you!
Hi, also and ex-Gremlin dev here, I worked in Actua 1, Actua 2, Euro 96 and Actua Club Edition. Great times
@richstevenson7955 where you on the database team compiling all tge football stats? Towards the end of my time I was on the mocap team.
Back when we had lots of choice before the world dumbed down to two games based on updates and online
It really was the golden age ❤️
Amen.
@@sorrynationst3685 make that 1 and a half games. Konami has waved the white flag and ceded the Asian/Euro market to EA when it transitioned to F2P
Now it's down to a single game.
Sad.
Where's a decent version of SWOS with online play for modern consoles when you need it?
@@ACatCalledSnowSociable Soccer 24 is out this year
Loved this game, the commentary absolutely made it for me, hearing Barry Davies shouting "DUNGA!!" Whenever he took a shot is a locked in childhood memory that will never leave me!
I had actua soccer 2 that was cracking. Loved that, the early FIFA games and the ISS pro evolution games.
Man I played the Actua Soccer series to death as a kid. I absolutely loved Actua Golf as well. Great days!
Actua Golf was great. Such a relaxing game experience.
@@DidYaServe It was until you sliced the ball. "That shot's been hooked away,hooked away!"😂
Actua golf was so funny especially when the ball went in the water lol
“Oh no no no no it’s in the water”
@@michaelterry2765 C'mon lads... this is golf, not water polo!
I played Actua Soccer as Ran Soccer in Germany and couldn't believe it was real - much less that it would run on whatever hardware I had at the time. The German commentary was done by a famous sportscaster (Jörg Wontorra), and it was mind-blowing to hear him call the game "in real time". For the '98 World Cup, I simulated all the fixtures using this game, and it predicted France winning the title. 😄
My friend bought this when he bought his playstation in 95 . Remember being blown away. Growing up with Emlyn Hugh's international football & FIFA this was next step up.
banged this game when I was young. Camera angles were a nightmare but the curlers you could score outside the box never got boring. class game.
I used to play this a lot back in the day. I still have a copy. Barry Davis provided a great commentary.
Used to love scoring from throw ins on this game whilst the opposition keeper stood rooted to the spot.
Memories.
speaking as a 57 year old who has been playing football games for 30 years this is the best football game ever with regard to the real feel and essence of football also with unpredictability also has the 2nd best commentator of all time i am talking particularly about the last instalment of this series
@@karlhowsham200 Whenever a player took a shot Barry Davies got very excited.
'Shhheeeeaaaaarrrreeeerrrrr!'
As 55 y old owner of the first Playstation 1 released I can confirm that Actua Soccer was instant hit when it came out. Literally all my friends waiting at my house to play it, since it was very expensive toy to have in my country back in the 90s, we had tournaments every day the whole summer next 3 years
@@WeOutlawsTV88 It's sad that the series no longer lives. Same with PES.
Brings back good memories of playing my brother on this when I was a kid. Good times. Barry Davies commentary was pretty funny on it too.
"He's already on the next page, he read that so early."
Actua Soccer was the only footy game I ever enjoyed as a kid!. Absolute classic 👌
2 and 3 were great games. 3 in particular was very underated. Once set up correctly, it provided an excellent football game.
Mate, this video is class, you must be about my age, I can still remember it sit on the shelf in the game store
Thanks Ross, glad you enjoyed it 😁
Loved this game. I remember the camera angle bringing plenty funny moments. Like playing a frustrating pass to no one... only for it to turn into an amazing through ball as your guy ran into view.
Hey buddy. Just wanted to say...great video. Nice job, well made.
Subbed
Thank you 😁 I really appreciate it ❤️
Actua Soccer and Actua Golf were on a different level. Great memories.
Actua not actual!!!! Arghhhhh
😂 Enjoyable video though 👍
Haha you won't believe how many times I told myself to pronounce Actua properly before doing voiceover as well 🙈 thanks for watching Paul 😁
@@RetroSamBam i enjoyed the video though, was chuckling to myself when you then said actual when you introduced the other games in the series 😂 I remember playing them all though, keep up the good work
Great retrospective, loved the after touch on the shooting too
Chris Woods and Andy Sinton are forgotten legends of the English game.
What about Graham Hyde 😮
I remember playing the demo of this back then. My favorite game from this era was Virtua Striker 1 and 2 on the arcades
Finally some love for the Actua series! My first was Actua Soccer 2, which I played to death, and then Actua Soccer 3 was so much better with teams from around the world as well as better graphics. Still probably my favourite football game of all time.
Actua Soccer 2 was the first football video game I ever played, and to this day one of my favourites. Spent countless hours playing with all of the rules switched off just to enjoy the chaos: ridiculous crunching slide tackles and scoring from throw-ins being particular highlights
Good vid. Nice to see it get a bit more exposure. I used to play AS2 all the time and enjoy the hidden teams and adding my own players to take through a cup
Thank you for this. Finally someone did an proper tribute for this amazing game!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video 😁
Virtua Striker was the first 3D footy game, but indeed not for the home console market. Actua Soccer on a PC that could run it was mad fun, back then and it contained licensed players - which was wild! EA didn't do full 3D for a long time, even FIFA RTWC 98 still had a 2D football. FIFA 2000 was the first FIFA to feature a 3D football and thus join the dozens of other games on the list.
@HugeBonami Sega had 2 football franchises back then virtua striker and sega worldwide soccer
Loved playing Actua Soccer 2 on PC. Barry Davies and Trevor Brooking oncommentary. I always played as Iceland, and still vividly remember Barry's cries of "SIGGI JONSSON!" whenever the diminutive midfielder let fly with a screamer from the sweet spot outside the box.
Actua was my first PS1 football game. I played this so much I knew the late Barry Davies's commentary off by heart
Barry Davies is still alive! The best ever.
@@mikepotter2561 I swear I thought he passed away
Cheers for that trip down memory lane. I jumped from FIFA on the mega drive, to getting a PlayStation with Actua Soccer. You’re correct in that it wasn’t the best, as the one button system was somewhat innovative at the time, but not as good as later games with individual buttons for pass, through ball, cross and shoot.
I remember one weird thing that used to happen when playing against wales, with Mark Pembridge up front. As soon as the whistle went and was passed the ball from striker number 2 (they play 4-4-2 I think), he hit it from the centre circle almost every time and scored.
It was hilarious. Why? Because Pembridge couldn’t score from within the penalty box, yet in this game he could pull off goals from the half easy line lol.
FIFA the road to World Cup I think it was called, was the first PlayStation game I remember playing, and it felt good to play.
Thats hilarious 😂😂
Actua Soccer was light years ahead of the competition at that time. Eventually switched to ISS/PES though as it got better and better. Also enjoyed LIbero Grande for a while
@@royaltyfreemusiccollective8662
Libero Grande. That takes me back.
@royaltyfreemusiccollective8662 I've never played libero grande but I seen a video of gameplay on youtube and i'm pretty sure it had a pro clubs/be a legend type mode years before PES/FIFA where you could control just one player from a 3rd person camera angle instead of a up above view
@@cryptocsguy9282 It was very much ahead of its time. EA Sports FC 24 has a mode where you play as one person. Libero Grande did that decades ago. It's worth a play.
@@cryptocsguy9282 It wasn't a mode, that was the whole game
@@royaltyfreemusiccollective8662 Oh ok , I had no idea , that's cool
I remember constantly playing the demo for Actua Soccer (called "VR Soccer" here in the States) when I was in middle school - not the least of the reasons being that I didn't yet have a Fifth Gen gaming console, so being able to play PC versions of early PS1 games on my 486 DX2/50 was pretty amazing. I still sometimes consider picking it up on GOG... but then I remember that, even as far as early-3D soccer games go, I have the PC version of FIFA 97 to scratch that itch.
I was addicted to this game in about 1997. Couldn't get me off it. Had to juggle between this game and studying for my GCSE's!
Thanks for your video, a great tribute to an underrated game.
I had so much fun with this game back then... great memories mate!! Too bad windows 95 and 98 where not reliable... which made gaming a challenge in low end computer like mine at that time...
Thank you for your excelent work Mr.!
Thank Francis, glad you enjoyed the video 😁
Enjoyable video, I thought the PC version of FIFA 96 had 3D player models but it’s funny how time plays tricks on you
I really enjoyed this series back in the day. They got the license for the Euro '96 tournament if I recall.
It's sad that the announced Actua Soccer 4, back in the day, never happened.
Thank you for this video.
Thank you for watching 😁
Actua Soccer 2 was the first one for me- Barry Davies and Trevor Brooking on comms, so flipping good! There used to be a box appear with stats such as distance, speed etc when you scored a goal so I always tried to score from the furthest I could!
Growing up as a kid in the early 00s and only then for the first time having a PSOne- AS 2, Brian Lara Cricket, Gran Turismo 2 were my trilogy of most played games.
Actua Soccer was a beast of a game. The commentary was awesome by the Legendary Barry Davies. I had so much fun with this game. Quality times :)
My dad bought me FIFA 96 for our IBM Aptiva but for some reason it wouldn’t install so we swapped it for Actua Soccer. We didn’t even have to pay the £15 difference - this game was £54.99 back then compared to FIFA at £40 but worth every penny! Loved the commentary playing an international league. There were so many football games back then and this was one of the best!
Barry Davies on commentary iirc
Awesome, my first pc was an Aptiva.
I remember Actua Soccer very well! Also there was an Euro 96 edition, which I remember fondly. I think Acuta Soccer 2 was also the first soccer game where you could play in the snow. My jaw dropped when I saw footsteps emerging after the players….
I totally forgot about Actua Soccer...what a blast from the past
Actual golf back then I thought was one of the best golf games around wish it would get remade be brilliant
Loved this game. Used to think the grass looked real too :)😂
No idea why this was recommended but loved it. Thanks for the upload!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 😁
I wasn’t born in the 90s so first time hearing about this game. Very informative. Off to watch the rest of your videos now. You’ve earned a brand new sub 👏🏾.
Thanks 😁
Never had a copy at home but I used to go to the mall every day to play Actua Soccer for hours❤
Wow this brings back memories.
I remember getting this game free when my parents brought me a Packard Bell PC back in the 90s
The actua soccer 2 released when I was middle school. I purchase that and really enjoyed. One of the most impressive thing is that the field had a scratch when player do the sliding tackle! 😂
I remember the Actua Soccer Games, also Actua Tennis and Golf.
I used to live 5 mins away from where gremlin studios was back in the late 90's. It was near meadow hall. Drove past it most days on my way to work. They did make some good games back in the day.
Very cool x And wow, it looks so much better than the Fifa's of the same era. I was playing Olympic Soccer on PSX the other night lol
Played this game relentlessly!
Gremlin also released Top Gear, Zool, Fatal Racing, Lotus, and Motorhead. They were one of my favorite developers back in the 1990s. I had a 486 DX2/66 with 8 megs of RAM, which was the bare minimum to run this game. I tried it, but my computer handled it poorly. I ended up moving on to Fifa 96, which ran a bit better. One or two years down the road, I would eventually buy a PS1 and play a lot of Fifa 98 on it. One more year, and it would be Winning Eleven 3 and 4.
I had this game back in the day, i remember Portugal being super fast in it.
Got Actua Soccer with my PlayStation for Christmas. Had all 3 Actua Soccer games over time. Loved them. If you scored 100 goals in Actua Soccer, the score resets to 0.
Never seen or heard about this football game so thanks for bringing it to my attention. Had to 😅at the end scene though as that ball his the crossbar several times
I had this.. it was a brilliant football game man.. totally brilliant
Enjoyed this! I played through Euro 96 recently as playing through career modes on footy titles currently. You might enjoy the Bitmap books Gremlin Interactive book, its got a whole section on the tech behind Actua games, and talks about how Michael Owen did the motion capture for the 2nd game as Shearer had just done his knee.
Wow that's awesome, thanks! I'll definitely see if I can try to find it 😁
Barry Davis commentry was great as well
I remember they way he use to say Luis enrique
Nearly every football game was better than FIFA.
ISS
Winning 11
Virtua Pro Futbol
FIFA was terrible until 360 gen. PS2 games were truly awful. They felt so wooden and non reactive
Even to this day
@@arostwocentsFIFA 03 is the most overrated Football game of all time. FIFA 03-05 were the low point, those stupid mini games for corners and you could put your free kick aim at the top corner. On top of that, the passing was horrendous and so was the shooting.
FIFA 06 is when they started to copy PES and 07 on the 360 was when it was a good game. Like you said, FIFA was only good on the 360/PS3
Facts !!! PES/winning eleven was so ahead of time in terms of realism that fifa copied them in during the 360 days. Even then , it’s only until fifa 12 that Duda truly took over pes. Pes 10 was one of the greatest football simulation ever made but after that it started becoming a joke
When I was a teen, I remember playing this at my mate's house every weekend after the cinema... and now - as someone who lives a minute's walk from the Sheffield Wednesday ground - imagine my surprise at discovering this game's link to Sheffield and Sheffield Wednesday!
It really is a nice touch getting Sheffield Wednesday involved in this game! thanks for watching 😁
Actua soccer was amazing! 🎉🎉
I remember I had this game in my first computer, had a lot of fun even if I didn't know what I was doing
For me, football game that do revolutionary thing is Winning Eleven 3.
The thing is each player have different height! Its not just visually, but also affect on aerial action. Like Roberto Carlos never win an aerial duel with Oliver Bierhoff.
Its so amazing at that time because no other football games ever do that on PS1 ages other game I remember is Libero Grande).
Other things is random mood system that really matters and force us to do rotation. Yes, its come from previous ISS game on SNES. But still awesome feature, that look weirds EA not copy it yet (they have performance system, but not random).
My 1st ever ps1 footy game …
Brilliant game at the time …
I had Actua Soccer 3 at pc. What a masterpiece it was❤
This was THE game back then, was unreal 🙏🏻
It was mindblowing for me as a kid going from Gary Lineker Superstar Soccer on the speccy to actua soccer on the PlayStation. I've only just twigged they were both Gremlin games
Glad to have stumbled onto this channel by accident as there are some good videos on here of games i used to play as a kid! Hopefully you could do a video on Micro Machines 2 on the megadrive which is the best of the series and one of the greatest multiplayer games before all online bumpf happened!
Thanks Adam, glad you're enjoying the videos! I've added the megadrive version of Micro Machines 2 to my list 😁
I’m sure if I remember right actua soccer 2 had the best intro to a football game I’ve ever seen
Great vid mate! You got a sub.
I remember my mate having Fifa 98 for the PSX and I had it on N64, and the PS version was a cut above. Would love a vid exploring the various ports between the two consoles!
Thanks 😁
One of my very first video games ever! ❣
I had this game, and you're right it was brillerz.
Great game! Great memories!
You missed one, Euro 96
This was also a repackaged version of Actua Soccer and was the last major football tournament game not licenced to EA.
Now you can do Premier Manager...
Euro 96 was the saturns version
@@gunsharckI'm sure it was on ps1 too?
Pretty sure Euro 2020 was licensed to PES but as an update rather than a separate title (so maybe that's why you didn't consider it?). Pretty much the final goodbye...
@@mr8I7 nope, that was an EA gsme
Really enjoyed your video. Subscribed! Loved actua soccer back in the day.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video 😁
I have that game on CD.
Bloody hell i remember this it was awesome had it on the pc
I spent so many hours on this game. Opponent's keeper IA was goofy at times, you'd shoot from midfield and score because keeper wasnt there but the goal would make him come back.
I had this game back in the day ah memories!!
I played this so much. What a game
Damn, I remember this gem :))
Nice vid, subscribed and looking forward to future videos and exploring your older content.
Thanks! Really appreciate it 😁
Before PS1 existed there were Sensible Soccer on Amiga that ruled.
Still rated as one of the best soccer games ever made.
Quality video my man
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it 😁
Who can forget the legendary Actua Soccer!
I actually thought Goal Storm was the 1st 3d soccer game but I guess that was strictly PS1. Actua Soccer on DOS would’ve been out a bit before Goal Storm. Loved this video. Just watched a few of yours in a row. I remember your channel from the ISS 98 vid you done recently.
Awesome! Thanks for watching 😁
You need to do a video on Viva Football/Soccer, it came out in 1998 and for me one of the most underrated gaming concepts for a football game. Have a look
I'll add it to my list 😁
Cool vid. Your accent reminds of that bloke from Waynes world 2.
Thanks 😂
Very interesting video, subbed.
Thanks 😁
motion capture animation...Actua soccer was the 1st. I had the demo back in the day from playstation+ magazine...there was a video on the CD explaining the story
‘Actual’ all the way through the video. ITS ACTUA! Other than that, nice video.
I can confirm this game was a good play.
I had Euro 96 on the Sega Saturn which was from the same guys
Sensible soccer was my first ever football game a loved it should make a video on that game
Wicked game! That's definitely on my list for the near future 😁