Sensible Soccer

The basis for Sensible Soccer was MicroProse Soccer, released for home computers in 1988. It was designed by Jon Hare and programmed by Chris Yates, who adapted the gameplay format of arcade video game Tehkan World Cup (1985) while adding their own elements to create MicroProse Soccer. Hare and Yates went on to use MicroProse Soccer as the basis for Sensible Soccer in 1992, making further improvements to the gameplay.

Sensible World of Soccer, commonly referred to as SWOS, was released in 1994. The game was almost published by Virgin Games, but they insisted on it being called Virgin Soccer. It became a first in video games when it attempted to encompass the entire professional footballing world into one game. Featuring many divisions in many countries around the globe, it featured a twenty season career mode which allowed players to manage and play as thousands of different clubs from across the globe, many of which were very obscure.

Computer Gaming World in June 1994 wrote that "in the debate over the best football action/tactical game, there is no doubt that Sensible is in everyone's top three, no matter what format ... The game is fast and responsive ... a class act". The magazine added that the "Gameboy version is one of the best games" on the handheld. The Master System version received 88% from British magazine Sega Pro, which praised its playability and the retention of different formations and playing styles.

The Mega Drive version was positively received by European publications. In the United Kingdom, Computer and Video Games awarded it 94%, praising its fast pace, simple controls and longevity, with reviewer Paul Rand calling it "the most enjoyable game I've played on the MD in years". French magazine Joypad gave the game 89%, contrasting its fast, accessible play and extensive customization with the greater realism of FIFA International Soccer; the magazine's staff were divided over which of the two football games they preferred. German magazine MAN!AC awarded it 86%, praising its speed, tactical options and gameplay while regarding its audiovisual presentation as comparatively plain.

Sensible Soccer developed a lasting reputation as one of the most influential European football video games. BBC Sport retrospectively described the game as a cult classic that "captured the hearts of a generation", noting its particularly strong association with the Commodore Amiga. The Mega Drive version was ranked first in Mega magazine's list of the 50 best Mega Drive games, while the Mega-CD version ranked second among the magazine's ten best games for that system.

The series was further developed with Sensible World of Soccer in 1994, which combined the action gameplay with football management elements and an extensive international database. In 2007, Sensible World of Soccer was selected by a panel of video game experts as one of ten historically important games proposed for preservation as part of a video game canon.