The first ISS on N64 and already a dazzling display of Konami know-how. The flow, the crisp passing and the snappy rhythm immediately lay the foundations of a rival school to FIFA. The content stays modest, but the ball touch is already magic.
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Sports4 players3+
Description
First entry in the ISS series on Nintendo 64, an international football simulation combining fluidity with polished arcade gameplay. Published by Konami, released in 1997 in North America. National teams, multiple competition modes, precise passing and shooting, and up to 4-player multiplayer.
Konami November 1997 North American pressing, the first ISS on 64-bit and still one of the most solid Konami cartridges of the early N64 cycle. The US version keeps Tony Gubba's English commentary and adds an exclusive All-Star mode with fictional world squads. Its scarcity rests on a shorter US run than the PAL release, since the American console football market remained marginal in 1997.
Better with friends
A pioneer of arcade soccer on the console, direct and heady, laying the groundwork for immediate fun shared up to four. The competition rests on simple controls and the frenzy of counterattacks, where everyone quickly finds their footing. A touch rougher than its sequels, it keeps a pioneering charm and triggers fits of laughter at every goalmouth scramble.
Is International Superstar Soccer 64 still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 1997 on Nintendo 64, Konami's project brings the great arcade football series to the console, favouring immediate pleasure and readability over pure simulation. The nervous pace, the ease of handling and a gratifying sense of the goal make it an excellent multiplayer game. The variety of national teams and tactics brings appreciable depth for the era. The absence of official licences and a dated production show strongly today. A classic of football video games on the console, recommended for those nostalgic about the arcade and for fans of matches with friends.
