Nick Soccer Stars

Nick Soccer Stars is a Nick.com side-scrolling soccer game released in 2014, the first game released in the Nick Sports Stars series.

Unused Characters#

In the original Adobe Flash release, there are two additional character entries listed in configuration\characters.xml, belonging to Sandy Cheeks and Squidward Tentacles from SpongeBob SquarePants. They were meant to be unlocked on June 30, 2014, according to their parameters, but were ultimately scrapped. No other data remains.

<!-- future release characters -->
<!-- <character>
        <name>sandy</name>
        <team>sbsp</team>
        <powerup>shockwave</powerup>
        <lock>
            <unlockedAt>2014-06-30</unlockedAt>
        </lock>
    </character>

    <character>
        <name>squidward</name>
        <team>sbsp</team>
        <powerup>superblock</powerup>
        <lock>
            <unlockedAt>2014-06-30</unlockedAt>
        </lock>
    </character> -->

Unused Graphics#

The folder assets\game contains graphics for several callout graphics which are never seen during gameplay. Save for the first graphic, they are only present in the Adobe Flash release of the game.

callout_ball_normal.png

A callout graphic for a regular ball, meant to be displayed after the game start countdown ends. This type of graphic is reserved for special types of balls; the regular "GO!" graphic is displayed whenever a regular ball is in use.

callout_suddendeath.png

A callout for a sudden death round. No such feature exists in any of the game's releases.

callout_timeup.png

A callout for a timer expiring, most likely meant for the target hitting minigame in Tournament Mode.

Revisional Differences#

Three revisions of the game are known to exist; the original Adobe Flash release, dated June 10, 2014, the first HTML5 version, dated December 11, 2014, and the second HTML5 version, dated July 21, 2015. For the sake of convenience, the latter two versions will be named HTML5 v1.0 and HTML5 v1.1.

Title Screen#

Adobe Flash	HTML5 v1.0	HTML5 v1.1

• The title screen of the first HTML5 version is very similar to the Adobe Flash title screen, though there's a few differences:
  • The positions of Craig, Donatello, Patrick and Buhdeuce, as well as of the disco ball which Raphael launches, were shifted a little.
  • The Adobe Flash version had the "nick" text on the shield use a standard font, with the Nickelodeon logo above it, while the HTML5 version removed this larger logo in favor of using its font in the shield text.
• The second HTML5 version completely changes the title screen, as noted:
  • In both the Adobe Flash and first HTML5 releases, they were positioned facing away from the game's logo, while in the second update, they are facing forwards to SpongeBob, now placed at the center of the screen, with the game's logo placed directly above him.
  • The shield in the game's logo was completely removed.
• The "CLICK ANYWHERE TO PLAY" was recolored to white from cyan in the second HTML5 version.

Menus#

• In the main menu and character selection screens, the characters animate in the Adobe Flash and first HTML5 versions of the game, whereas they do not in the second HTML5 version.
• The backgrounds for each of the menus, as well as the loading screen, were updated in the second HTML5 version, now being more detailed. The backgrounds of the match style selection and the match preview menus were also swapped.

HTML5 v1.0	HTML5 v1.1

• The second HTML5 version added four new characters, two for a new team, the Republic City Rebels, which represents The Legend of Korra, and two for an already-existing team, the Nunchuck All-Stars, which represents Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as follows:
  • Republic City Rebels
    • Korra (Skill: Avatar State - Stun nearby opponents!)
    • Asami (Skill: Bolt Blast - Shoot an unblockable ball!)
  • Nunchuck All-Stars
    • April (Skill: Iron Fan - Block from everywhere!)
    • Karai (Skill: Double Serpents - Double Ball Shot!)

Gameplay#

• The ball immediately appears upon starting a round in the Adobe Flash version, while it only appears after "GO"/the ball callout graphic is displayed in the HTML5 versions.
• The goal counter immediately updates upon a team scores a goal in the Adobe Flash version, while it takes a couple seconds to do so in the HTML5 versions.
• CPU characters may still move after a goal is scored in the HTML5 versions, whereas they stop until the match resumes in the original Adobe Flash release.
• Two of the gameplay sounds were updated in the HTML5 releases, namely the player goal and disco ball hit sounds.

Tournament Mode#

• In the original Adobe Flash release, much fewer targets fall down the screen during the bonus target hitting minigame.

Adobe Flash	HTML5 v1.0	HTML5 v1.1

• The Tournament Mode clear screen is different between the game's revisions; the original Adobe Flash release features a simple "CONGRATULATIONS!" message for all characters, and its background features the roster, with an additional graphic for the player character in the center, with the trophy next to them. The HTML5 versions now feature each of the player team components around the trophy, with a catchphrase displayed above them. This catchphrase is different for each of the teams, as listed below:
  • YOU'VE BEEN SMECKLEDORFED! (Bikini Bottom Barnacles/SpongeBob SquarePants)
  • TURTLE POWER! (Nunchuck All-Stars/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
  • BREAD-TASTIC! (Quazy Bread Heads/Breadwinners)
  • WE'RE LIKE TUFFLIPS! (Hot Wings Warriors/Sanjay & Craig)
  • NEVER GIVE UP! (Republic City Rebels/The Legend of Korra)