Right, this is a weird Dreamcast game from (yes) 2000. A football thing, it’s bug-ridden and has various horrendous loading screens—as well as bizarre game physics. Does it surprise you we remember it with some fondness, then?!

Sega Worldwide Soccer Euro 2000 Edition

Sega Worldwide Soccer Euro 2000 Edition. Just rolls off your tongue, eh?

There was a time when we used to play football (not “soccer”) games, mainly when we were younger.

At university there was a lingering habit for it, seeing as we lived with some football crazy sorts and it was the go-to option for proper geezers. Especially when arriving back home after a night out.

And this game was one we played regularly with our mate Kieran during 2004 in Nottingham.

The thing is, it’s certainly the most bizarre football game we’ve ever played. As with Virtua Athlete 2000 on the Dreamcast, it has an arcade feel to it.

But the main issue is it’s bug-ridden into absurdity. And even when broken stuff isn’t happening, there are many other problems.

Loading, Loading

Really, we have to start with just how long it takes to play a single match. There are two loading screens each time out they drag on. And on.

You can see that in the above clip from 3:53. You better get used to that as it’s going to rumble on every single time you play the thing.

Which is ludicrous given you’re drifting from one game to the next, notching up an impressive amount of wasted time watching loading screens.

A bigger problem is the game ending bugs. We tried to find clips of this, but sadly couldn’t.

Kieran and ourselves used to try and have 90 minute matches for a laugh. You’d draw up proposterous scores during those matches, by half-time it’d be 33-40.

The problem there is we never did complete a full 90 minutes. As the game could often send the football hurtling off into orbit.

It’d literally take off, the players would stand around watching it, and then that’s that. We could have left the Dreamcast on since 2004 and 15 years on those players would still be staring upward.

Add into that some really weird football physics, such as curling the ball into the net at impossible angles, and you’ve got arguably the strangest football game in existence.

Silicon Dreams Studio created the thing. The developer was in Oxfordshire, England, but went defunct in 2003.

The game also had a habit of not telling the player if someone was sent off via a red card.

Which made it baffling at times wondering why you’re suddenly being thrashed. Oh, it’s due to four players being red carded! And you didn’t have a bloody clue.

Anyway, thanks to nostalgia of ourselves and Kieran back in 2004 and early 2005 on this thing, we have fond memories of our 20 year old selves being confounded by this thing.

But as a retro football game we don’t recommend it. Mainly as we’re not interested in football anymore.

If you are, though, then maybe dig up Sega Worldwide Soccer Euro 2000 Edition to torture yourself with ridiculous loading times.