Score! Classic Goals Review

Score! Classic Goals shouldn't be as addictive as it inevitably is. Much like so many other successful iOS games, its simplicity hides a keen and compelling edge. Individually, the components within Score! Classic Goals shouldn't be so much fun but combined, it's a very potent mix. Soccer fans: watch your free time vanish.

The idea is simple: recreate classic goals from many of the most famous matches in international soccer history. Not every decade is catered for, instead the game focuses on the 1980s-2010s, but that provides a satisfying 80 different goals to recreate.

Recreating them is a matter of swiping and line drawing to set things up. To recreate the goal requires some precision. Like so many other games, Score! Classic Goals rewards players with a star for each good move, culminating in the maximum of 3 stars. Score! Classic Goals doesn't rely on guess work, however, with the player being given a screen demonstrating how things turned out in reality. It's then down to them to line up their passes and shots appropriately.

At first, it's very easy to do. Through balls are a common addition with a yellow dotted line demonstrating where the soccer player is about to make their run. These lines are clearly laid out making it simple to get things right first time. In later levels, things get a little more complicated and angles turn tighter with the need for accuracy paramount. The fun element is never lost, fortunately.

Essentially, it's a soccer themed puzzle game. Figuring out the best route to take and lining up shots just right is the focus here. While it's not possible to deviate from the original plan, there are still some important physics to take into account. Unlocking Pro mode reinforces this as it takes line drawing speed into account which can change everything.

I'd have liked to have seen some more open ended puzzles but that takes away from the point of Score! Classic Goals. It's all about recreating goals that will be very memorable to many soccer fans, rather than rewriting history. What is there is a very responsive and enjoyable experience. The kind of experience that will turn "just one more go" into 3 hours later. My only hope is that new content will be added soon as I'd love to see more from Score! Classic Goals.