Back in the day, the combination of EA and the irreplaceable Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) guaranteed a whole lot of fun, from the original FIFAs to the head-bleeding, siren-whirring delights of the mid-90s NHL series. Rugby might never have made its name in the world of gaming, but World Cup Rugby 95 is actually a bit of a gem.
Even now rugby games are few and far between, despite the long-running successes of soccer and American football franchises like FIFA and Madden.
Back in the day, the combination of EA and the irreplaceable Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) guaranteed a whole lot of fun, from the original FIFAs to the head-bleeding, siren-whirring delights of the mid-90s NHL series. Rugby might never have made its name in the world of gaming, but World Cup Rugby 95 is actually a bit of a gem.
Even now rugby games are few and far between, despite the long-running successes of soccer and American football franchises like FIFA and Madden. As it turns out, World Cup Rugby 95 is a bit of a diamond in the rough, and definitely worth a play for the retro value alone.
The 1995 RWC was an incredible watch for rugby fans worldwide, and the sight of South African captain
Francois Pienaar receiving the Webb Ellis trophy from Nelson Mandela will live long in the memory. Too often games are sold solely for their titles, so it’s a great surprise to see the developers give fans the game the tournament deserved. Now it’s your chance to take your team to the Final and recreate Joel Stransky’s extra-time drop-goal and win the World Cup!
And even if you’re not big on rugby in the real world, as long as you’re familiar with the isometric style gameplay of other 90s EA titles (the FIFA games, the Desert/Jungle/Urban Strike series) the game is actually really quick to get into. The 3D-animated players have that classic EA look that we all remember so well. Everything’s kept as simple as possible: the clock’s the only thing added to the game screen, with the active player circled as usual and marked by an arrow if you drift off the screen. Passing/tackling can be a bit tricky at first, but give it some time and you’ll soon be jinking over that try-line!
The makers at Audiogenic also took time to give some depth to the game through the addition of pre-game training, coaching and squad selection to the usual tournament play. As you’d want from an official license, all 16 international teams from the ’95 finals are available for selection: from the big guns of South Africa, Australia, France and the All Blacks (New Zealand) to the Home Nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. You can also try your luck as one of the underdog teams like Canada, Japan or Western Samoa. And after the opening coin toss the game comprehensively includes all you’d expect: scrums and lineouts, mauls and rucks, big hits, knock-ons and tactical, place- and drop-kicking.
The retro-3D graphics are still a joy to behold, the gameplay is as smooth and uncomplicated as it could realistically be for such a complex sport, and the tinkering options give an extra dimension to its replay value. A retro beauty. 9/10.
