Soccer Story
Cheerful 2D tale combines sports and adventure.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Soccer Story
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Soccer Story is a downloadable role-playing game with a sports theme for Nintendo Switch, Windows PCs, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. Players take on the role of a cheerful, helpful teen -- a boy or girl -- who takes on a corporation that's trying to control anything and everything to do with soccer. They befriend several other characters of various genders, ages, and skin tones, and assist them with tasks ranging from cleaning up garbage to kicking down cairns, all while constantly working to improve their soccer skills and bring the game back to the people from which it was stolen. There's no violence, sex, profanity, substance use, or in-game purchases.
What’s It About?
SOCCER STORY is set in a world where a tyrannical corporation has taken soccer away from the masses, restricting it to official matches between a handful of registered teams. But things change when the player's character -- a teen boy or girl, depending on whom you choose -- finds a magic soccer ball and begins a quest to bring soccer back to the people. They begin by rounding up a team of folks who used to play before the sport was banned, helping them with simple tasks, such as shooting the ball into spilled trash cans to tip them right-side-up and kicking targets. Once this is done, players are free to begin exploring the world around the hero's hometown more freely, finding beaches, fields, and forests where they get to take on more tasks and mini-games, such as playing futgolf, a marriage of golf and soccer. As the game goes on, players find medals that they can use to up the hero's skills in areas like dribbling and energy, and also find better boots, which in turn unlocks more mini-quests, abilities, and areas to explore. Players also encounter other soccer clubs against which they can play quick matches, passing, tackling, and shooting their way to victory as they reignite people's love of the long lost sport.
Is It Any Good?
You don't need to enjoy soccer to have a blast with this cute little role-playing game. To be sure, Soccer Story is an ode to what fans have dubbed The Beautiful Game, with many characters characters waxing lyrically about what the sport means to them and the role it plays in bringing together communities. But actual matches within the game are short and simple, consisting of just a handful of players passing, kicking, and sliding. The physics are basic and intuitive, and multiple skill levels means you don't need to be a soccer superstar to win (though the controls for a couple of things can be a little weird -- like aiming, shooting, and kicking fast shots all with the same hand).
But the game is about much more than just soccer. Presented in a cute, pixelated 2D style, players explore a vibrant world filled with fun characters who send players on all sorts of quests, from kicking balls at drone targets to wrangling a panda to serve as your team captain. You'll use your soccer skills to accomplish certain objectives, such as dribbling your way through a race course, but you don't need to be a soccer superfan to understand and do what needs to be done. Plus, the whole experience has a wonderfully upbeat vibe. It's about trying to restore joy, energy, and freedom to a world that a corporation and its "referees" want to choke with rules and control. And, refreshingly, it's all done without any violence or scariness. Soccer Story may ostensibly be about the world's love of a particular sport, but spend an hour with it and you'll find there's a bit more to it than just that.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about screen time. Soccer Story lets players roam freely with multiple quests on the go at any given time, which can make it tough to pick a good spot to take a break from playing, so how do you manage your screen time based on a set time limit, or by accomplishing specific tasks in a game?
Which sport do you enjoy most? Does your enjoyment of it have to do with your skill and talent, the people you get to play it with, or something else?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($19.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: No More Robots
- Release date: November 29, 2022
- Genre: Role-Playing
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Adventures, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- ESRB rating: E for No Descriptors
- Last updated: November 29, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Mario Golf: Super Rush
Mario and friends swing away for a fun time on the links.
-
Nintendo Switch Sports
Sports compilation promotes physical activity, socializing.
-
Mario Tennis Aces
Fun, safe, often surprisingly challenging tennis sim.
For kids who love sports
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate