eFootball Kick-Off! review: A lovely little soccer game on Nintendo Switch 2

Football games are hard to come by on the Switch 2 console so when a new one launches at around £16 and features all your favourite players it’s well worth a look

A new football game for the Switch 2 should always be welcomed as Nintendo consoles have traditionally been a little under-funded with soccer titles compared to Xbox and Playstation.

And it’s great to have recognised players and their likenesses in a kickabout title other than the usual EA Sports FC fare.

It’s no secret those games in recent years have been criticised for being endless re-skins of older PS3-generation gameplay, simply with the new kits and players bolted in.

Here we finally have eFootball Kick-Off! – a series that has emerged out of the classic Pro Evolution Soccer franchise – that is a dedicated version of that free-to-play title for the handheld.

The results are fairly impressive, particularly when you take into account the £16-odd price tag.

We have a simplified but fully built football game that looks great and runs smoothly on the console, complete with plenty of players you’ll know and love.

The game modes are fairly limited, but makers Konami have done really well in delivering a fun-to-play footie sim that ticks all the core boxes and runs lovely both in docked or handheld mode on the Switch 2.

This is not the same as eFootball on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it’s been tweaked specifically for Nintendo to be a far more solo title, less multiplayer online.

And one of the key immediate standouts is the more basic feel to things like tackling – you literally hold down B button and move your player towards the rival with the ball to challenge them – and the players cutely calling for the ball with little speech bubbles over their heads.

All very nicey nicey Nintendo.

That said, there is enough of a skillset here to make matches challenging and give you the drive to come back for more.

And that addictiveness, particularly in one player mode, really helps to lift this title into the ‘good’ category of games.

When it comes to modes you can play there’s a World Tour where you establish your very own club team and compete in tournaments across the globe.

Here you have to win matches to acquire players from defeated opponents or use coins earned through play and winning to sign legendary footballers, like Brazilian hero Roberto Carlos.

It’s all about building your original team with an aim to conquer the world.

There’s also International Cup, which is basically like the World Cup featuring national teams.

But then you also get a couple of mini games too in Wall Ball, a three-on-three mini-game played on a pitch surrounded by walls on all sides, the first team to score 5 goals wins.

And there’s Obstacle Race where you test your dribbling skills to dodge various obstacles and compete for the highest score to reach the goal.

In each of the modes, the gameplay is fun, light and the players nicely controllable.

It’s great to have recognised stars and their likenesses in-game and the smoothness of the gameplay stands out for footie fans seeking a decent matchplay title that works on-the-go.

Overall, a really decent soccer game for a bargain price on Switch 2.

VERDICT 4/5