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The 27 best football games of all time

By admin April 7, 2024

The 27 best football games of all time, It’s a sad fact that most of us won’t ever be any good at football. But whether on console or PC, the best games can take you into a fantasy world in which you’re a world beater.

Amazingly, that applies whether you’re controlling a stick figure on an 8-bit computer or a fully realised 3D model with ultra-realistic stubble on a PS5. Seriously – we’ve shed real tears at a line of text on a screen describing how the opposition stick figure has just put us out of the cup.

But then that’s football: it has the power to reduce otherwise sensible people to mere shells of their former selves. And game makers soon realised they were on to something good when they created the first footie sims, because in no time they were flying off the shelf.

The 27 best football games of all time

As a result, there have been hundreds of football games over the years – so many, in fact, that narrowing down our selection to a mere 28 titles was near impossible. Arguments raged across the office – FIFA or Pro Evo? Sensi or Kick Off? – and that’s exactly as it should be. After nearly 30 years, EA and FIFA have now officially cut ties so will EA Sports FC be gracing this list in the future?

Whether you agree or disagree with our list, we hope it’ll spark plenty of memories. Let the arguments begin.

27) Footballer of the Year (1986, ZX Spectrum)

People weren’t sure what to make of this oddball at the time of release. Part management game, part board game, you aimed to take a kid from the old fourth division to the glory of cup finals and Division One.

Success was mostly down to scoring goals in arcade sequences; chances were bought with ‘goal cards’ purchased in-game, and ‘incident cards’ enabled you to delve further into your young player’s life. If this all sounds a bit familiar, FOTY was a big influence on New Star Soccer creator Simon Read…

26) Tracksuit Manager (1988, C64)

We’re not sure how you manage a tracksuit; stupid name aside, this Goliath Games effort was an impressive management game with depth. You arrived just as your team (England by default) had a disastrous World Cup (so, pretty accurate), and had to figure out a road to success.

Highlights were akin to the running commentary you’d today see on a news website, and while that lacked visual impact, it provided plenty of insight into who was providing the goods for your team, and who to send for an early bath.

25) International Soccer (1983, C64)

This C64 classic was the first truly great soccer game. Inspired by the earlier Intellivision Soccer, it utilised a side-on viewpoint, and had two seven-a-side teams battling it out for a chunky, pixelated cup.

Despite creator Andrew Spencer not being a fan of football, he captured the feel of the sport, and squeezed throw-ins, corners and goal-kicks into the cartridge’s tiny memory. It’s also the one football game where you can sometimes head a ball half the length of the field – a bug Spencer noticed but left in because he thought it was funny.

24) Match Day 2 (1987, ZX Spectrum)

Knowing a good thing when they saw it, Jon Ritman and Ocean teamed up for a sequel to Ritman’s original Spectrum smash hit. This time, the players looked a lot like bodybuilders, and the underlying mechanics had been suitably beefed up: along with a far superior deflection system, there was a league format, volleys, flicks and jumping.

Shot strength was determined by a slightly awkward oscillating ‘kickometer’ and the pace was again slow, but this merely made for more strategic play.

23) Behold the Kickmen (2017, Nintendo Switch/PC)

Look, we adore the beautiful game, but sometimes it feels like the sport takes itself a little bit too seriously. Watching a gaggle of shouty adults boot a ball around a field for 90 minutes is hugely entertaining, but it’s also not that important in the grand scheme of things. Behold the Kickmen is here to remind you of that.

This is football as seen through the eyes of someone with absolutely zero interest in the laws and rules of the sport (or physics, for that matter). Kicking, tackling, passing, shooting, and scoring – it’s all here but dialled up to 11 in the most nonsensical way imaginable. In striving to make a complete mockery of football, developer Size Five Games has created one of the most comical and outrageous takes on the sport we’ve ever encountered.

22) Actua Soccer (1995, PS1)

Its name and tagline may have been a shot across Sega’s bows (“There’s nothing virtual about Actua“), but Gremlin Interactive’s title was noteworthy for more than just a bit of snide trollery: it was the very first console football game to offer fully 3D players. These were motion-capped from Sheffield Wednesday stalwarts Chris Woods, Andy Sinton and Graham Hyde, providing a level of clogger realism never before witnessed on consoles. The original featured only national teams, but a Club Edition featuring all 20 teams from the 96/97 Premier League season was released a year later.

21) Ultimate Soccer Manager (1995, Amiga)

For all of Championship Manager‘s statistical goodness, nothing immersed you in a mid-’90s football world like the USM series. Transfers and team selection almost became minor distractions, as you reclined in your office next to a fax machine and Teletext.

There were advertising deals to negotiate, a stadium complex to build, and even bungs to offer the opposition. Yes, this was the George Graham era, when managers were unimpeachable emperors, and USM put you right on the throne with a hotline to football’s dark side.

20) Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 (2016, PS4/Xbox One)

Having spent years in FIFA’s shadow, Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 finally offered a genuine alternative to EA’s annual juggernaut. PES 2017 was a slower, more considered version of the beautiful game, with less emphasis on beating players for pace and more on patient build-up play, but when everything fell into place and you unlocked a defence the sense of satisfaction was glorious. Its lack of official licenses and a fundamentally flawed online mode still made it very hard to convince most FIFA fans to jump ship, and things seem to have gone backwards since then, but for one short year PES‘s glory days were back.

19) Kick Off (1989, Amiga)

Dino Dini’s 16-bit classic added an ingredient that hadn’t really been seen before in football games: speed. The little players darted about the pitch like they were dosed-up on something decidedly not allowed under FIFA’s code, and the ball was initially impossible to control, given that it didn’t remain glued to your feet.

But once mastered, Kick Off made every other football game suddenly seem dull and dated by comparison, even if it was at times the football game equivalent of juggling bars of soap while riding a unicycle down a hill.

18) World Cup 98 (1997, PS1)

EA’s FIFA series has ruled the football gaming world like some kind of digital Sepp Blatter (before all the dodgy payments stuff), but it wasn’t always thus. Back in 1998 it was merely one of several games vying for the hearts and minds of floppy fringed teens, and it was far from being the best.

The previous edition, 1997’s Road To World Cup 98, had marked a big improvement though – while FIFA had always had the official licences, it finally had the gameplay to go with them too. World Cup 98 built on that in some style, keeping the free-flowing football of the previous title and adding in-game tactical changes.

It was all wrapped up in a slick World Cup skin that no other game at the time came close to, complete with commentary and unlockable classic games. Shame we had to put up with Chumbawamba’s execrable Tubthumping every time it loaded though.

17) Football Manager (1982, ZX Spectrum)

Kevin Toms graced the front of Addictive’s Football Manager cover, enticing you to buy the game with his charm and beard. And what a game it was: on your little Spectrum, you could buy and sell players, pick a team, and watch highlights on pitches with comically large goals.

Today, it all looks a bit primitive (the C64 conversion was at least a bit prettier), and yet its simple gameplay remains surprisingly compelling in an era of over-complicated (micro) management sims. If you fancy a go on your smartphone, check out Toms’s remakes for Android and iOS.

16) Tehkan World Cup (1985, arcade)

Tehkan World Cup wasn’t the first overhead football game (that accolade probably goes to Exciting Soccer), but it was the first to make that viewpoint work. This was a fast game, in part down to the trackball controls, and decent goalies also ensured that matches were often frantic end-to-end battles.

The game very heavily influenced Sensible Software, and more or less came to the C64 in the form of Microprose Soccer, but its legacy was really being the grandfather to the outstanding Sensible Soccer series.

15) New Star Soccer (2012, iOS/Android)

In answering the question “How do you create an in-depth career-long football game for mobile devices?”, New Star Soccer said “You don’t!”, and instead served up a selection of mini-games draped over a basic framework that wasn’t a million miles from 1986’s Footballer Of The Year.

Although a touch IAP-hungry, it became a mobile classic, having you balance a kind of hyper-real version of a young footballer’s life (Buy a car! And now a TANK!) with pitch-based exploits and the demands of a boss, advertisers and a nagging partner.

Its successor, New Star Manager, is more in-depth, but lacks the addictive simplicity of the original.

14) FIFA 10 (2009, PS3/Xbox 360)

Like a footballing version of Rocky Balboa vs Apollo Creed, the FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer games slugged it out relentlessly throughout the ’00s without either landing a final knockout punch. Pro Evo was generally the better game, but FIFA retained a strong following by virtue of its proper team and player names and presentation nous. But with FIFA 10 that winning uppercut finally connected.

Both games introduced 360-degree player control for the first time in their 2010 editions, but FIFA 10 did it better, allowing you to expertly slide a pass through at just the right angle for your striker to run on to it. Or, more commonly, for you to expertly slide a pass straight to an opposition defender. Coupled with a wealth of game modes – from Be A Pro to Ultimate Team and Manager Mode – FIFA 10 was a more complete footballing experience than any previous title in the series and finally edged ahead of its rival too. And it hasn’t been toppled since.

13) Emlyn Hughes International Soccer (1988, C64)

A spiritual successor to Andrew Spencer’s International Soccer, Emlyn Hughes International Soccer was the last great side-on football game of the 1980s. Brimming with options, advanced players could utilise techniques such as ‘5-direction’ passing, sliding tackles and backheels, all from a joystick with only a single fire button.

The result was the first truly fluid football game, where you could string together some genuinely breathtaking moves. The goalies were still rubbish, though, natch.

12) Retro Goal (2021, Android/iOS)

Retro Goal is by the New Star Soccer folks, and has some similarities, in being a fusion of management and action. However, rather than veering towards management, much more of this game is played out on the pitch. Instead of full games, you play out highlights, using gestural controls (with the aid of Matrix-style slo-mo) to bury the ball in the back of the net.

We’ve seen grumbles that the game is pay-to-win, but we’ve won everything you can win in the game, without doing a Manchester City. You just need some patience, and to power up couple of strikers so they’ve got enough welly. If you’re not sure, you get ten games for free, whereaand even unlocking the entire game costs a pittance.

Retro Goal is a beautiful throwback to the SEGA days of football games and features such star names as Garrido, Hough and Frezza (not actual players, of course). The convenience of being handheld makes it all the better, too. The first 10 matches of Retro Goal can be played for free. Unlocking the rest costs a quid. Barg.

11) FIFA Street (2005, PS2)

There’s something beautifully nostalgic about FIFA Street. For those who played the 4-a-side street football game in 2005, the game conjures up memories of committing devastating flicks and tricks in favelas and English football pitches. It also came with a soundtrack that has seldom been beaten since, bringing the local sounds of soca, grime, jungle and more to global players.

FIFA Street’s newest form, VOLTA, hasn’t managed to live up to the heights of FIFA Street (that is a tough task to achieve, though). But even playing today, FIFA Street still impresses. Few things beat the feeling of nutmegging Ronaldinho before firing a screamer into the top bins, after all.

10) Virtua Striker (1994, Arcade)

Sega’s legendary AM2 team (also responsible for Daytona USA and Virtua Fighter) developed this groundbreaking title – the first football video game in history to use 3D player models. Being available only in arcades, Virtua Striker was designed for fast and furious action over serious simulation, but for those of us who crammed countless coins into the cabinet, it was the most realistic digital appropriation of the beautiful game we’d ever seen.

9) International Superstar Soccer (1994, SNES)

In hindsight, this SNES classic is a bridge between classic-era side-on fare and modern football titles. A predecessor to PES, the original ISS offered a stunning array of moves – everything from feints to shoulder charges – when various buttons were combined.

Visually, it was also leagues beyond the likes of Match Day and International Soccer. Yet for all its gloss and cleverness, what made ISS appeal most was its fun and frantic nature, retaining a very arcade sensibility, in that brief period before sports titles became totally obsessed with a kind of TV-style realism.

8) Football Manager 2011 (2010, PC)

In its divorce with Eidos, Sports Interactive lost the Championship Manager name but carried on creating the only management games still worth playing – and this edition is one of the greatest, adding a full 3D engine that, if you were so inclined, allowed you to watch every single pass, shot, tackle and horrendous goalkeeping error in a match.

Among the other innovations were press conferences – a small detail that served to add colour to an already frighteningly real football universe that featured no fewer than 117 playable leagues.

7) Kick Off 2 (1990, Amiga)

Kick Off 2 looked an awful lot like its predecessor, and it was really a combination of Kick Off and a couple of expansion disks, all carefully refined. But that attention to detail transformed an enjoyable but occasionally uncontrollable knockabout title into a product that demanded a lot more skill.

Along with tournaments, refs with varying moods and – crucially – fewer bugs, this Amiga sequel dropped the pace and boosted the controls, copious use of ‘aftertouch’ enabling you to fashion the kind of dazzlingly audacious shots of which even Matt Le Tissier would have been proud.

6) Sensible Soccer (1992, Amiga)

Sensible Software were fans of Kick Off 2 and football, but were irritated by the former’s shortcomings that didn’t – as they saw it – do justice to the latter. Sensible Soccer was their attempt to bring to gaming the feeling of how you imagined playing professional football would be, coupled with the kind of attention to detail only a true football geek possesses (including correct hair and skin colour for each of the players).

The game zoomed the viewpoint out, showing more of the pitch and enabling it to dispense with a Kick Off-style radar; passing and shooting was simplified and streamlined and everything was done on the frame, making the game extremely responsive. Until sequel SWOS arrived, this was the pinnacle of the genre.

5) ISS Pro Evolution (1999, PS1)

Ah, the Master League: just how many hours have we spent cocooned in your comforting embrace, steadily building up a team of honest pros and turning them into world beaters? Probably several thousand – and that’s no exaggeration. And it was here that it first appeared.

Although at this stage a relatively basic affair, the Pro Evo Master League still bolted a decent career sim on to an already superb football game. You could buy and sell players, but you used points earnt by winning games, rather than money, and there was none of the complicated day-to-day running of the club that you’d have to endure in Championship Manager. Instead, it gave you the chance to shape the team of your dreams, packing it with attacking midfielders if you chose, or instead making sure you had a Mourinho-solid defence.

While the Master League was a great addition to the series, it would have meant nothing if the gameplay hadn’t matched up to it. But in truth ISS Pro Evolution was already creeping ahead of FIFA by this time; it was more realistic yet also more playable – and that’s a winning combination in any game.

4) Championship Manager: Season 97/98 (1997, PC)

Sports Interactive’s series looms like a Colossus over all management games.

Despite being derided by small-minded dullards as a glorified Excel spreadsheet, Championship Manager‘s masterful tactical engine, reams of accurate data (this was the first instalment allowing you to run more than one league simultaneously) and giant player database wove together a rich, convincing football universe that sat parallel to our own – and it fired the imagination like no other game around.

And it was so, so addictive: the game’s official forums were full of tales of lives all but lost to Champ’s particular brand of “just one more game”-itis, or grown men so proud of taking a lower league team to the FA Cup final that they would don a suit for the occasion.

3) FIFA 21 (2020, PS4/Xbox One)

Recent FIFA games have been all about tweaking a winning formula rather than any major overhauls, but considering the series has been building from a leading position since FIFA 10, that’s no bad thing.

While FIFA 21 only makes very minor changes to its predecessor and certainly isn’t without its faults – defending is very much a secondary concern to scoring goals, there’s far too much showboating online, and goalkeepers punch so often they must all be wearing buttered gloves – it remains the best virtual approximation of the beautiful game.

2) Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (2005, PS2)

There are times in popular culture when a thing – band, TV series, game, whatever – reaches such a peak, you think it can’t possibly stay there. But then it does – for year after year after year. The Simpsons did that from about season 3 to season 9, for instance, but it’s pretty rare. Well, Pro Evolution Soccer managed the same feat.

That its standards did eventually drop was inevitable, but it doesn’t make the glory years from 2002-2005 any less special. We could have picked any of the four games from Pro Evo 2 to Pro Evo 5 and made a case for its inclusion. Frankly, we could have had all of them in this list. But that would be silly, so instead we’ve picked the probable highest point in a series of very high ones.

What made it so special? Just… everything. The Master League had by now developed into a proper four-division set-up, with promotion, relegation and a Champions League equivalent and there were even, finally, proper player names. On the gameplay side, it was as fluid and playable as football games get. Not quite as frantically insane as Sensible Soccer, not quite as gloriously detailed as FIFA 18, but instead a wonderful mid-way between the two extremes.

You could score screamers from 40 yards or tap-ins after a goalmouth scramble. You could waltz through five tackles, if you had a skillful enough player, but you couldn’t get away with just running the ball into the net. In short, it was beautifully balanced.

It couldn’t last, of course – but boy was it fun while it did.

1) Sensible World Of Soccer (1994, Amiga)

Almost 30 years young, SWOS is still top of the league. It took everything that was great about Sensible Soccer and just ran with it. You got the same fantastic arcade-oriented gameplay, but the title comprehensively acknowledged the rest of the world’s existence, with the kind of slavish devotion of a true footballing aficionado.

Management features and player trading were boosted by the inclusion of a whopping 1500 teams and 27,000 players. It should have been the start of something great, but SWOS was somehow allowed to be eclipsed by FIFA and PES. Still, dedicated fans keep the flame alive with leagues, events, and patched versions of the game that incorporate modern data – the wonderful, crazy nutters.

Can it compete with FIFA for realistic gameplay or Football Manager for exhaustive statdom? No, obviously not. And for many people, the classic mid-’00s era Pro Evo beats it as an all-round football game; it’s definitely split this office at any rate.

But for sheer “JUST LOOK AT THAT GOAL! THAT WAS LIQUID FOOTBALL!” joy, it will never be bettered. Go on, then, just one more game.

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12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use

By admin February 28, 2024

12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use, Out of all the operating systems in existence, Linux (also known as GNU/Linux) is the most frowned upon, and there are a few reasons for the same. While overall adaptability, software support, and user experience remain the most common issues with Linux, OS saturation is also a huge issue.

That said, most people involved in Linux treat the overwhelming number of choices as a plus point, as it gives them the ability and flexibility to try out different desktop environments and flavors and, ultimately, settle for what they like the best. However, if you haven’t tried Linux yet and want to start using it for whatever reason, here are some of the best Linux distros you should use and get started with.

1. Linux Mint

Linux Mint has established itself as one of the best distros for beginner Linux users, thanks to Cinnamon‘s simplicity (Linux Mint’s desktop environment) and ease of use. It’s an Ubuntu-based operating system that’s good for day-to-day usage and gaming. The Windows-like feel of Mint makes users switching from Windows feel at home and is one of the main selling points of the distro.

Linux Mint also caters to users who hold system stability of utmost importance. A new version of Mint is released every six months, and it’s usually very stable with occasional bugs. And for those who don’t like Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce are two other officially supported flavors of Linux Mint.

Cinnamon is popular because it uses far fewer system resources than GNOME, meaning it’s easier to run Linux Mint on old hardware with ease – like other lightweight Linux distros we recommend. Unlike Ubuntu, Linux Mint drops support for Snaps and embraces Flatpaks with open arms, and lately, the OS is doing its best to discern itself from Ubuntu. And well, it has been successful in doing the same. Overall, it’s a great Linux distro for beginners because everything just works out of the box.

Pros	Cons
Light on system resources	New features take time to appear
A great starting point for beginners	Could be a little too basic for advanced users
Great stability	Not very customizable

System Requirements:

• 2GB RAM (4GB Recommended)

• 20GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• 1024×728 pixels resolution display

• A dual-core CPU

Flavors: Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce
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12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use

2. Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS is developed by a company named System76, which also sells PC hardware and laptops powered by the OS. The OS was originally made with STEM professionals in mind and comes with NVIDIA drivers preinstalled. Soon, the distro became a hit among gamers, largely because installing NVIDIA drivers on Linux wasn’t the most user-friendly work in the world.

Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu and uses the COSMIC desktop environment, which is Pop!_OS’ homemade desktop environment based on GNOME. However, unlike GNOME, it’s a lot cleaner and has got a few neat tricks up its sleeve, like the keyboard shortcuts, which makes Pop!_OS one of the cleanest Linux systems. Overall, Pop!_OS is a great option for budding creators as well as folks who want to game on Linux out of the box.

Speaking of COSMIC, System76 has recently decided to distance itself from GNOME and recode the entire desktop environment in Rust programming language. Rust-based COSMIC was announced a few years ago and is currently about to transition from the Alpha to Beta stages. The revamped COSMIC will supposedly be faster, smoother, and less clunky than GNOME-based COSMIC.

Pros	Cons
An excellent choice for gamers and content creators	Not a cutting-edge distro
A great starting point for beginners	Requires a decently specced PC
Stable, customizable, and feature-rich	.

System Requirements:

• 4GB (8GB Recommended)

• 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: None
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3. Fedora

Fedora is the Ubuntu of the new world. It’s a cutting-edge Linux distro that’s an upstream version of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It uses the same RPM package manager and embraces Flatpaks and App Images, but more importantly (and the selling point of the distro) comes with a near-stock version of GNOME. Fedora is often one of the first Linux distros to embrace the latest versions of GNOME in its beta builds, which comes out every six months.

And since Fedora is open-source, it also has a few community versions called Spins. Some of the popular spins are Plasma, Xfce, LXQT, MATE, and Cinnamon. Overall, Fedora might not be the best option for absolute beginners, but it’s great for those who know their way around Linux. Besides, Fedora’s got one of the most active distro communities on Reddit. Hence, if something goes wrong, the group of enthusiasts will always be there for the rescue.

One of the areas where the OS doesn’t excel is with regard to system requirements. GNOME is a heavy desktop environment compared to others. As a result, it needs at least 8GB RAM and a decently powerful CPU/GPU to perform well.

Pros	Cons
Cutting-edge	Learning curve for a beginner
Great for stock GNOME lovers	Requires a decently specced PC
Great for gamers and content creators	.
Excellent community	.

System Requirements:

• 2GB (8GB Recommended)

• 15GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce, LXQT, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, SOAS, and i3 Tiling Window Manager
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4. Manjaro

If your friend says, “I installed an Arch-based Linux OS in just a few hours,” they are probably referring to Manjaro. Arch has always been an inconvenience for new Linux folks, but Manjaro makes it easy to taste Arch. It’s one of the best Arch-based Linux distros that comes in three official flavors/variants — KDE Plasma, Xfce, and GNOME.

Like Fedora Spins, Manjaro has lots of community versions like Budgie, Cinnamon, and MATE too. Hence, you are not devoid of choices in this case. That said, Manjaro isn’t a pure Arch-based system because it isn’t as cutting-edge as the next option on our list. Manjaro has its own repository where all updates from Arch are merged and pushed later. Stability is of great importance for Manjaro, hence, the new packages from Arch are thoroughly tested before they are merged into the OS.

If you’re confused about which flavor to choose, GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Budgie are great if you have a decent PC. However, if you are running ancient hardware, we recommend Xfce or MATE as they use far lesser system resources.

Pros	Cons
Makes installing and trying out Arch easy	Slower update releases than Arch or EndeavourOS
Comes in a variety of flavors	Known to break sometimes
Great hardware support	.

System Requirements:

• 2GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 30GB Disk space (80GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz Dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce, Budgie, MATE, Cinnamon, Sway, and i3 Tiling Window Manager
Download Manjaro

5. EndeavourOS

If Manjaro’s “Endeavours” don’t align with your philosophies, EndeavourOS gets a lot of things right for an Arch-based distro. It offers you the flexibility to choose whichever Desktop Environment you like, has the Arch DNA in its veins, and offers quick package upgrades.

For starters, it comes with a customized Calamares installer, which makes installation easy. EndeavourOS does not have “flavors,” instead it prompts and asks you to select the desktop environment of your choice in Calamares during the installation. Besides, EndeavourOS has a great community and is a stellar alternative to Manjaro, or even Arch, for that matter. If all you need is a great rolling distribution, you cannot go wrong with EndeavourOS.

Unlike Manjaro, in which new packages from Arch take at least three weeks to make it to the system, updates to EndeavourOS arrive at the same time as pure Arch Linux. Also, the overall bloatware on EndeavourOS is less compared to Manjaro, which makes it one of the cleanest Arch-based distros out there.

Pros	Cons
The closest cutting-edge OS to Arch	Learning curve for a beginner
Lots of desktop environment options	Frequent Arch updates might break the system or introduce bugs
Great community	.
Calamares installer makes it easy to install	.

System Requirements:

• 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 10GB Disk space (50GB Recommended)

• A dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: Xfce, Plasma, GNOME, MATE, Cinnamon, Budgie, LxQt, LxDe, and i3-wm
Download EndeavourOS

6. Elementary OS

Yet another Ubuntu-based distribution, Elementary OS is known for its rather striking resemblance to macOS, which makes it a great starting point for folks who want to switch to Linux from macOS.

Elementary OS has a few great homemade apps that look great and work well. In fact, distros such as Pop!_OS use Elementary’s store, and that’s a testament to the effort the Elementary team puts into developing one of these best Linux distros. Overall, Elementary OS is a user-friendly and good-looking distribution that gets most things right.

For starters, Epiphany is a decent browser available on Elementary OS, and apps such as Photos, Music, AppCenter, and more all feel like they actually belong to the OS because they’re consistent. The wallpapers are some of the best you can find in any distro, and the dock and animations make the distro a visual treat.

Pros	Cons
Consistent design language	For absolute beginners; Mediocre to advanced users may not enjoy
Great set of preloaded apps	Not cutting-edge
Easy to install	The AppStore is mostly empty

System Requirements:

• 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: None
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7. Zorin OS

Windows users make up a huge chunk of the crowd that switches to Linux. Hence, one of the top priorities of a few Linux distros is to make them feel at home. That’s exactly what Zorin OS does with its impeccable UI experience. Its clean, polished UI does give out the feeling of a completely revamped experience while still retaining the bits of Windows UI to comfort ex-Windows users.

Zorin is Ubuntu-based but looks/feels quite unlike Ubuntu both in terms of looks and functionality. There’s also a Lite version that can run on weaker hardware. All in all, Zorin has great documentation and posts for beginners to get started, and more importantly, it is completely free and open-source.

Besides, Zorin OS also has a Pro version that costs $40, and for that price, you get more desktop layout customizations, preloaded apps such as GIMP and Blender, and the ability to share your mouse and keyboard across computers. Now, we wouldn’t recommend going all out on the Pro version, since most of the paid features can be added by using extensions. However, for what it is, Zorin OS is definitely one of the cleanest and best Linux distros out there.

Pros	Cons
Made with Windows users in mind	Limited customization options in the free version
Clean and consistent user interface	Updates are slow to arrive due to the Ubuntu base
Easy to install	.
Great for browsing and creating content	.
Has a Lite version for old hardware	.

System Requirements:

• 2GB RAM (4GB Recommended)

• 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• 1024 x 768 resolution display

• A 1GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: None
Download Zorin OS

8. Garuda Linux

Garuda does things slightly differently than other best Linux distros on this list. For starters, contrary to the regular Linux kernel, it uses something called Linux-zen kernel, which claims to significantly improve the overall system and gaming performance.

The centerpiece of Garuda Linux is its UI. It gets lots of modern elements with gradient coloring splashed across the OS. Garuda Linux is based on Arch and follows the same rolling release pattern. It’s offered in multiple flavors; some of the most popular ones are GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE.

The flagship Garuda variant comes with a heavily customized KDE Plasma and is offered in two editions — Dragonized and Dragonized Gaming. The latter includes all the apps you’d need to get started with gaming on Linux such as Steam, Lutris, Heroic Games Launcher, & more, which makes it one of the best Linux distros for gaming.

Pros	Cons
Cutting-edge, thanks to its Arch base	Could be a bit too overwhelming for new users
Highly customizable KDE Plasma interface	Higher system requirements
Gradient theming and icons look fantastic out of the box	Performance and stability issues due to Arch updates
Dragonized Gaming edition brings all gaming tools for you	.
More optimized Linux-zen kernel for better performance	.

System Requirements:

• 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: KDE Plasma, GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce, MATE, LxQT, Wayfire, Sway, i3 WM, Qtile, and KDE Lite
Download Garuda Linux

9. Solus

Solus is a rather underrated Linux distro. The OS focuses keenly on developers, gamers, and content creators by including the tools required to get started with development, gaming, and content creation. The flagship flavor of Solus OS uses their in-house Budgie desktop, which is one of the cleanest desktop environments you can try.

What makes Solus different is that it doesn’t follow in the same footsteps as other Linux distros. It’s an independently developed distro with a completely different user experience compared to others on this list. Although, if you do not end up liking Budgie, you can switch to other desktop environments, including GNOME, Plasma, and MATE.

Because Solus is an independent distro, it uses its own package manager called Eopkg. It’s quite similar to Apt in Ubuntu but may have a learning curve since the commands are a bit different from the regular Apt commands. However, if you don’t end up liking Eopkg, you could always use Flatpaks and Snaps on Solus. All things considered, it’s one of the best Linux distros out there.

Pros	Cons
Independent OS; Doesn’t depend on any other OS	Eopkg has a shallow learning curve
Highly customizable interface	Slow development pace
The Flagship Budgie desktop looks great out of the box	Lack of software in repos
Comes preinstalled with a few tools for developers	.

System Requirements“

• 8GB RAM (Recommended)

• GeForce 760 and above graphics card with at least 2GB of video memory.

• 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: KDE Plasma, GNOME, MATE, Budgie
Download Solus

10. Ubuntu

In the end, we have something that you would have found in the first two entries had you read this list a couple of years ago. Ubuntu started off with the goal of making Linux more accessible and easily installable than Debian, which was then’s Arch Linux. And, for the most part, it succeeded in achieving that goal, only to succumb to a corporate illness a decade after.

Don’t get us wrong, Ubuntu is still a great operating system, but it has lost the bling it used to have a few years ago, and a few weird and poor decisions are to be blamed. Without getting into the details, Ubuntu uses GNOME by default, which is a tad bit customized.

Ubuntu uses Snaps for package management, and the latter is the reason the Linux community has started repelling it. They completely dropped out-of-the-box support for Flatpaks, as we mentioned in our Ubuntu 23.04 features list. Although it’s a good starting point for a complete beginner, we would argue there are better Linux distros to try than Ubuntu.

Ubuntu also raised a few privacy concerns when it started preinstalling Amazon and sharing data with the same a few years ago. Most of the users accused Canonical (Ubuntu’s parent company) of tracking user activity by installing spyware, and it made people lose trust in Ubuntu.

Pros	Cons
Beginner-friendly	Snaps are too slow; No Flatpak support
Customizable	Requires a decent PC to run smoothly
.	Privacy concerns

System Requirements:

• 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 25GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: KDE Plasma, GNOME, Cinnamon, Budgie, Kylin, Studio, Unity, Xfce, MATE, LxQT
Download Ubuntu

11. KDE Neon

KDE Neon is known to provide a flagship KDE experience, and it delivers! It’s a culmination of the latest from KDE Plasma while maintaining the stability thanks to the Ubuntu LTS base. The latest software from KDE always makes its way to Neon first and is a great way of trying out the latest features that the Desktop Environment has to offer while avoiding butchering the stable feel of the operating system.

Since Neon is based on Ubuntu LTS, each major release comes with five years of support and a stable tried and tested LTS Kernel. Neon also has some of the best collections of software thanks to KDE Plasma interface, meaning if you’re a creative individual, you could use some of the many tools the OS has on offer to boost your productivity, creativity, and be more efficient in your art.

Although most may like the interface and apps, like any other software, some may find the collection of apps a bit overwhelming. Hence, Neon may not be the distro for you if you prefer minimalism. Overall, Neon is easily one of the best Linux distributions you can try.

Pros	Cons
Runs Vanilla KDE	Could be overwhelming for beginners
Comprehensive suite of apps	Not the best distro for minimalists
Customizable
Stable Ubuntu Base	.

System Requirements:

• 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 25GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Download KDE Neon

12. Nobara

Nobara is not a mainstream Linux distributions and isn’t known by many except those who closely follow the Proton Compatibility Layer, Wine for Linux gaming, and Fedora. Nobara was created by Glorious Eggroll, the creator of Proton-GE. Nobara market’s itself as a Linux distro for gamers and creators because it adds and solves a lot of things that a Linux gamer may find annoying and needed.

For example, if you’re deeply immersed in Proton and Proton-GE, you may want to install new Proton versions to test for improvements and hence Nobara comes with Proton-QT preinstalled. Similarly, it’s always updated with the latest version of MangoHUD, Kernel patches, has automatic driver installation for NVIDIA GPUs, and comes with things such as OnlyOffice, Steam, Lutris, Flatpak preinstalled.

Pros	Cons
Lots of important preinstalled bits	Is a distro for Gaming and Creative work; May not be ideal for daily usage
Fedora-based, stable	.
NVIDIA Drivers are automatically installed	.

System Requirements:

• 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)

• 25GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)

• A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: Nobara Official, GNOME, KDE
Download Nobara

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10 Best Football Games for ios 2024

By admin February 28, 2024

10 Best Football Games for ios 2024, If we raise a question about the most popular game in the world, a big part will go to football. We often call it Soccer, too. Not just in the gallery, the popularity of football games has now crossed the boundary of the virtual world. And so, you don’t have to be a real-time famous football star to play in different leagues.

You can now experience the excitement of football games on your iOS devices. Giants of the football gaming industry have already launched tons of exciting football games for iPhone, and today, we are going to discuss that.

10 Best Football Games for ios 2024

Whenever you search for the best football games, you will definitely find hundreds of games at once. But none of them are compatible enough to get your time. That’s why we prefer to check out the best games and their details before you start playing one. It will help you to install the right one at once.

To help you find all the details of the best soccer games for the iPhone, we are here as usual. We check twice about the football leagues, visual graphics, audio, functions, and gameplay while listing the best. So, spend a little of your time to get the most appropriate football game for you.

1. Football Strike

Team up with your friends for unlimited action in Football Strike. Start the game by selecting a multiplayer mode to represent your team. World-class teams like Liverpool FC, FC Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund can lead you to the medals.

Important Features

• A lot of online game modes are available to play with competitors around the globe.

• Shooting Race mode is where you have to play within a time limit and hit the target as fast as you can.

• There is a Free Kick mode that allows the battle between the goalkeeper and a striker.

• Unlimited types of equipment can be personalized in colors and stickers according to your own style.

• Different stadiums in different locations are to be explored in Career mode.

Pros: The best part of this is its environment that lets you feel like playing live with other players. Plus, sound and music play a great role in making it more realistic.

Cons: Some players have complained about the connection drop-up issues here. Also, compared to other games, it’s pretty expensive.

Download

Read Also : The best PS5 games for 2024

2. eFootball PES.

Feel the thrill of a real football stadium at eFootball PES. Konami has brought this game so that your fantasies come true here. If you play well throughout the whole week, you’ll get a place in featured players. It will get you special player cards, extra skills, and added ratings.

You can enjoy the authentic feel of matches from the stadium, too. Still not impressed? Here are more features for you that will surely convince you.

Important Features

• By playing in the Iconic Moments Series, you can recreate the best career moments of present famous soccer players.

• Teams like Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Juventus, and many more are featured to play with.

• Online and local multiplayer matches allow you to play with friends and improve your skills.

• If you want to play with world-famous characters such as D. Maradona, D. Beckham, and S. Gerrard, add them to your team.

• The condition of your player, roasters, and ratings are influenced by the data of live updates from real matches.

Pros: This exciting game lets you join in real-time online football matches. Besides, it supports lots of languages, too.

Cons: This game requires too much space to play simultaneously. Plus, the campaign mode doesn’t seem to be anything special, as it shows.

Download

3. Final Kick.

If you are a pro football fan, you better not miss the Final Kick. This extensive game is well-known as one of the best football games for the iPhone for its minimal design but high-quality functions. With precise control of your finger over the ball and goalkeeper, you can strike and save goals.

You can play the game for only 2 minutes in a short time. Moreover, there is a free-kick mode for unlimited goals. Intuitive graphics will ensure clear movements.

Important Features

• Do not miss a single detail, as you can replay the best shots from every angle in slow motion.

• In multiplayer mode, you can play with your friends as well as other players online.

• To win prizes, you have to attend the weekly tournament and position among the top 100 players.

• More than 20 local tournaments can be played even without an internet connection.

• Over 100 of the finest teams are there for you to play against.

• You can change any particular features of your team and players and train them.

Pros: This app provides full-time customer care support that will help you solve any confusion. You don’t need to pay a penny to take part in a tournament.

Cons: The touchpad function is not very smooth in this game.

Download

4. FIFA Soccer.

Before starting the World Cup season, you can now enjoy the virtual version, FIFA Soccer. This game was launched by Electronic Arts, and it is available in a lot of countries like Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Germany, and many more.

In the season mode, prestigious teams will help you to get top ranks and exclusive rewards. Besides, I am pretty sure that you will love the graphics and audio quality of this game.

Important Features

• The UEFA Champions League and Europa League are waiting for you to participate, and you can earn players after the season ends.

• You can create your own squad with players from La Liga, Bundesliga, and Premier League, and players can be taken from the same nation or team for better bonding.

• If you play in the attack mode, you can play against your friends.

• With 100 legendary players, they can be chosen with their historic careers.

• To get a more skillful team, you can train famous international players and level up.

Pros: It lets you enjoy different types of gaming modes. In multiplayer mode, you can challenge your friends, too.

Cons: Sometimes, the players lose control over the gameplay here.

Download

5. Soccer Stars: Football Kick.

Of course, a list of football games is incomplete without Soccer Stars Football Kick. Football games for iPhone like this offer you real Football challenges to face. You and your friend can play on the same device in offline mode and multiplayer mode. Also, you can earn money here.

The game is available in different languages like German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, etc. Besides, it offers very smooth control over the screen, and the gameplay is quite exciting.

Important Features

• You can collect various teams to personalize your style.

• Multiplayer mode lets you play with or without an internet connection.

• If you want to battle against players from different countries, you have to participate in online tournaments.

• After logging in with Facebook, you can take part in the game with your friends.

• To win the cup, you need to show the best skills against your opponents.

Pros: You can try both a normal and VIP subscription that comes with exclusive features. You can customize your team in this game, too.

Cons: Some users find an insecure connection problem while running this game. Besides, some got fed up with unwanted bugs.

Download

6. Retro Soccer.

Unlike the other football games on the list, we got Retro Soccer. This is an arcade-style football game. After building the team with your favorite legends, start playing in your own style. It will keep you up-to-date with new challenges, features, and players.

You can use the app with six family members. So, the multiplayer mode has become funnier and exciting. Let’s see what more it will offer.

Important Features

• You can make your own all-star team by collecting and upgrading players of your choice.

• There are different types of matches, like full league seasons, challenge matches, and world trophy competitions.

• Lives will be recharged instantly, and it will cost you nothing.

• The best scores you made can be shared with everyone by using ReplyKit live.

• Make a goal against your friend to see who can reach the highest score.

Pros: This game offers a free subscription in over 70 countries. You can also enjoy it on iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air, iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPod Touch.

Cons: This game doesn’t have a synchronize option, so you can’t use it on your other device with the same account.

Download

7. Top Eleven: Be a Soccer Manager.

Check out a soccer game managing strategy game called Top Eleven Be a soccer manager. You can play it for free on your iPads and iPhones without any issues. This game offers you all the popular players and teams of the world. You will also get regular updates from the developers.

You can build a completely personalized soccer team by selecting different players and other tools of your choice. It allows you to play with your friends and interact with other players online. So, join now in the community of ever-growing soccer management games on the iOS platform.

Important Features

• Offers a huge community of over 200 million players.

• Make the best possible team and use new tactics to win live events and challenges.

• Allows the players to manage your custom team as you wish.

• Try to win as many events and tournaments as you like and gather rewards and daily gifts.

• It features team-building capabilities. You can build your team and improve in your own way.

• Supports multiple languages along with English as default.

Pros: This free football game for iPhone works flawlessly on all kinds of iOS devices. You will be happy to know that this game offers regular training sessions, a guide for using the tactics, and other gameplay tips.

Cons: Some might find this game boring because of its management related to strategy-based gameplay. It requires devices over iOS 10.0 to run it smoothly.

Download

8. Blocky Soccer.

Let’s check out Blocky Soccer, one of the most versatile block animation-based soccer games for iOS. It works on both phones and tablet devices due to its outstanding optimization by developers.

Blocky Soccer is free to play and offers easy gameplay. You must gather as many trophies as you can by winning lots of matches and campaigns.

It renders high-quality graphics and adaptive sound effects. The game is also backed up by regular updates and frequent fixes to provide you with the best possible gaming experience.

Important Features

• Offers retro style in-game environment and visual effects.

• Includes highly responsive touch-based controls.

• Features numerous characters that you can choose from.

• Comes with advanced sharing options, and you can also compete with other players.

• Provides a set of different grounds and adaptive weather effects.

• Offers a lot of campaigns and tournaments that players can join.

Pros: This game comes with very clear HD visual graphics and sound quality. Moreover, it is a completely free football game for iPhone.

Cons: Many players of this game have questioned the poor defense strategies of this game.

Download

9. Flick Shoot 2.

If you want to play a realistic soccer game on your iPhone or iPad, try Flick Shoot 2. It is one of the best soccer games for iPhone you will find on AppStore.

This game is free to play with optional subscription packages at affordable pricing. It comes with an interactive online multiplayer mode.

You will be able to play different matches with friends and other players. It offers endless hours of exciting game sessions. The game also gets regular updates and new content to provide you with a seamless gaming experience.

Important Features

• Offers stunning, realistic 3D graphics and sound effects.

• It offers multiple game modes, such as single-player mode, missions, campaigns, and minigames.

• The game’s controlling system is very smooth and familiar with similar games.

• Comes with multiple language support along with English as default.

• Provides numerous vests, balls, shoes, and players with complete customization options.

Pros: You will love its versatile single-player gameplay, which features 6 different game modes, including Challenge, Time Attack, Arcade, Not Miss, etc. Also, you can try the tournament and multiplayer modes too.

Cons: You might find the game to be slower when playing in multiplayer mode.

Download

10. Winning Soccer.

Winning Soccer by gamegou is a highly optimized 3D football game for iPhone. It is made for iPads but works flawlessly on iPhones, too. You will love its realistic gameplay and competitive multiplayer modes. It allows playing with your friends or any other players around the world in real time.

Its live-person VS person game sessions are highly demanding. So join the ever-growing community of Winning Soccer now. The following features will make you eager to download it without a doubt.

Important Features

• You can create and manage your custom soccer team.

• Offers smooth and responsive touch controls for easy gameplay.

• Master your controls to win in international live matches and tournaments to gather experience points and rewards.

• It allows you to challenge other players around the world in real-time live matches.

• Comes with total customization options for all kinds of tools, such as balls, vests, stadiums, settings, etc.

Pros: Renders jaw-dropping 3D graphics and stunning visuals with advanced physics works. Plus, people of any age can enjoy this game.

Cons: Some users find their devices to be very slow when having a proper internet connection. Besides, some of them lose control over the screen too.

Download

Our Recommendation.

No game, to be true, can be just perfect for everyone. The cons of the following games are that they are not the experience of all the users. Rather, most of them end up loving these games for their individualities and amazing gameplay.

However, as there are 10 equally compatible games, you might get confused about them. Let me help you one more time. If you prefer playing the best free football games, then you should try either Top Eleven Be a Soccer Manager or Blocky Soccer.

But if you prefer quality over the cost, then Final Kick and Football Strike would be the best options for you. And you should try Retro Soccer if you like an arcade-style football game in any way. All these games are good enough to boost your gaming experience.

Finally, Insights.

So, we have reached the final part of today’s discussion, where you learned about the 10 best football games for the iPhone. Whether it is a real football game or a virtual one, football has always been the name of our love. So, don’t get bored in your leisure time; just boost your gaming experience with these games.

I am sure that whatever game you are going to choose, you’ll end up loving it. However, don’t forget to share your experience playing the game you selected. Also, let us know if you know about any game that is ever more compatible. Thank you in advance for your support.

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Best Strategy Games for PC in 2024

By admin January 15, 2024

Best Strategy Games for PC in 2024, Strategy games come in a few different shapes and sizes, but what makes the following special is their unrivaled base-building features.Strategy games often involve micromanagement of various things that the player must master, ranging from logistics planning to providing optimal resources, to building a strong base that can serve as a foundation of the player’s winning move in the game. Most strategy games, be they real-time, simulation, or turn-based, have the element of base-building in their core gameplay loop.

The base building aspect of the game will usually involve the player having to gather resources and construct buildings as a starting point. This base will evolve to adapt to the game’s situation, although it has a heavier resource usage. The evolution of the base can also unlock a new gameplay loop for the player, keeping the game consistently fresh.

Factorio

The Factory Must Expand

Factorio is one of the best examples of how a strategy game can be centered around base building, as it becomes necessary for the player to have a well-built and well-defended fortress in order to ‘win’ the game. The real-time strategy game is also focused on resource gathering, making it necessary for the player to micromanage their resources optimally while defending the base from hostile invasion from the planet’s fauna.

From the importance of the Alt key to the value of construction bots, here are some valuable pointers for players who are new to Factorio.

With the game’s blueprint system, the base-building aspect of the game becomes more intense as the player will be able to build numerous unique building structures and customize their base, making each playthrough unique.

Best Strategy Games for PC in 2024

Cult Of The Lamb

Build A Base For An Upstart Cult

Creating a cult has never been more intense than while playing Cult of the Lamb, as the player will be controlling the role of a lamb that owes its life to a demon, and as a payment, tasked with creating a cult in the demon’s name. As part of the cult creation, the player is also tasked with building a proper base for the cult to thrive, and also act as a place of worship for its followers.

Farm layout is important in Cult of the Lamb, and these tips can help players keep things running smoothly.

Followers can be tasked with gathering resources to build up the base, and a plethora of other activities, including getting sacrificed to appease the demon. The survival aspect of the game makes it necessary for the player to build a well-balanced base without sacrificing an aspect, as it can lead to an early game over.

Base Of Operation Is Necessary Against Alien Invasion

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Fighting against an alien invasion that is overwhelmingly more advanced technologically can be insurmountable, but also fun to challenge in XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Aside from undertaking missions to repel alien invasions, the player is tasked with creating a proper base for the organization to build up their soldiers in many aspects, including technological advancement and logistics.

The base-building aspect of the game can become intense once the player is faced with the problem of facing multiple problems that require priority above the others. For example, having a country with a huge amount of funds pull out of the organization’s funding can negatively impact the base’s performance as upgrades become scarce.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Balance Resources To Achieve The Perfect Foundation For An Assault

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Although the game’s age is over two decades, the gameplay loop of both micromanagement and base building still holds fresh against most modern strategy games due to its simple design, but hard-to-master concept. At the start of every game, the player will be tasked to gather enough resources to build up a base that is capable of training units to assault the enemy’s base.

Moreover, these bases can also hold unique, powerful buildings that acts as a high-risk, high-reward structure that enables the player to unleash superweapons, such as a nuclear silo.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

Build A Proper Staging Base To Dominate Earth

World domination is not an easy feat to do, and it usually requires a genius leader at the head of an evil organization that is willing to do anything, including building a super-secret base as the foundation of their evil plan. Players of the game will need to have a well-optimized base layout to have a chance of winning the game.

Evil Genius 2 can seem daunting for players new to the strategy genre. Here’s how to start the journey towards world domination.

Moreover, having the proper base layout is crucial, as the different rooms inside the base enable the player to take more missions to grow their organization. A less-optimized layout of the base will have repercussions, especially towards the later stages of the game, as the Forces of Justice’s interference grows more intense.

Age Of Empires 2

The Best Base Is A Foundation For Good Offense

The classic real-time-strategy game Age of Empires 2 is still widely played to this day due to its timeless gameplay loop, which includes intense micromanagement of units, resource management, and proper base-building to enable the smooth development of an army. The base-building phase of the game is crucial enough to have a set of patterns on which building to build first, and technologies to research first, to keep up with the enemy’s development.

Moreover, building a well-connected network of walls with gates is also important, as a well-defended base will mean the player has a chance to mount a comeback after a failed assault on the enemy’s base.

Starcraft

The Staple For Both Base Building And Micromanagement

Veterans of Starcraft will know how crucial it is to have the right sequence of buildings made in their base, as less optimal buildings will hinder their development and rapidly lower their chances of victory. Combined with three unique factions, each with its unique buildings, Starcraft can be categorized as one of the best games that have base building as one of the core gameplay loops.

The base-building aspect of the game ranges from creating an optimal supply chain to build an army, to identifying a satellite base that is dedicated to resource gathering.

Total War: Warhammer 3

Total War: Warhammer 3, the conclusion to Creative Assembly’s Warhammer trilogy, is also its strangest and most experimental, letting players leave the traditional Total War sandbox every 30 or so turns to journey through the Realm of Chaos, where the domains of the Chaos gods exist, culminating in huge survival battles that draw from tower defence games, with fortifications, in-battle recruitment and waves of enemies.

The campaign proved to be divisive, but for those more interested in a proper sandbox, there’s always Immortal Empires. Available as free DLC for anyone who owns all three games, this mega-campaign pits every faction and legendary lord in the entire trilogy against each other in a gargantuan map. So that’s 278 factions and 86 playable legendary lords. It’s incredible. Total War at its most, well, total war.

Crusader Kings 3

Crusader Kings 3, the best strategy game of 2020, has usurped its predecessor’s spot on the list, unsurprisingly. It’s a huge grand strategy RPG, more polished and cohesive than the venerable CK2, and quite a bit easier on the eyes, too. At first glance it might seem a bit too familiar, but an even greater focus on roleplaying and simulating the lifestyles of medieval nobles, along with a big bag of new and reconsidered features, makes it well worth jumping ship to the latest iteration.

CK3 is a ceaseless storyteller supported by countless complex systems that demand to be mucked around with and tweaked. Getting to grips with it is thankfully considerably easier this time around, thanks to a helpful nested tooltip system and plenty of guidance. And all this soapy dynastic drama just has a brilliant flow to it, carrying you along with it. You can meander through life without any great plan and still find yourself embroiled in countless intrigues, wars and trysts.

Total War: Three Kingdoms

Total War: Three Kingdoms, the latest historical entry in the series, takes a few nods from Warhammer, which you’ll find elsewhere in this list, giving us a sprawling Chinese civil war that’s fuelled by its distinct characters, both off and on the battlefield. Each is part of a complicated web of relationships that affects everything from diplomacy to performance in battle, and like their Warhammer counterparts they’re all superhuman warriors.

It feels like a leap for the series in the same way the first Rome did, bringing with it some fundemental changes to how diplomacy, trade and combat works. The fight over China also makes for a compelling campaign, blessed with a kind of dynamism that we’ve not seen in a Total War before. Since launch, it’s also benefited from some great DLC, including a new format that introduces historical bookmarks that expand on different events from the era.

Europa Universalis 4

Paradox’s long-running, flagship strategy romp is the ultimate grand strategy game, putting you in charge of a nation from the end of the Middle Ages all the way up to the 1800s. As head honcho, you determine its political strategy, meddle with its economy, command its armies and craft an empire.

Right from the get-go, Europa Universalis 4 lets you start changing history. Maybe England crushes France in the 100 Years War and builds a massive continental empire. Maybe the Iroquois defeat European colonists, build ships and invade the Old World. It’s huge, complex, and through years of expansions has just kept growing. The simulation can sometimes be tough to wrap one’s head around, but it’s worth diving in and just seeing where alt-history takes you.

4X Old World

Few 4X games try to challenge Civ, but Old World already had a leg up thanks designer Soren Johnson’s previous relationship with the series. He was the lead designer on Civ 4, and that legacy is very apparent. But Old World is more than another take on Civ. For one, it’s set exclusively in antiquity rather than charting the course of human history, but that change in scope also allows it to focus on people as well as empires.

Instead of playing an immortal ruler, you play one who really lives, getting married, having kids and eventually dying. Then you play their heir. You have courtiers, spouses, children and rivals to worry about, and with this exploration of the human side of empire-building also comes a bounty of events, plots and surprises. You might even find yourself assassinated by a family member. There’s more than a hint of Crusader Kings here.

Civilization 6

You can’t have a best strategy games list without a bit of Civ. Civilization 6 is our game of choice in the series right now, especially now that it’s seen a couple of expansions. The biggest change this time around is the district system, which unstacks cities in the way that its predecessor unstacked armies. Cities are now these sprawling things full of specialised areas that force you to really think about the future when you developing tiles.

The expansions added some more novel wrinkles that are very welcome but do stop short of revolutionising the venerable series. They introduce the concept of Golden Ages and Dark Ages, giving you bonuses and debuffs depending on your civilisation’s development across the years, as well as climate change and environmental disasters. It’s a forward-thinking, modern Civ.

Sins of a Solar Empire

Sins of a Solar Empire captures some of the scope of a 4X strategy game but makes it work within an RTS framework. This is a game about star-spanning empires that rise, stabilise and fall in the space of an afternoon: and, particularly, about the moment when the vast capital ships of those empires emerge from hyperspace above half-burning worlds. Diplomacy is an option too, of course, but also: giant spaceships. Play the Rebellion expansion to enlarge said spaceships to ridiculous proportions.

After years of waiting, a sequel is finally on the horizon, thankfully. Sins of a Solar Empire 2 can already be played in early access for those who preorder it.

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The best football games on PC 2024

By admin January 15, 2024

The best football games on PC 2024, Lead your club, country, or brightest youth prospect to victory in the best football games on PC, from near-perfect simulations to soap opera stories. It can seem tough to scratch that footballing itch, especially when there are only a few mainstream games that usually spring to mind. Sure, Football Manager is the undisputed king of the football management genre, and if you’re interested in a more player-controlled affair, it’s hard to argue with FIFA’s excellent game-day presentation.

What are the best football games on PC in 2024? It can seem tough to scratch that footballing itch, especially when there are only a few mainstream games that usually spring to mind. Sure, Football Manager is the undisputed king of the football management genre, and if you’re interested in a more player-controlled affair, it’s hard to argue with FIFA’s excellent game-day presentation.

Whether it’s an under-the-radar studio, an indie title, or a mash-up of different sports, there’s a football game for every fan. To shine a light on these underappreciated classics, we’ve compiled the best PC games for football fans.

Football Drama

Football meets real-time strategy and deck-based card battle games gameplay in this delightfully humourous Demigiant title. As existentially-troubled manager Rocco Galliano, you’re tasked with turning around the fortunes of the ailing Calchester Assembled Football Club.

Doing so won’t be easy though. Like Telltale games of old, player choice is a big part of Football Drama. You’ll regularly be in conversation with journalists, the club’s owner, criminal organizations, and even your house cat, and the decisions you make during these chats have positive or negative impacts on all aspects of your management journey. Get into a spat with the man who hired you, and you could be sacked within days of taking over. Do a deal with the mafia to throw a game and find the story leaked to the press, and you could have a baying mob of angry supporters at your door.

Football Drama’s turn-based match mechanics, coupled with the use of “shout cards” you earn based on your interactions, can swing results in or out of your favor, and add an intriguing layer to its FM-inspired match engine. Your team’s stamina and card usage are pivotal to winning matches, so strategically applying them in unison will be the difference between victory and defeat.

Games and the commentary can feel a bit repetitive after a while, and there are only seven endings you can unlock despite Football Drama’s huge branching narrative. With its unique blend of gameplay, droll humor, and literary-inspired plot, however, Demigiant’s title is one you should check out.

The best football games on PC 2024

Rocket League

This isn’t your typical football game, but Rocket League is technically a soccer-based title thanks to its arcade-style football mixed with rocket-fuelled cars and vehicles.

There’s so much to like about Psyonix’s popular game. Its fluid, physics-driven mechanics are a joy and give rise to different, awesome, and sometimes hilariously bad goals and moments. Its 3-on-3 matches are always intense and results can swing one way or the other based on whether you’re having a good session or not, who you’re teamed up with, and often sheer luck about where the ball lands.

Its customization options allow you to build a vehicle that is distinctly you, and there are various game modes for you to try out until you find your perfect fit. Online casual and competitive matches, an offline Season Mode, basketball and hockey-esque extra modes, and Mutator options are just a few game types available to you, which helps if you want to mix things up and try something new.

Add all of that together with the Rocket League Season Pass – where you can earn rewards, climb up the world rankings, and get XP boosts – and this is a driving-based football title that could rival FM for your time. Check out our Rocket League review if you want to know more.

Kopanito All-Stars Soccer

Have you ever wanted to see a game with no referee and players imbued with superpowers? Kopanito All-Stars Soccer will be right up your street if so.

Merixgames’ football title has been out for a while, but its cartoonish charm and skill-based gameplay mean that there’s plenty here to keep your interest. Regional tournaments and leagues, multiplayer support for up to five players, and four difficulty levels give you your money’s worth, and there’s even the option to turn your slick or amazing goals and celebrations into animated GIFs to send to your mates if you’re in bragging mode.

It’s the game’s superpower abilities that really make it shine, though. You can teleport away from opponents, fire a super-shot goalwards that knocks all players out of the way – goalkeeper included – and even use a magnet that pulls the ball alongside you. It’s wacky but rewarding, particularly if you become a master at the game’s control system, and you’ll feel satisfied when you finally beat the game’s hardest difficulty setting after weeks of honing your craft.

Football, Tactics & Glory

On the surface, this looks like an FM22 knock-off, but there’s more to Football, Tactics & Glory than that. Combining XCOM’s chess-like strategy with RPG elements, Creoteam’s original spin on the management sim genre provides a fun yet realistic take on player improvement and tactical game plans.

Its fully customizable player faces let you give your stars some personality – in comparison to FM22’s plasticine-esque regen faces – while its mod support allows you to add in real-life leagues and tournaments to keep things fresh. Add in a helping of Twitch integration, whereby viewers can interact with streamers, and your fans can play as big a role in your management journey as you.

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to FM22’s in-depth mechanics – or a realistic footballing alternative to Blood Bowl – Football, Tactics, & Glory is a solid PC football game.

Behold the Kickmen

Imagine a football game that was developed by someone who had no idea what football was about. If you thought of something along the lines of Behold the Kickmen, you’d be right.

A frenetic soccer sim, Behold the Kickmen reinvents football by, well, inventing something else entirely. With gameplay mechanics that include ‘more kicking’ and ‘doing goals’, this tongue-in-cheek affair takes an amusing swipe at football fanaticism.

There’s a silly story mode to keep you engaged, while you can enable a mode in the options that turns the game into a dystopian bloodsport if things are getting a bit too serious for your liking. Its lack of multiplayer is a shame as it would be funny to batter your mates into oblivion, especially in bloodsport mode. For non-football fans who want to take the mickey by playing a soccer game, though, Behold the Kickmen, is a cheap, fun indie title.

Totoball

Table football, or Foosball as it’s commonly known, is fun, so if you like that then you’ll like this surprisingly effective PC port, Totoball.

Developed by Artur Rezende, Totoball is a carbon copy of the physical game we’ve all played and loved, whether that’s in common rooms and bars across the world. Like its real-life counterpart, Totoball’s mechanics are very simple – so much so that there are only two keys you need to use to play it.

Sure, you could venture out into the real world and play table football properly. For those days when you don’t feel like leaving the house, however, Totoball is an easy game to pass the time with.

Super Arcade Football

Remember when football games were top-down 2D affairs? Super Arcade Football replicates that aesthetic. Harking back to the days of Sensible Soccer and Italia ‘90, OutoftheBit’s retro-inspired title will have you wanting to dust off your old consoles to take a trip down memory lane.

It’s faster-paced than its predecessors and is graphically superior, but all the gameplay mechanic hallmarks are here. Different types of pitch – from dry to muddy to icy – are available to play on, simple controls such as pass, shoot, and move are all you need, and there is up to four-player support if you want a friend or three to join you.

Chuck in some funny match modifiers, including bigger goals and bouncy walls, and an online mode, and Super Arcade Football is a treat for those of you who grew up during the SNES and Mega Drive era.

Pixel Cup Soccer – Ultimate Edition

Pixel Cup is a love letter to isometric football games, like Sensible Soccer, with a little injection of modern technology. Local multiplayer is supported, and there are a variety of different competitions to dig into at your leisure. There’s even support for women’s football here, with the Women’s World Cup and Pixel Cup available to play – something that very few football games, FM included, have supported.

If Super Arcade Football doesn’t bring on the nostalgia rush you were hoping for, this might just push you over the edge. With a career mode, and even a playable Qatar World Cup, Pixel Cup Soccer may look simplistic, but it packs a lot under the hood.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2021

You can’t mention FIFA without talking about its fiercest rival, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series. PES 2021 doesn’t feature any upgrades from the previous year, instead, the devs focused on building eFootball 2022. Unfortunately, eFootball 2022 wasn’t the game fans were expecting as it quickly became the worst-reviewed title on Steam, with the 2023 version not doing much better.

Don’t worry, the modding community has saved the day once again. Using PES 2021 as a base, players have stuck to last year’s game as fans add in custom kits and teams. For solo players, Master League is one of the best single-player modes in any football game. In the Master League mode, players control a football club throughout several seasons. Not only will you have to deal with transfers, but creating unique training programs for the development of your players is crucial, especially for clubs without a large budget.

Football Manager 2024

While you won’t directly be contributing to the ball going into the goal, the Football Manager series puts you in the suit of one of the most important parts of any football team. Our FM24 review sings the praises of the newest entry in the series, which boasts a reworked agent system, advanced positional control, and, most importantly, the ability to import old saves into the new game. Perfect if you’ve been on that League 2 run for a few years now.

If you’re after one of the hardest FM24 challenges, check out our most difficult FM24 challenge saves, and if you want thing to look as realistic as possible, check out our guide on how to import FM24 kits and logo packs, so your team looks how they’re supposed to.

If handball being bad confuses you, and you don’t know where to start with the offside rule, we have the best sports games here, and if you would rather be the puppet master than the puppet, we have the best management games right here.

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Games

14 Best Football Games For Android In 2024

By admin December 14, 2023

14 Best Football Games For Android In 2024, Are you looking for the best free Online and Offline Football games for Android? If yes, then you are in the right place. These Android football games are loved worldwide apart from the one played live by players on the field.With high screen resolution and advanced graphics, Android phones serve as an excellent platform for playing Football.The Google Play Store is filled with several football/soccer games. While some users enjoy playing online football games some prefer playing them offline to avoid any network issues. This means you can download the game on your gadget and play it later on without being worried about internet connectivity and speed.

Keeping in mind both categories, here in this article, we have listed some of the best Football games for Android; Online and Offline. Let’s have a look at them one by one.

List Of The Best Football Games For Android Devices In 2024

Below we have mentioned a bunch of the most popular football games available for Android devices. Let’s scroll through our list and find a real-life football game for yourself:

1. FIFA Soccer

FIFA Mobile Soccer is the mobile version of the famous FIFA football game and is available for free on the Play Store for Android users.

It is one of the best Online Football games and enjoys a huge fan base worldwide. It comes with jaw-dropping gameplay and incredible graphics.

You can be a part of the 33 countries and build your team from 550 real teams.

All you need is an active net connection to enjoy this power-packed game. Download this one of the top 10 football games for android using the link below to take various challenges and win stunning prizes.

Download From Play Store

2. Soccer Star 22 Top Leagues

Soccer Star 22 Top Leagues is known to deliver a realistic football experience along with sublime graphics and features. It is one of the best offline football games for android gadgets available on the Play Store currently.

With this feature-rich game, you can take part in various world football competitions, including UEFA League, Champions League, and many more.

Beginners can train themselves in various training modes, including free-kick, assist the striker, penalty shootout, etc.

This is amongst the best offline football games as it comes with simple controls but demands a lot of practice to master.

Download From Play Store

3. eFootball™ 2024

There is no way that we can miss out on this stunning game. This intensive and feature-rich game surely deserves a spot on the list of best online football games.

Choose your legendary footballers and enjoy playing soccer with your friends. With its intuitive gameplay and stunning design, you get a different experience every time you play it.

It also allows you to select your team from a list of the past and current best football players.

Enjoy a real-time playing experience with precision passing, in-depth tactics, and natural player movements in this proud member of the best Android football games.

Download From Play Store

4. Score! Hero

If you are looking for a 3D Gesture-based best football game, then Hero can be the right choice for you. It has eye-candy graphics and animations coupled with a great storyline.

At present, the game offers close to 580 different levels. You can also invite your friends from Facebook to play the game with you and use the Google Play cloud to sync your progress between various devices.

You can also see your current position along with the status of other players on the scoreboard.

All-in-all Hero is one of the best Football games, which is incredibly simple to play but quite challenging to master.

Download From Play Store

5. First Touch: Soccer & the City

Next on our list of Soccer games is First Touch Soccer and the City. Play and win matches to earn more points, which can be used to upgrade the players. Higher wins to make your team more potent, along with individual performance.

One of the most notable features of FTS 19 as one of the best offline football games for Android is its small size. It comes with a clean and clutter-free interface. You can see live ranking broadcasts along with a comprehensive listing of team rankings.

Enjoy a real-time football atmosphere with its amazing stadiums, players, boots, and team kits.

Download From Play Store

6. Real Football

It is one of the oldest known football games for android users. This small-sized game doesn’t take too much space and performs quite smoothly.

It features several licensed teams and well-known players coupled with incredible graphics. Beginners can practice and enhance their skills using the training mode.

Real Football comes with a massive range of game modes, which include Leagues, International cups, and Exhibition matches. You can customize this best football game for Android by choosing your team, upgrading the stadium, and using different game tactics.

Download From Play Store

7. Flick Shoot 2

If you are looking for a feature-rich best offline football game, then Flick Shoot 2 can be the right choice. It offers realistic gameplay, along with 3D graphics and Unique Flick shoot controls.

You can play the game in various single-player modes, including Arcade, Dribbling, Not miss, Challenge, Time attack, and practice.

It comes in various languages like Spanish, French, Turkish, Italian, English, and Russian.

Use the below-mentioned link to play against real football players worldwide.

8. Top Eleven – Be a Soccer Manager

Build your unbeatable football team and become a Soccer manager with the best online Football games. You can design your team’s kit, select squad, conduct training sessions, and set up formations.

It is a multiplayer game where you can play against different teams to polish your skills and improve your game. Top Eleven is a highly customizable game where you can select an official jersey for your organization and build your stadium.

Challenge other team managers to practice and master the game.

Download From Play Store

9. Ultimate Soccer-Football

Next on our list of best Football games for Android is Ultimate Soccer. Build your squad and try various defensive and offensive play games based on your team’s strength.

You can play in different modes, including World Cup Tournament and Leagues. You can buy and sell professional and well-known players to build your soccer team.

Experience a real-time football experience with Ultimate Soccer. Use the link below to download.

Download From Play Store

10. LALIGA Head Football 23 SOCCER

If you want to enjoy a light tone of a highly competitive football game, then Head Soccer La Liga can be the ultimate choice for you. This 2D game comes in cartoonish and comedic style.

It is quite simple to play and works on three parameters: protect, defend, and attack. You can play it with your friends, participate in various leagues, and compete with different players from across the world.

Download From Play Store

11. World Soccer League

Developed by Mobirix, this incredible game comes in small size and gives you access to around 2000 players along with 60 clubs and national teams.

It is available in 15 languages, and you can choose to play from various game modes, including Cup, League, Training, and Exhibition.

Download From Play Store

12. Football Strike: Online Soccer

Football Strike: Online Soccer is one of the most loved single-handed football games. You can choose from the various modes to enjoy endless football fun.

Its fast and straightforward gameplay makes it everybody’s favorite.

Download From Play Store

13. EA SPORTS™ FIFA 24 Companion

FIFA 24 Companion is another popular name on the list of best Android football games of all time. The application is extremely simple to use, plus the interface is available in almost 24 different languages.

To enjoy this super exciting football game, you need to have an Electronic Arts (EA) account and a copy of FIFA Ultimate Team Club and FIFA 24 for PC, Xbox One, or PS4.

Download From Play Store

14. Futsal Football 2

With different modes to enjoy football, users can download Futsal Football 2. This is one of the best football games for Android as the user gets Modes to play in the indoor playing stadium. The gaming app gives the same experience as the real game. In the game, the goal is smaller as compared to the real one and the bounce is less. But the overall experience is amazing and similar to a real one. The user will never get bored as it has many modes.

With high-quality resolution and a 4-size ball, enjoy a 40 minutes game just like basketball. The controls are easy to learn and smooth. All in all the game will give an amazing football experience.

Download From Play Store

Frequently Asked Questions – Related to Online and Offline Football Games

Here are some of the most common questions asked by readers related to the best online football games for Android. We hope that these will clear some queries that you may have.

Q1. Which is the best offline football game for Android?

Ans.: According to data gathered from various trusted sources, the best offline mobile football games for Android are:

• Dream League Soccer

• Soccer Stars

• Score Hero

Q2. Which is the best online football game for Android?

Ans.: Some trusted online sources list show that these are the best soccer games to play online for free:

• FIFA Football

• eFootball PES 2024

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