A Small World Cup
New
- Genre Sports games
- Players 1–2
- Session 5 min
- Price Free
- Updated
Football reduced to one player per side, and that player barely stands up. There is a single input that throws your body at the ball, and everything else is physics deciding what happens next — which means the difference between a shot and an own goal is a few degrees of lean. The tournament bracket gives a session some shape, but the reason people keep loading it is the same reason they keep loading any good physics toy: the goals are funnier than anything a designer could have scripted. It has been around long enough to be a fixture of this kind of catalogue, and the sequel has not replaced it. The tournament is thin by design and that suits it. Matches last a couple of minutes, the opponent gets marginally less clumsy each round, and nothing is asked of you except the same single input performed slightly better. Games like this survive on their physics rather than their structure, and this one has been running on that basis for years.
| Arrow keys or WASD | Lean and slam |
|---|---|
| Space | Jump |
| Second key set | The other player on the same keyboard |
| Touch | On-screen buttons |
How to play A Small World Cup
- Slam at the ball, not at the opponent. Contact with the ball is the only thing that scores.
- Defend by standing in front of the goal rather than chasing. Chasing leaves it open.
- Wait for the bounce. The second contact decides more goals than the first.
- Use the walls and the crossbar deliberately; ricochets are a genuine tactic here.
- Play a friend on one keyboard. Against the computer it is amusing, against a person it is a game.
Tips
- Your own momentum is the main hazard. A missed slam leaves you flat while the ball goes anywhere.
- Short controlled leans beat committed dives in front of goal.
- The tournament gets harder by making the opponent less clumsy, so the same tactics need tighter timing.
Questions about A Small World Cup
How many players per side?
One, which is the whole joke and the whole design.
Can two people play on one keyboard?
Yes, and it is the best way to play it.
Is there a tournament?
Yes, a bracket to work through against progressively better opponents.
Are there any real football rules?
Almost none beyond scoring in the right goal.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, with on-screen buttons.
Do I need the sequel?
No, they stand separately.
