''Heads Up Action Soccer'' is a video game developed by General Consumer Electronics for the

Vectrex The Vectrex is a vector display-based home video game console–the only one ever designed and released for the home market, developed by Smith Engineering. It was first released for the North America market in November 1982 and then Europe and ...

console and published in 1983. ''Heads Up'' was only the second sports title from GCE, after the football game, ''Blitz!''

Gameplay

''Heads-Up Action Soccer'' lets the player challenge a human opponent in head-to-head action or play against the computer, with teams consisting of three soccer players and a goalie controlled by a joystick. Play is on a horizontally scrolling pitch. The same buttons are used to pass or shoot on offense, and to select which player to control on defense. The full playing time is 5 minutes. Despite its name, there are no headers where the players might be able to shoot or pass the ball with their head.

Reception

Noel Steere for ''

Electronic Fun with Computers & Games ''Electronic Fun with Computers & Games'' was a video game magazine published in the United States from November 1982 to May 1984. For the last two issues it was renamed ''ComputerFun''. Content The magazine was split up into the following sect ...

'' said "you can't always find a human opponent to play with you. So unless you're a Siamese twin, ''Heads Up'' gets thumbs down." The British magazine ''TV Gamer'' said it is a "faithful reproduction of soccer which includes a challenging one player version." The 1984 Software Encyclopedia from ''

Electronic Games An electronic game is a game that uses electronics to create an interactive system with which a player can play. Video games are the most common form today, and for this reason the two terms are often used interchangeably. There are other common ...

'' gave the game an overall rating of 8, praising how "the horizontally scrolling soccer field allows for good movement and control of the stick-figure soccer players". The German magazine ''TeleMatch'' rated the game at 3 stars out of 5. Retrospective reviewers were more negative. The reference guide ''Classic Home Videogames'' criticized the game for its simple graphics and slow gameplay, calling the Vectrex "not the best vehicle for sports simulations, as emphasized by this dreadful game." The criticisms of slow player movement is echoed in The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech, who noted "a side-scrolling four-on-four soccer simulation was a bit outside" the strengths of the Vectrex.

References

{{Milton Bradley 1983 video games Association football video games Vectrex games Vectrex-only games Video games developed in the United States