Play Jikkyou World Cup France '98 (J) Online

Jikkyou World Cup France '98 came out on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, developed and published by Konami. It was one of the more polished soccer games on the system at the time, offering a full World Cup experience without the flashy presentation of later titles. The game captured the specific energy of that year's tournament, with all the official teams and a straightforward approach to the sport.

You control a full squad of 11 players, passing and shooting your way toward the opponent's goal. The main objective is to win the World Cup by progressing through the group stage and knockout rounds. Signature mechanics include the ability to perform sliding tackles with surprising leniency from the referees, and using through passes to exploit defensive gaps. The pacing is quick, and matches can feel both frantic and rewarding, especially when you trigger a replay after scoring. It feels like a genuine, slightly chaotic simulation of late 90s international soccer.