Taito Power Goal (aka Taito Cup Finals and Hat Trick Hero 95 in the US and Japan[1]) is a side scrolling arcade soccer game released by Taito in 1994. It features digitalized players, referees, cameramen, and a streaker.

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Teams

The game offers a multitude of teams to select from, all of which are listed below.

Europe A

•  Italy
•  Netherlands
•  Spain
•  Switzerland
•  Norway
•  Ireland
•  Portugal
•  Scotland
•  England
•  Poland
•  Finland

Europe B

•  Germany
•  Romania
•  Belgium
•  Greece
•  Russia
•  Sweden
•  Bulgaria
•  Denmark
•  Wales
•  France
•  Austria

South America/Asia

•  Brazil
•  Argentina
•  Colombia
•  Bolivia
•  Uruguay
•  Paraguay
•  Chile
•  Ecuador
•  Japan
•  Saudi Arabia
•  Korea
•  Iraq

America/Africa

•  USA
•  Mexico
•  Australia
•  Canada
•  Cameroon
•  Nigeria
•  Morocco
•  Ivory Coast

Gameplay

Like most arcade soccer games, the gameplay is very fast-paced with little planning for tactics or positioning. The player picks an international team and nominates a "star player" or "Captain". Every team has seemingly the same ability as one but the star player on each team is slightly quicker, has a more powerful shot, and has a different appearance from the rest of the team.

Players can tackle for the ball in various ways, such as sliding, performing a flying kick on an opponent, sweeping the legs of another player, and slamming them to the floor. The referee is very lenient in calling fouls (but when he does it usually results in a card) and can be knocked out himself for a few seconds, either by hitting him with the ball or tackling him.

Depending on how many credits the player uses in one game, their team is able to perform a special move. The special moves are selected when the ball goes out of play. The special moves include "Super Shot" and "Hyper Shot" which, when selected, sets the ball on fire and pushes the goalie into the net if he attempts to save it. In certain exceptions, these special moves can be made. Both exceptions allow the Captain of the team to make the special move if passed to him using button 2; however, the score dictates which shot can be made: A free "Hyper Shot" can be made if the score is tied (with the exception of being tied at 0-0) and there are less than 10 seconds left. A free "Super Shot" can be made if the score is 0-0 (but not tied at any larger score), if a player is winning or losing, and the time left is less than 30 seconds.

If the player wins the three initial games, they are able to change their team kit colors (their team then becomes known as "personal").

On occasion, a streaker or a dog will interrupt the game and run onto the pitch when the ball goes out of play, adding to the humor of the whole game.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Taito Power Goal on their January 1, 1995 issue as being the most-successful arcade game of the month.[2]

References