Play Jikkyou World Cup France '98 (J) Online

Game Overview

Jikkyou World Cup France '98 was my go-to soccer game back in the N64 days. The animations were surprisingly smooth for the time—players actually had distinct running styles, and the ball physics felt just right. I spent way too many afternoons trying to recreate that France vs. Brazil final, messing up every free kick along the way.

What I loved was how it nailed the World Cup atmosphere. The crowd chants, the slightly exaggerated player faces, even the way the camera would zoom in after a goal—it all made you feel like you were watching a real broadcast. The Japanese version had some extra flair the international releases missed, like exaggerated slide tackles that somehow never got called as fouls.

It’s not the deepest soccer sim out there, but there’s something about the chunky N64 graphics and that late-90s energy that still holds up. Just don’t expect modern controls—you’ll be wrestling with the C-buttons for through balls like it’s 1998 all over again.