Game Info
- System: Mobile [iOS/Android]
- Publisher: KLabGames
- Developer:KLabGames
- Release Date: December 5, 2017
- Price:Free-to-Play [In Game Purchases Available]
- Rating: E
- Genre: Head-to-Head Soccer Simulation
- Players: Single Player, Online Multiplayer
- Official Website: https://www.tsubasa-dreamteam.com/en/
Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team Opening Movie
Introduction
Having the opportunity to play a game before the rest of the world even has a chance to glance at it is a wonderful feeling, and fortunately for us we were able to experience that hands on. The wonderful team at KLabGames were kind enough to invite us to their headquarters, where we were introduced to Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team and its playable version for the first time. The game has been out in Japan since this summer and has become quite popular all across the country, but now it’s time for the rest of the world to experience what we did during the pre-release party. So let's kick off our impressions and let you all know what our final verdict was!
Impressions
Matt, Mark and Sarah provided us with a rundown of the game and what to expect once the game officially went live. Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is a soccer game which places its attention on a tactical approach, encouraging players to select from their favorite Captain Tsubasa characters and create their own powerful team. The gameplay is described as ‘Head-to-Head Soccer Simulation’ and so, while you’re able to play against other players online, the game will allow you to play in auto/semi-auto while you watch the CPU work for you in single player. The first thing that we noticed about Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team was that immediately you’re greeted with this strikingly detailed opening video that shows the characters off in action, and to be honest it felt as if we were watching an HD remake of the series on our phone. That alone totally blew us away and furthermore, the game also uses the very same voice actors/actresses from the original anime (the ones that are still alive of course)!
We were joined by another guest from Tokyo Otaku Mode named Gin who eventually became our rival (and friend) since the two of us had a showdown to see who the best player was (we won of course). That’s the awesome part about Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team, it can be enjoyed alone via the story mode and gathering Dreamballs through the Gacha mechanic, but the main core of the game really is its online mode. No matter where you are in the world all you have to do is log in, create your own team and face off against other strong opponents in the comfort of your own home. Everything took place locally for us so we assume that there may be some connectivity issues down the road if players are too far away, but the game itself isn’t very graphic heavy so perhaps things should run smoothly for both parties.
Creating a team in Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is very simple and doesn’t require much on your end other than trying to collect super rare Dreamballs to ensure your team is unstoppable. You have characters which range from N, being the very rookie type, to UR being the most godlike. As you progress through the Story Mode and other various modes within the game, you’ll be able to accumulate more Dreamballs in order to transfer new players to your team. The one plus to Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team over other mobile titles is that, unlike in other games where there’s a limit to just how many Gacha rolls you can have, in the first start-up Gacha (known as Transfers in the game) you can retry as many times as you like until you roll that juicy SSR player for your team. It really encourages you to make a strong team off the bat so that way you’re fully prepared for any online battle you decide to partake in.
The gameplay takes place via top down perspective, and special cut-scene animations take place when two or more players collide on the field. So for example, you could be running down the field and passing to another player but no cool animation will begin until the other player engages with you. At that point you’re taken to a new screen where options are presented, and you’ll need to decide what action is best in order to maintain possession. You can dribble past the defender, go for a shot, or use your special skills ability to unleash a powerful move and secure a clean attack. All of these however require Stamina and so you simply just can’t go wild, carelessly using your attacks. This is where the tactical approach comes into play because everything you do will create some sort of result, and that result could be entirely in your favor or the opponent’s. So it’s all about outsmarting the opponent and creating baits to ensure you always maintain possession and get closer to scoring that delicious goal.
What’s awesome about Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is that, while it’s certainly catered to fans of the series and those who enjoy soccer, it really can be enjoyed by just about anyone who’s looking for a nice competitive experience. The single player options are more for those who prefer to just go at their own pace and play casually, facing off against the CPU for the fun of it. We created the Honey’s Anime team, fully decked out in our bumble bee attire while our opponent opted for a more cotton candy approach with a pink kit. When you watch the animations explode on screen they’re just so vivid to look at, and you kind of feel this very personal connection with the game since the characters actually wear the uniform you created. You’re the coach of the entire team and just like any soccer game out there, coming up with the right formation, subbing weak players out for stronger ones is part of the plan.
Speaking of weak and strong players, one cool addition of Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is that let’s say you received more than one of the same player, and one is clearly stronger than the other. Well, what you can do is take abilities from one player and “teach” it to a different version of that player who may be lacking that specific ability, as long as they have an empty skill slot. To be more elaborate, let's say that your stronger player has the right attributes but that lower rarity has a much better ability that could help fill that gap. You can then take that ability to help refine your stronger player even more! What this also means is that, just because your character is of high rarity doesn’t mean they’ll perform optimally, unless you make the correct changes to improve them.
You can use ‘Enhancement Items’ to boost these special skills too, so make sure to take advantage of them when you can while buffing your characters to increase their overall skills! Playing felt very fluid and responsive as you use your finger to target other players on the field in order to pass to them. The tricky part however is coming up with the right strategy on the fly and since you're on a timer, you've got to be very quick on your feet. Knowing just when to fully utilize special skill attacks or just focus on using normal skills is where much of the thrill comes in because you just don't know how the opponent will respond. It's very addicting and once you get the hang of it, we assume hours will breeze by.
Honey's Final Verdict:
Overall, Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is a must have awesome title for those into the series, along with those looking for a fresh new experience to try out on mobile. With in-depth storylines genuinely crafted for the mobile experience, stunning special moves that you can use to blow past the opposing side and plenty more, Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is about to kick off in a big way! Captain Tsubasa: Dream Team is out NOW so be sure to head to the pitch and test your skills against the rest of the world! It truly scored a goal in our hearts and so we hope it does the same for you. From KLabGames and Honey's Anime we wish you all the best and be sure to support this awesome game!
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