International Superstar Soccer Deluxe was my go-to soccer fix back in the day—way before FIFA got all fancy with its hyper-realistic graphics. This Konami classic on the Genesis (or Mega Drive, depending where you lived) had this perfect balance of arcade-style action and just enough realism to feel satisfying.

You start off picking from a solid roster of international teams—not officially licensed, of course, so expect some creative interpretations of player names. The controls are simple enough to pick up in minutes, but nailing those curling free kicks or last-minute slide tackles takes practice. The pixelated crowds even do this weird little wave animation that somehow adds to the charm.

It’s not the prettiest soccer game now, but the gameplay still holds up if you’re into that 16-bit era sports vibe. Scoring a long-range banger with the chunky sprites feels just as good as I remember.