Kick will bring cozy soccer gameplay to Steam

A childhood slice of life

Between the ages of 7–11, whenever I left the house, I'd have a soccer ball glued to my feet (although I'd have called it a football because I'm British, sorry folks). I say "glued," but chances are that any adult with me would be constantly on high alert to stop me from booting it into oncoming vehicles or at pedestrians because, as much as I wanted to believe it, the second coming of David Beckham I was not.

Kick, an upcoming indie soccer game, is all about that childhood way of life, when soccer was everything. You are "The Kid," dribbling your ball as you travel to school in a 2D side-scrolling environment where you must dodge pedestrians, avoid obstacles, and "master the art of soccer ball physics," according to a news release.

Kick is all about pulling off tricks by kicking the ball with the perfect power and at the right angle, and looking for shortcuts to quicken the journey. Levels range from "bustling streets and scenic beaches to shaded underpasses and sprawling parks," the latter of which can also be used to practice your skills. You also have your pup along for the ride.

Peter Soerensen, the solo developer at nospacelost, explained that "Kick has been a labour of love over the last few years, and I’m so happy to finally share it with the world. I wanted to create a game people could lose themselves in, with no threat, no danger, just a boy, his ball, and the next trick they were going to pull off.”

Last year, we saw Despelote evoke a similar nostalgic feeling. Set during the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, you play Julián, a boy exploring his suburb in Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, where soccer permeates every facet of life. Ecuador is on the brink of qualifying for the tournament for the first time ever, and while Kick doesn't appear to have that same emotional storytelling aspect, it is following that trend of embodying childhood through the beautiful game.

Kick will be available on Steam. A release date has not been announced yet.