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My only regret with eFootball Kick-Off is that I didn’t purchase it as soon as the World Cup started.
As mentioned in my The Adventures of Elliot Review, I took some time off and went to the beach for a whole week, and it coincided precisely with the beginning of the biggest event of the year in sports, the FIFA World Cup.
And, to get in the mood, I wanted to play a football game, and my only options were Inazuma Eleven, which I had played extensively already, and EA FC 26. I did notice eFootball: Kick-Off pop up in the eShop for $20, but I ignored it because I knew that eFootball had the same greedy microtransactions that drove me away from EA FC 26. Turns out I didn’t know a single thing.
What Is eFootball Kick-Off?
eFootball Kick-Off is not the same as the free-to-play eFootball game already playable on multiple platforms. This is a game that has 0 microtransactions, in which you can play several offline modes and even build your dream team with current and past players. And even better, it has a ranked mode in which you can use this same team.
I can see this being a problem in the near future if the game doesn’t get enough updates, since eventually everyone will be able to build the best meta team, and that’s all you will be seeing online.
It also plays slightly different from eFootball, where the ceiling in terms of skills to play is a bit lower with the option of turning on the Easy Controls to get you accustomed to the game, and you can even play a 6v6 game if 11v11 feels overwhelming.
Once you turn off those baby options, that’s when the game starts to shine, and you’ll see how many options and different controls you have at your disposal at any given situation. They might seem a bit overwhelming at first and maybe a bit pointless, but as you ramp up the difficulty in the single-player modes, you’ll need to learn a few more tricks to help you control the match.
World Tour Mode
Before even mentioning what World Tour Mode is, I’d like to point out quickly that the UI/UX of this game is top-notch. When I booted it up, it took me seconds to go from the main screen to the World Tour Mode, where I created my own football team and then proceeded to play my first match. And this mode was everything I wanted from EA FC 26.
It’s a simple mode in which you enter, play 5 matches in each league, and build your team along the way. Everything is fluid and engaging, and loading up a new game was always a breeze.
I beat my first game easily, and soon I was signing up my first player and upping my team’s rating. At the end of the match, I was also greeted with a coin game in which I was given the chance to earn the currency needed to buy the strongest players in the Hall of Players.
The Coin Grind
The more leagues you complete, the more players are available to purchase, and getting the best ones takes a lot of grind. The coin game I mentioned will get you at least 300 coins per match; however, there are 4 types of coins for each type of player (attacker, midfielder, defender, and goalkeeper), and the type you earn after a match is entirely up to chance.
If you’re lucky, there’s a special coin that will earn you way more coins, which scales with the difficulty you choose, but you will not get it consistently.
So, if you play the game in Normal Mode, there’s a big chance you’ll earn less coins than if you’d played it in World Class.
For offline mode, I don’t think this is an issue, since it actually balances out the game. Some of these players are super good, and if you have a team full of them, even Normal Mode starts looking like Easy Mode.
Facing the Difficulty Spike
Although I played most of the game in Normal Mode, by the end I was giving the Hard Mode and even Very Hard Mode a try because I decided to go online with my 97 rating team and got humbled really quick.
That’s when I went back to the training mode and decided to learn a few new things, like asking a team member to pressure your opponent so you don’t break your line of defense and also telling your teammates when to run back or forward to attack.
But there’s still a lot to learn here to finally conquer a league in World Class; so far, I’ve only managed to tie a match, but I’m pushing for that win!
Playing the entire mode from start to finish took me about 7-8 hours, and I was really hooked on the gameplay loop of winning, signing a new player, earning coins, and buying new players. It’s something that I’ve seen work in Inazuma Eleven Victory Road as well. I just wish there was a bit more here, like more Special Cups or other tournaments that could show up on the map, or even friendly match requests.
Still, for what it offers, it’s a great mode that any football fan can enjoy thoroughly, and there are a few more to unwrap in eFootball Kick-Off.
Mini-Games
This will be a quick section because there are only 2 mini-games available right now, Obstacle Course and Wall Ball. One has you run with the ball through a course of obstacles, and the other will place you in a 3v3 football paddle ball match.
Of the 2, Wall Ball is the best one, and I see myself playing it with a group of friends one day. It’s a shame you cannot play it online, though.
International Cup Mode
International Cup had me at the edge of my seat the entire time I played it. It’s a mode where you can play through what is basically the FIFA World Cup 2026, and it even starts with the same teams in the same groups.
I knew I didn’t want to have an easy time, so I picked Portugal and placed the difficulty in Hard Mode. Eventually, I reached the knockout stage but was defeated by Croatia…
I tried a few more times, but I just wasn’t able to do it, so I decided to lower the difficulty, but this time with Cabo Verde. I thought that even though this was a weaker team, I would still steamroll the competition. I was so wrong.
These players got tired so fast, and that’s when I realized I had to start subbing and even adjusting my strategy as the matches progressed. I couldn’t run all the time; I had to think and slow down the game a few times and make sure my passes were flawless.
It took me a lot of effort, but after a few dozen goals scored, Cabo Verde reached the finals, beat Spain, and was crowned the World Champions.
The reward here was actually doing it, because in the end you just get a trophy and nothing else, so there isn’t much incentive to it a second time other than the challenge itself.
Still, I had a blast playing it.
Performance
eFootball Kick-Off runs at a flawless 60 fps in both docked and handheld, even with rain hitting the pitch. Visually, though, it’s a bit inconsistent since light varies noticeably from field to field, and some players render a bit better than others. The latter is something you’ll only notice when the camera really closes in.
While it looks great graphically in both modes, in docked the image feels sharper and more pleasant to look at, which I found interesting, and also a treat to the eyes when I was lying on the couch playing while a World Cup match was playing.
Overall, while I think the graphics could’ve been a bit better, I think it was a nice trade-off for that buttery smooth 60fps.
Is eFootball: Kick-Off worth?
For the low price of $20, this game is more than worth it. I paid a bit more for EA FC 26, and I haven’t played it half as much.
While it’s true that the modes could use a bit more content, what’s packed in here is fun. And not to mention the top-notch gameplay that always pushed to learn more about its mechanics and perform better.
As of now, it’s my favorite football game on Switch 2, and I can see it getting an update or two in the near future.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll be seeing you again next time with brand new content.
Pros:
- Zero microtransactions, just a flat $20 price
- World Tour’s win-sign-earn-buy loop is genuinely addictive
- International Cup delivers real underdog moments (Cabo Verde beating Spain)
- Locked 60fps in both docked and handheld, even with weather effects
- Top-notch UI/UX with fast load times
- Easy Controls and 6v6 option make it approachable for newcomers
- Real depth once you turn off the accessibility options and push difficulty
Cons:
- Elite player grind relies on a random coin mini-game
- Only 2 mini-games available at launch
- International Cup’s reward is just a trophy, nothing else
- Visual quality is inconsistent between fields
- Modes could use more content overall (more Special Cups, tournaments, friendly match requests)
Great 8/10
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