Similar to previous Captain Tsubasa games, play mechanics consist of watching the screen, assessing the situation, and selecting the appropriate action in order to score, attack or defend. Once chosen, the move is played out in cinematic spurts accompanied by dramatic sound and voice effects. As the soccer games pile up, each win boosts Tsubasa's team and skews the statistics favorably towards their "action luck." A soccer club with a winning streak will be boosted by their previous successes with improved probabilities in every kick, strike, or defense. Hapless opponents with fewer wins would then likely fall beneath your thunder...

Early preorders will include a bonus Captain Tsubasa strap which is attached to a cushiony soccer ball which is sort of like a puffy sticker. Edit: We have now given away all bonuses and new orders will no longer include it.

View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.

NCS Game Notes
» The voice actors from the television series reprise their roles in the PS2 game with dialogue and vocal effects to add drama to the action on the field.

» In the intro to the game a soccer ball appears followed by a little boy named Tsubasa Ozora who's crying. Fans will recognize it as the intro from the television series with cut scenes and early 80s artwork. The various players are shown running, kicking, and goal tending. Quick cut sequences make for attention grabbing interludes where there's enough split screen action to keep one looking. The theme song is the original Captain Tsubasa song and as the title screen drops, a munchkin voice yells out "Cap-Tain Tsubaasa!" Leave the intro alone and the cinema plays again - there's no demo of the actual in-game action.

» Press START and the first game option is:

STORY MODE - A Match Select screen appears with the word "Otomo" on a polo shirt. There are seven total matches to play but the other six are locked. To unlock them, play the first match against Team Otomo and win to proceed to the next teams.

» Before a match, the camera spins on two players in the center of the field. The soccer ball is loosed and the action begins. Watch Ozora as he reacts to the action on screen. Attackers from the opposing team will attempt to steal and thunder against your players and the game handles these conflicts with cut scene sequences where the two players face off against each other in a dramatic split-screen showdown. If you're in possession of the ball, press the "O" button to connect and win the three-sequence bout to attempt to KEEP the ball. If you time three hits perfectly during the encounter and your opponent only gets two out of three, you'll win and keep possession of the ball. These encounters are very common and will break up the rhythm of the game continually. Once the encounter is over with the hit sequences, a short bullet-time animated sequence plays which shows the evasion or loss of the ball.

» When a goal is scored, the goalie is shown trying to grab it to no avail. The ball is then shown hitting the net like a missile as it changes shape into oblong and fiery letters appear with GOAL! in the center of the screen. The crowd roars and the other team collects themselves for another kickoff.

» When an attacker shoots for the goal, he will also get three chances at connecting with "GOOD" "CRITICAL" or "SMASH" impact shots on the ball. Each successful hit gathers up "Ball Power" into the thousands which is the amount of power that the ball contains. As the goaltender, your turn follows and you'll have three button sequences to press in order to capture the ball. The three defensive hits are to dampen the ball power of the shooter. If you hit enough "GOOD" and "CRITICAL" shots against the ball, its power fades and it's a shoo-in for being caught. Falter with 2 out of 3 connects to the shooters 3 out of 3 hits and he'll score. Match him and an animated sequence plays where the goalie arcs his body across the net like Aquaman and catches the spinning ball in his paws.

» One of the players on team Otomo invokes the power of the Owl to guide a ball into the net.

» When soccer players thunder down the field, they'll kick up visible leaves, dust clouds, and scraps of greenery.

» As soccer balls change possession per the players' antics, the results of the possession retention of possession change are shown in bullet time sequences after the three sequence "GOOD" "BAD" or "SMASH" sequences.

» OPTION menu - Set volume levels, Set Stereo/Mono, Load/Save data

» Consensus: Fun and exciting soccer game that draws one in with ample amounts of theatrics and energetic voice acting. If you're looking for the realism and technique of Winning Eleven, you'll be sorely disappointed however. Captain Tsubasa is all about animated sequences, properly-timed-shot-sequences, and love for the animation series.

This document is ©NCSX 2006. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.