Keith: 1 lost two years of my life to SWOS.

Steve: I've played it more than any other game ever made. It's a simple, addictive game with great control, with just a handful of stats.

Keith: 1 lost two years of my
life to SWOS.

Steve: I've played it more than
any other game ever made. It's a simple, addictive game with
great control, with just a handful of stats. CM3 is just a bank
of meaningless statistics in comparison. Even if you choose
not to control your players, it's still very watchable. 1 played
an entire season just watching the game from the sidelines.

Richie: So if this kind of game
works, why haven't EA done a version using the FIFA engine?

Steve: It's a marketing decision.
It would detract from the games, I suppose.

Tim: That first Player Manager
game was really good, but it took years for the second game
to come out. And it was shit anyway.

Keith: Steve Screech, the guy
who created Kick Off and Player Manager with Dino Dini (LegendaryAmiga
coder - Retro Ed), has really let himself go. He's living off
a legend. Player Manager99 is absolutely shocking.

Richie: Personally, I think the
same of Sensi2000, but I never really enjoyed SW0S that much
either. It was too simplistic as a management game. I preferred
the first Sensi- the pure arcade version.

Steve: As an arcade management
game, SWOS is still untouchable. You may laugh at the graphics,
but they still have an unequalled charm. Anyone who
says any different can just sod right off.

Keith: SWOS was so simple and
yet you could 'Stan Collymore' from a mile off. He cried...

Steve: You could always tell
who your good players were. Nowadays, the graphics are great
but it's hard to tell if someone's got slightly better control
than anyone else. I lost my job through playing Sensible Soccer.
1 might even go back to the office and play it again after this.
I'll take anyone on...

Mark: What I liked about SWOS
was that it didn't try to be too realistic. You could play it
on its own merits, without crying over unrealistic and out-of-date
stats. in that respect, it's the last of its kind.

Steve: You could even become
the England manager, which was admittedly a bit dull. I did
a Kevin Keegan - I was years ahead of my time.

Richie: Considering SWOS is a
tenner, and CM2 can be bought for a fiver, which would you choose?
SW0S or CM2 and a Portsmouth scarf!

Tim: I preferred the original
Sensible Soccer. I don't like the idea of managing a team and
playing yourself at the same time. It takes something away from
the experience. 1 couldn't see myself in the Arsenal micifield.

Steve : It's a Combination of
your management acumen and your skill as a player. Buying other
players is going to help you, but you need to be good with a
gamepad if you want to make any progress.

Tim: But you could have a team
of average players and still do well if you were good with a
pad - it doesn't test your skill as a manager.

Steve: Even the best player will
still struggle unless he buys good players. Some are ten times
better than others - you won't even get near the ball unless
you go into the transfer market.

Tim: I think you should either
play or manage, but not both.

Steve: No way. You can do both.
Look at Kenny Daiglish. You can tell how good your players are
because you are controlling them, with Your thumb, using your
eyes and your brain and a wire...

Keith: Both sections - playing
and managing - are done equally well. There's no half-heartedness
about either - they compliment each other very well and are
integrated perfectly.

Steve: it's one of the most wholesome
games ever made - it's more wholesome than Hovis.

Richie: I get the feeling this
is your favourite game ever, Steve.

Steve : SWOS is my favourite
game of all time, easily.

Keith: it's my second favourite
game ever.

Steve: After what?

Keith: Sex Olympics - on the
Spectrum. It was a joystick waggling game, obviously.

Who are the champions?

There was much debate as to whether we should
actually hold a football management Supertest In the first place,
the consensus being that Championship Manager would walk away
with the honours without breaking Into a sweat. There's no doubtt
that it has a very loyal fan base - mirrored by the number of
people who waited patiently for number three to arrive - but
is it the game to buy? Looking at the other games we've played,
nothing comes close in terms of realism and ease of use, But
even Tim admitted Premiership Manager Ninety Nine was at least
worth looking at if it was graphics you wanted. That didn't
stop him lavishing praise on CM3 though.

"There's no question it's the best football management
game you can buy," he said.

"I agree" said quiet new boy mark Hill, finally getting
a word in edgeways.

"You're all wrong,," was Steves conclusion. "For
me it's SWOS hands down. It's a bit of a rogue, because you
actually play with your hand, rather than sitting looking at
numbers. For pure management I guess CM3 has to win. I've played
it but I did give up. Premier Manager is my personal cholce,
and If people want a bit of everything with some decent 3D graphics,
I'd tell them to buy that."

"For best game ever, though, you can't discount CM2,"
said Tim. "It dominated for years. In my mind, CM2 comes
in a close second and is definetly the best cheap option here.
CM3 wins by miles."



"I'm torn between CM3 and SWOS", said Keith. "They're
both superbly produced. CM3 is football management perfection.
Arcade-wise, SWOS has never been bettered. Budget buy of the
decade I say."



However, with the clock almost showing full time, even a late
goal from, PMNN against the run of play isn't enough to secure
the three points. Could It really have been any different? No,
not really. Championship Manager has done it again, but certainly
not by a mile. And If you're short of money and want to see
what all the fuss is about, buy its ageing predecessor, available
now for a paltry £4.99. The budget winner has to he SW0S,
though for obvious reasons. Perhaps we'll never see a game like
it again? Some of us certainly hope not...........