Emlyn Hughes International Soccer

Last updated
Emlyn Hughes International Soccer
Ehisinlay.jpg
Amstrad cover art
Publisher(s) Audiogenic Software Ltd.
Composer(s) David Whittaker (Amiga)
Platform(s) Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Release 1988 (C64)
1989 (Amstrad CPC/ZX Spectrum)
1990 (Amiga/Atari ST)
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) One-player, co-operative or Versus
Amiga floppy disk Emlyn Hughes International Soccer (Amiga floppy disk).jpg
Amiga floppy disk

Emlyn Hughes International Soccer (EHIS) is a soccer computer game first released in 1988 by Audiogenic Software Ltd. The game is named after the popular English footballer Emlyn Hughes. It initially appeared on the Commodore 64, with other versions produced for the Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST and Amiga.

Contents

The game was programmed by Graham Blighe with additional coding by Michael McLean. Gameplay included arcade-style action and the management aspect of the sport. Critical response to the game was generally positive with accolades and high ratings from the industry magazines.

History

It debuted on Commodore 64, but versions were also developed for Amstrad, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST and Amiga as part of Audiogenic's general cross-platform strategy. Upon its release it was hailed by some as the most realistic football simulation ever made, and gathered enthusiastic reviews, in particular from ZZAP!64 . The program was in the UK computer games charts for over three years following its release, and was still enjoying a small but enthusiastic cult following almost 20 years after its release. [1]

Every version of the game was programmed by Graham Blighe and produced by Peter Calver, with graphics created by Andrew Calver, and playtesting by Jeremy Wellard (who later founded HB Studios); the strategy section was coded by Michael McLean (in later versions Terry Wiley). The music for the Commodore 64 version was written by Barry Leitch.

The inspiration for the game came from International Soccer, a highly successful cartridge game for the Commodore 64 that had been released by Commodore themselves in the early 1980s. Indeed, EHIS offered an optional mode in which the controls were deliberately limited, to simulate the restricted options available in the earlier game. This both provided an easy introduction and helped to emphasise the extent to which the controls had been enhanced.

At the time of its release EHIS faced heavy competition from titles such as Match Day II (1987), Kick Off (1989) and Microprose Soccer . However, what made EHIS different from the other games of its time was the fine balance between playability and simulation - it was not as slow as Match Day II, nor as reflex-driven as Kick Off and Sensible Soccer . As a result, the appeal of EHIS was strongest among those who preferred skillful, tactical football to frantic arcade action. Despite limited graphics, and a side view of the action (whereas Kick Off had recently introduced the bird's-eye perspective), EHIS held its own because of a powerful control system that gave the players unprecedented control over the game.

Gameplay

EHIS gameplay included the basic running, kicking, shooting style but also had advanced technique gameplay which added depth and realism to the game. For example, turning naturally involved changing direction of the joystick, but instead of coming to a halt straight away, the player would slow down, stop and start to run in the direction of the joystick.

EHIS advanced techniques included the '5-direction' option. This meant that the players could pass and shoot up to 5 different directions from where the player was facing. This was achieved by holding the fire button and pushing the joystick at an angle from where your player is running and releasing the button. Other techniques include sidestepping, barging, heading, back heels, lobs, diving headers, sliding tackles and many other miscellaneous features.

This was the first time that management features had been included in an arcade-style soccer game, and the identities of the players were reinforced with a rudimentary on-screen commentary, another ground-breaking feature. The game was also highly configurable with everything from the players' stats and names to the pitch and shirt colours.

The management aspect included picking the player's squad (based on player skills and fitness levels). Amongst the many options the players can compete in competitions including cup, championship and leagues. EHIS was one of the first football games to include a full season of gameplay. The players would compete in a league competition (home and away) and take part in a knock-out style cup competition. Throughout the season the player's fitness and morale would fluctuate and they could even get injured.

Reception

Zzap!64 awarded the game with a 90% rating, gaining a Zzap! 'Sizzler' accolade. [2] Commodore User gave an 84% rating explaining that "this isn't quite Microprose Soccer but it's still a vast improvement on many of the football games available". [3]

Sinclair User gave the game a 91 rating and a Sinclair User 'Classic' accolade. [4] CRASH however gave the game a lukewarm reception and a score of 70%, commenting that "playing matches is fun (especially with two players), although play is not quite up to the standard set by Match Day II ". [5] Your Sinclair gave a 5/10 rating stating that the game was "well implemented (control systems aside) but ultimately derivative football game combining action and strategy to little effect". [6] The Games Machine reviewed both the Commodore 64 and Spectrum versions in the April 1989 issue. The C64 version received an 88% rating while the Spectrum version garnered a respectable 85%. [7]

Amstrad Action reviewed the game alongside other football games—MicroProse Soccer , Streetgang Football and Gary Lineker's Hot Shot—in the football special issue of June 1989. Emlyn came on top with a 93% and the AA 'Mastergame' accolade. [8]

The Commodore 64 version was rated as the 44th best game of all time in a special issue of Commodore Format magazine in November 1994. [9]

Legacy

There are other videogames and projects related to this title:

Audiogenic subsequently developed two other arcade soccer games, European Champions (released by Ocean Software) and Wembley International Soccer, both of which extended the degree of control, though neither sold in great numbers. However, they did introduce another innovative feature - the option to switch between side-on and top-down views, which made replays particularly interesting. Graham Blighe also wrote the arcade section of these games, with the exception of the IBM PC version of European Champions.

The Amiga version of Super League Manager, also developed by Audiogenic, came with a feature that allowed players to watch (or play, if their team was involved) a random game of the week providing they had a copy of EHIS.

Related Research Articles

<i>Rick Dangerous</i> 1989 video game

Rick Dangerous is a platform game developed by Core Design for the Acorn Archimedes, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS. The game was released in 1989 and published by MicroProse on the Firebird Software label in the UK, and on the MicroPlay label in America. It was also published in Spain by Erbe Software. Later, it was released with two other games, Stunt Car Racer and MicroProse Soccer, on the Commodore 64 Powerplay 64 cartridge. The game was followed by a sequel, Rick Dangerous 2, in 1990. Loosely based on the Indiana Jones film franchise, the game received mixed reviews from critics.

<i>Laser Squad</i> 1988 video game

Laser Squad is a turn-based tactics video game, originally released for the ZX Spectrum and later for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amiga, Sharp MZ-800 and Atari ST and PC computers between 1988 and 1992. It was designed by Julian Gollop and his team at Target Games and published by Blade Software, expanding on the ideas applied in their earlier Rebelstar series. Laser Squad originally came with five mission scenarios, with an expansion pack released for the 8-bit versions, containing a further two scenarios.

<i>Nebulus</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Nebulus is a platform game created by John M. Phillips and published by Hewson Consultants in the late 1980s for home computer systems. International releases and ports were known by various other names: Castelian, Kyorochan Land, Subline, and Tower Toppler.

<i>Badlands</i> (1989 video game) 1989 arcade game

Badlands is a 1989 arcade video game published by Atari Games. It was ported by Domark under the Tengen label to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game is a re-themed version of Atari's previous racing games Super Sprint and Championship Sprint with the addition of vehicular combat. Badlands is set in the aftermath of a nuclear war and races around abandoned wastelands with many hazards. Three gun-equipped cars race around a track to win prizes.

<i>Forgotten Worlds</i> 1988 video game

Forgotten Worlds, titled Lost Worlds in Japan, is a side-scrolling shooter video game by Capcom, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1988. It is notable for being the first title released by Capcom for their CP System arcade game hardware.

<i>Barbarian</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

Barbarian is a 1987 platform game by Psygnosis. It was first developed for the Atari ST, and was ported to the Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. The Amiga port was released in 1987; the others were released in 1988. The cover artwork is by fantasy artist Roger Dean.

<i>Knightmare</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

Knightmare is a video game released by Activision in 1987 for ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and Atari ST. It was written by Mev Dinc, J.P. Dean, E.M. Dean and Nick Cooke, and is based on the Anglia Television show Knightmare. Four years later, Mindscape released entirely different game based on the show, also called Knightmare, for the Atari ST and Amiga.

<i>Welltris</i> 1989 video game

Welltris is a puzzle video game, developed by Doca and licensed to Bullet-Proof Software. It is an official game in the Tetris series. Adaptations were made by Sphere, Inc., for Spectrum HoloByte, and by Infogrames. It was released for MS-DOS compatible operating systems in 1989. Ports for Macintosh, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, and Atari ST followed 1990, then ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 1991.

<i>MicroProse Soccer</i> 1988 video game

MicroProse Soccer is an association football video game published by MicroProse in 1988. The original Commodore 64 version was developed by Sensible Software and ported to other systems. In the United States, the game was released as Keith Van Eron's Pro Soccer, named after Keith Van Eron.

<i>Highlander</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Highlander is a video game tie-in to the Highlander franchise released in 1986, the same year as the film, published by Ocean Software for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC home computers. Highlander was panned by reviewers.

<i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> (video game) 1990 video game

James Bond: The Spy Who Loved Me is a video game adaptation of the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. The game was released for the Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, DOS computers, and ZX Spectrum in 1990.

<i>Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax</i> 1988 video game

Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax is a video game first published in 1988 for various home computers. It was released as Axe of Rage in North America. The game is the sequel to Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, which was published in 1987. In Barbarian II, the player controls a princess or barbarian character, exploring the game world to locate and defeat an evil wizard. The game's plot is an extension of its predecessor, although the gameplay is different. While the first game offers two players the opportunity for virtual head-to-head combat, the second is a single-player beat 'em up with fewer fighting moves. It uses a flip-screen style instead of scrolling.

<i>The Real Ghostbusters</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

The Real Ghostbusters is a 1987 shoot 'em up arcade game developed and published by Data East. It is loosely based on the animated series of the same name. In Japan, Data East released it as a non-Ghostbusters arcade game under the title Meikyuu Hunter G. In 1989, Activision published The Real Ghostbusters for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Switchblade</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Switchblade is a 1989 side-scrolling action-platform run and gun video game originally developed by Core Design and published by Gremlin Graphics in Europe for the Atari ST home computers. The first installment in the eponymous two-part series, the game is set in a dystopian future where players assume the role of Hiro from the Blade Knights as he embarks on a journey to defeat Havok, the main antagonist who broke free from his imprisonment after the sacred Fireblade was shattered into several pieces. Its gameplay consists of run and gun action mixed with platforming and exploration elements, with a main single-button configuration.

<i>P-47: The Phantom Fighter</i> 1988 video game

P-47: The Phantom Fighter is a 1988 horizontally scrolling shooter arcade video game originally developed by NMK and published by Jaleco. Set during World War II, players control a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft to face against the Nazis, who are occupying multiple countries around the world. Its gameplay involves destroying waves of enemies, picking up power-ups and new weapons, and destroying bosses. It ran on the Mega System 1 hardware.

<i>The Running Man</i> (video game) 1989 video game

The Running Man is a 1989 beat 'em up video game based on the 1987 film of the same name. It was developed by Emerald Software and published by Grandslam Entertainments for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Judge Dredd</i> (1990 video game) 1990 video game

Judge Dredd is a 1990 platform shoot 'em up video game based on the character of the same name. It was developed by Random Access and published by Virgin Mastertronic. It was released in Europe in 1990, for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Critics found the gameplay repetitive.

<i>Pink Panther</i> (video game) 1988 video game

Pink Panther is a 1988 video game based on the character of the same name. It was developed by German company Magic Bytes and published by Gremlin Graphics. It was released in Europe for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Pink Panther was criticized for its control and difficulty, although the Amiga and Atari ST versions received praise for their graphics.

<i>Red Heat</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Red Heat is a beat 'em up video game based on the 1988 film of the same name. It was developed by British studio Special FX and published by Ocean Software. It was released in Europe in 1989, for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 (C64), and ZX Spectrum.

<i>Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo is a 1991 platform game developed by British studio PAL Developments and published by Hi-Tec. It is part of the Scooby-Doo franchise, and was released in Europe for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game received praise for its graphics.

References

  1. ↑ "EHIS Community site comment". Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
  2. ↑ Zzap!64, issue 43, November 1988, p 28
  3. ↑ "Patterson, Mark. Commodore User, December 1988
  4. ↑ Dillon, Tony. Sinclair User, issue 84, March 1989
  5. ↑ King, Phil. CRASH, issue 63, April 1989, p 87
  6. ↑ Berkmann, Marcus. Your Sinclair, issue 40, April 1989, p 98.
  7. ↑ The Games Machine, April 1989.
  8. ↑ Webb, Trenton. Amstrad Action , June 1989, issue 45, p 38, 39.
  9. ↑ "The All-Time Top 50 C64 Games!". Commodore Format: 20. November 1994.
  10. ↑ Emlyn Hughes Arcade Quiz at hol.abime.net
  11. ↑ EHIS2 project website (archived version)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.