Game Troopers' latest game, Tika Taka Soccer, builds on their solid collection of Windows Phone games. Tika Taka Soccer is an enjoyable and fast-paced game of football for your Windows Phone, leading you through creating your team, hiring staff, choosing your formations and getting the best players for victory on the pitch.
It doesn't take long at all to get hooked on on Tiki Taka Soccer. The graphics are minimal, but they work, and gameplay with Tiki Taka Soccer is challenging enough to keep you on your toes.
Tiki Taka Soccer is a free Xbox gaming title and an entertaining way to pass the time.
When you first launch Tiki Taka Soccer, the game sends you directly to a tutorial that covers the basics of gameplay, utilizing simple tap controls to pass, dribble, attack and shoot.
For example, if your player has the soccer ball, just tap on an area of the screen you want him to dribble towards. To pass the ball to a teammate, tap on that teammate. If you are close to an opponent who has possession of the ball, tap on that opponent to attack and steal the ball. When you are in a position to take a shot on goal, simply swipe at the screen to have your player take the shot.
Once you complete the tutorial, your gaming menu will appear at the bottom of the screen with options to access the game's settings, play the game and replay the tutorial. One neat feature of the game's main menu is that you will have a few soccer players on the field where you can practice your gaming techniques. It is a nice touch and helps Tiki Taka Soccer stand out a little more.
When you are ready to jump into gameplay, your first order of business is to create your team. You can customize the team's name, jersey colors and choose one of six avatars to represent your team manager. You will also need to choose a league.
Once the team is created, you will have the option to play three pre-season games or move right into season action. Before you jump into gameplay, a team page will appear that details your financial resources, energy and skill levels, and options to hire staff members to improve your chances of success.
There are additional options from the team summary page to view your manager's performance and visit the game's shop. From the shop, you can hire staff members, players and pick up energy drinks/food to give your players a boost. The money needed to hire staff and buy power-ups is earned during gameplay.
Speaking of which, the final step before the match begins is to view your team's layout on the field. You can substitute players or change formations from this screen. When all is set, Tiki Taka Soccer will transition to the soccer field to start the match.
The pace of gameplay has a bit of zip to it. It can be difficult to pick out your players from the opposing team due to the tiny graphics. Do not be surprised if it takes a few losses before you get the hang of things. Tiki Taka Soccer isn't an overly complicated game, it just takes a little getting used to (especially if you've been spending too much time with gridiron American football).
Matches only take a few minutes to complete, but you should be careful on how aggressive you are on the field — Tiki Taka Soccer has on-field refs who will call fouls. Just as you may find with the actual game of soccer, gameplay is non-stop. I found it best to keep the ball in motion, otherwise, your opponent will take advantage of the lull in the game, steal the ball and make their own rapid play towards the goal.
Overall, Tiki Taka Soccer is an excellent addition to the Game Trooper collection. It is a free Xbox gaming title for Windows Phone with a few in-app purchase opportunities.
Download Tiki Taka Soccer for Windows Phone
