Striker Pro 2000

by Infogrames

Product Details

• ASIN: B00004S9WT
• Item Weight: 5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,993 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Editorial Review

Sega's Virtua Striker was supposed to be the Dreamcast's first great soccer game, but as it turns out, Striker Pro 2000 outplays the opposition with lively on-field action and a wealth of options to boot.

Striker Pro will wow soccer fans with 130 teams from the best European leagues as well as from all over the world. There are three levels of competition from national to international cup play, which can be unlocked once players prove in their worth in training mode.

Striker Pro scores early with its options, letting players adjust weather conditions, injury time, and penalty settings as well as toggle between the analog and digital control pads. Speed and difficulty can also be bumped up to taste. On the field, teams play up, back, or somewhere in the middle, with the score often determining a team's formation. Animations and graphics are Dreamcast quality, and the control is intuitive. In fact, we'll go so far as to say that Striker Pro 2000 is the most perfect soccer video game that we've played thus far. --Robb Guido

Pros:

• 130 teams and three different cup modes
• Flawless control and a helpful training mode

Cons:

• Weak commentary could have been improved

Product Description

Striker Pro 2000 is endorsed by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the governing body for professional soccer in Europe, where the game is sometimes more like religion than sport. It is modeled after the European league and features over 40 clubs in such different competitions modes as classic match, league, and super trophy. Detailed polygonal players compete with a full range of professional skills, and announcers call the play-by-play.

The game's new control method is designed for both beginners to learn the game and devotees to master. Improve your soccer skills in the game's training mode by practicing your shooting, passing, defending, penalties, and set pieces. Once you've learned the art of calm passing, quick ball control, and shooting at an all-out sprint, try for certification. There are 10 stages for each skill test, and, depending on your score, you'll be certified as a UEFA player, trainer, or UEFA coach. Each certification is harder to achieve than the previous, but higher levels provide access to better teams. Striker Pro 2000 even lets you change the uniforms and colors of teams to your taste and offers a variety of customizable camera angles.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly well done, May 27, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Striker Pro 2000 (Video Game)

I've heard a lot of complaining and whining about how subpar this and the recently released Virtua Striker turned out to be. Well, as someone who has played soccer games since before there were any Nintendo/Sega/Sony consoles to play them on, this game is NOT on my list of disappointments. And it safely demolishes Virtua in most respects.

Now going into this, I was well aware of how fantastic the FIFA series (on PSX) has been, and seeing as how there will be no FIFA for Dreamcast, I knew I would have to settle for something else. Striker Pro 2000 falls slightly more to the "arcade" side of things than FIFA, though that's not to say that it's got NO sim aspects. It merely relies more heavily on gameplay over atmosphere and names. 130 teams in all (many are hidden) though no official licenses (except a UEFA license, which incidentally the game was named in Europe, UEFA Soccer) mean you're forced to interpret which teams are which, but that's a minor quibble.

Gameplay, you ask? For the most part, stellar. Silky smooth animation that even puts some of FIFA's slightly dated and choppy maneuvering to shame. Passing is easy, shooting is tremendously diverse, and soccer fans may rejoice that the crossing pass is intact and very deadly. Goalies are intelligent, some seem superhuman, but it just makes scoring that must-have goal that much sweeter. At least in this game, BOTH goalies put on a great show, unlike some games where your keeper is swiss cheese compared to the CPU's stone wall. Many different tackles, some more effective than others, provide a nice range of defensive options (but be careful, or the cards will most definitely NOT emerge in your favor). What this game does well is create situations. Players don't just mill about aimlessly, they seem to be working towards plays and attempting to get open. The only irritating moments are when you can't manage to switch players accurately enough to thwart the current ball-handler, until he's away from you (though I must say I've rarely encountered a footie game that this DIDN'T happen in to some extent).

Graphics are spotless, shiny, and clean, though utilitarian at the same time. No fancy intros, no spiffy extra cut scenes, just well-animated game-time. Sound is adequate, the announcers don't approach the range of sayings that the FIFA crew boasts, but it serves the game well, and sometimes they interpret stats and situations better than their FIFA counterparts.

As for extras, Striker Pro 2000 has the BEST practice mode in the gaming universe. FIFA's practice sessions were always abhorrent and seemed tacked-on just to say that they're there. Practice here takes place on a special practice field, with the players decked out in practice jerseys and such, and actually helps you to be a better player, in addition to providing some Gran-Turismo-esque multi-tiered "license tests" that unlock bonus items. And for you Baseball Stars fans, there are 8 edit-teams that you can comprise with your own choice of players, and even pick their colors and names. That's a feature that's been missing in a good football title for many moons.

So, in summary, this ISN'T FIFA. BUT it still manages to hold its own as the Dreamcast's best soccer game. The plain, spartan nature of it might turn some people off (pointless polygonal eye-candy has spoiled many a gamer) but when you get down to playing, it proves to be very enjoyable as well as satisfyingly accurate. I would recommend it to beginners and gaming veteran's alike.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A cool game with 130 teams and great gameplay., October 13, 2001

By 

Angela M. Healey "AngelaMHealey" (Hull) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Striker Pro 2000 (Video Game)

This is a great footy game. It has 130 teams and the gameplay is very realistic. If you love football, then you'll love this game. I think you should buy it if you have a Dreamcast because it is the best game available for the conolsole. Buy it now!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best soccer game on DC so far...., November 2, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Striker Pro 2000 (Video Game)

This game has excellent graphics, but the gameplay is a little weak. The goalkeepers are pretty hard to beat, and what really bothers me is when your on defense it keeps switching to different people on your team that you don't want to be. That can definitely cost you a goal, as I have been painfully reminded more than once.