KickOff

KickOff is a free online football game. Although you're not asked to pay for it, this is an addictive and well-crafted version of the beautiful game that presents itself in a different way to its online rivals.

The game doesn't put you into a team of 11 professionals playing in front of packed stadiums in major European cities as other games do. In KickOff, football (or soccer if you'd prefer) is played on the streets.

Anyone who's played a few friendly neighbourhood games in the own streets will be well aware that the normal rules of football are sometimes bypassed for a more free-flowing form of the game and that's the same with KickOff. If you want a sim that's close to real life, pick up the latest game in the FIFA franchise.

The game modes on offer here include mission mode that gives you a real sense of purpose, but this game is supposed to be played for fun rather than any serious sense of achievement. It's an arcade game rendered with some good visuals. The simple controls make this one easy to pick up but there's enough here to keep you coming back for more.

The League System and Tournament System with monthly ranking are the main reasons to come back, particularly if you get your friends involved in the game, as there's nothing like being better than people you can gloat to face to face.

There are some downsides though. Some players report that server issues hamper their games which can become very frustrating. A lack of the sort of football simulation features found on games like Pro Evo Soccer can also be a let down. As long as you don't expect those features, you'll have loads of fun with KickOff.

Pros

• Great graphics
• Loads of game modes
• Free to play
• Total character customisation

Cons

• Server issues hamper game play
• Game play too simple for some players