Manchester United Championship Soccer (lost build of cancelled SEGA Mega Drive port of football game; 1995)

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Manutdchampionshipsoccer1.png

Manchester United Championship Soccer cover art

Status: Lost

Manchester United Championship Soccer (also known as Lothar Matthäus Super Soccer in Germany) is a top-down football game released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Developed by Krisalis and published by Ocean Software in 1995, a SEGA Mega Drive port was also being developed before it was cancelled for unknown reasons.

Background

Manchester United Championship Soccer was developed and published during the early stages of a golden era for the English football club Manchester United.[1][2][3] Managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, the club would go on to win 13 Premier League titles, as well as three Champions League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, and various other accolades between 1990 to 2013.[1]

A game utilising Manchester United's likeness was produced by Ocean Software, with a German counterpart named after Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthäus.[4][5][3] The game was a port of the Amiga title Premier League Champions, with the SNES version known primarily as Manchester United Championship Soccer.[2][3] It would be released in European Union countries throughout 1995, and was the last of six Krisalis titles utilising the Manchester United licence.[5] In the same year, various UK, German, and Spanish SEGA gaming magazines began to report on an upcoming Mega Drive port of the game.[6][2][4] The first known mention arose in the January 1995 edition of SEGA Magazin, which reported that Lothar Matthäus Super Soccer was to be developed for the Mega Drive.[4]

A more substantial report came in the Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro.[2] It even showcased the game on its front cover, and reported that the title was presented at the 1995 Winter International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).[2] Providing a four-page preview of the game, it summarised that the game would provide a "real treat" for Manchester United fans, but felt it would struggle to fend off FIFA 95's popularity.[2] It nevertheless stated that the game was nearing-completion and was set for a UK release in April that year for £39.99 as an 8-bit or 1MB cartridge.[2] However, this deadline came and went without any release, although a final mention of the port arose in the June 1995 edition of Todo SEGA.[6] The magazine awarded the game with a 73% score, praising its control and gameplay, but criticising its graphics.[6] Ultimately, the port was never publicly released in any country.

Availability

Thanks to the reviews from SEGA Pro and Todo SEGA, numerous screenshots of the Mega Drive port have been publicly released.[2][6] Yet, despite nearing completion, no build has ever been leaked to the public.

Gallery

Images

  • January 1995 issue of SEGA Magazin reporting on Lothar Matthäus Super Soccer being developed for the Mega Drive.

    January 1995 issue of SEGA Magazin reporting on Lothar Matthäus Super Soccer being developed for the Mega Drive.

  • Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (1/4).

    Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (1/4).

  • Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (2/4).

    Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (2/4).

  • Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (3/4).

    Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (3/4).

  • Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (4/4).

    Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (4/4).

  • June 1995 issue of Todo SEGA reviewing the Mega Drive port.

    June 1995 issue of Todo SEGA reviewing the Mega Drive port.

See Also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Football Museum's profile on Sir Alex Ferguson, whose management of Manchester United led to a golden era for the club. Retrieved 1st Aug '22
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Easter 1995 issue of SEGA Pro previewing the Mega Drive port (magazine found on SEGA Retro). Retrieved 1st Aug '22
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 SNES Central listing of Manchester United Championship Soccer. Retrieved 1st Aug '22
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 January 1995 issue of SEGA Magazin reporting on Lothar Matthäus Super Soccer being developed for the Mega Drive (magazine in German and found on Retro CDN). Retrieved 1st Aug '22
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The SNES Encyclopedia summarising Manchester United Championship Soccer. Retrieved 1st Aug '22
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 June 1995 issue of Todo SEGA reviewing the game (magazine in Spanish and found on SEGA Retro). Retrieved 1st Aug '22
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