Play World Soccer GB (Japan) Online

Game Overview

World Soccer GB (or ISS as it was known in Japan) was the first proper soccer sim on the Game Boy, and it actually holds up surprisingly well. Instead of the usual side-scrolling kickabouts, you get this weird angled view that makes the field look like a grid—takes a minute to get used to, but it gives you way more control over passes and positioning.

The players are these tiny sprites, but you can still tell who's who by their movements. Through balls feel satisfying when they connect, and sliding tackles are weirdly brutal for a Game Boy game. Just don't expect fancy dribbling—this is all about quick passes and finding space. It's the kind of game where you'll yell at your defender for stepping up at the wrong time.

For a handheld soccer game from 1991, it's impressive how much strategy they crammed in.