Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions asks players to pick a team, build a squad, and play through seasons of football matches. That sounds simple on paper. In practice, the game spends most of its time teaching you how to do it again.
The game arrives on PS4, PC, and Switch, and it carries a critical score of 7.8 out of 10. That number reflects a package that is solid rather than exceptional, built around a core of skill that rewards patience and repetition over quick mastery. Whether that balance holds up depends on how much you want to invest in its systems.
Trailer, via IGN.
The Season Format
Rise of New Champions structures itself around seasons. Players choose a team, assemble a squad, and work through a schedule of matches. The system is designed to reward planning and consistency, with each season carrying its own set of rules and goals.
Progression comes from winning matches, earning experience, and building up a player’s skills over time. The game does not rush you. It expects you to learn its rhythms slowly, match by match, and rewards players who stick with it.
The season format gives the game a sense of purpose beyond individual matches. Each campaign builds toward a goal, whether it is reaching the top of a league table or unlocking a new set of players. That structure keeps the grind from feeling hollow, even when the individual matches start to blur together.
Skill And The Free Kick System
The heart of Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is its skill system. Players earn experience through matches, and that experience feeds into a skill tree tied to each character. The system is detailed enough that players can build their own strategies, choosing which skills to focus on and which to ignore.
Free kicks are a particular highlight. The game offers a range of free kick options, each with its own animation and effect. Executing a successful free kick feels satisfying, and the system gives players a clear reason to master it.
The skill tree rewards players who experiment. A player can try out different branches, see what works, and adjust their approach without losing progress. That flexibility keeps the skill system from feeling rigid, even when the menus can be dense.
Match Length And Pace
Matches in Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions tend to be short compared to other football games in the genre. That brevity is a deliberate design choice, aimed at keeping sessions manageable without sacrificing depth. The pace of the game stays steady across matches, making it easy to jump in and play for a few minutes at a time.
Short matches work well for a busy evening. They let you squeeze in a match during a break between meetings or before dinner. The game does not demand a full night of play, which suits its audience of casual players.
The pacing holds up well across the season format. Matches feel quick and decisive, and the game rarely drags when you are working through a long campaign. That consistency is a strength of the design.
The Squad Builder
Building a squad is central to Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions. Players collect cards representing players, and those cards determine the strength and abilities of the squad in matches. The squad builder is where strategy comes together, as players balance attack, defence, and skill across their roster.
There are several ways to earn cards in the game:
- Winning matches
- Completing campaigns
- Trading with other players
- Purchasing them directly
Each method adds a layer of depth to the squad-building process. Players who enjoy grinding can focus on winning matches. Those who prefer variety can trade with friends or purchase cards directly.
The squad builder is the game’s most demanding feature. It requires careful thought about which players to keep and which to cut, and the decisions made early in a campaign can shape how a squad performs later on. That complexity is part of what makes the game engaging, but it also raises the barrier to entry for newcomers.
Presentation And Sound Design
The presentation in Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is clean and functional. Character models are well detailed, and the animation holds up well during matches. The game does not push the boundaries of visual style, but it does not need to. The focus is on the gameplay, and the visuals support that focus without distracting from it.
The sound design is similarly straightforward. Commentary is clear and easy to understand, and the music fits the tone of the game without overwhelming it. Nothing here is spectacular, but nothing here is off-putting either.
The presentation is competent rather than striking. It does not draw attention away from the match itself, which is the right call for a game built around repeated play. The visuals are serviceable, and the sound design is clear, which is enough for a game that wants you to focus on the tactics.
Online Play And Multiplayer
Online play is a key feature of Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions. Players can compete against each other in ranked matches, and there is a robust trading system for swapping cards with other players. The online infrastructure supports both competitive play and social interaction, giving players multiple reasons to stay connected to the game’s community.
Online play adds a layer of depth that solo play cannot match. Ranked matches offer a way to test your squad against others, while trading lets you build your squad in ways that would be difficult on your own. The online features are well integrated into the season format, letting you switch between solo campaigns and multiplayer sessions without losing momentum.
The trading system is particularly strong. It gives players a reason to engage with the wider community, beyond simply playing matches. You can trade cards, share tips, and build a squad that reflects your own playstyle.
What Works And What Falls Short
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions succeeds when it focuses on its core systems. The skill tree, the squad builder, and the match structure all work well together, creating a loop that rewards consistent play. The free kick system adds a layer of fun that stands out from the rest of the game.
Where the game falls short is in its pacing. Some players may find the match-to-match grind to be monotonous, especially when the season format demands a lot of repetition. The game’s presentation is also unremarkable, which means it does not stand out visually in a crowded market.
The strengths of the game are its systems. The skill tree, the squad builder, and the match structure are all built on solid foundations. The weaknesses are more about polish than fundamental design. The game is not broken, but it could use a bit more visual flair to stand out.
Final Word
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is a solid, if unspectacular, entry in the football genre. Its skill system and squad builder offer real depth for players willing to invest time in learning them, and the free kick system provides a memorable highlight. The season format keeps the game structured and rewarding, even when individual matches start to feel repetitive.
The game is best suited to players who enjoy a slower, more strategic approach to football games. It rewards patience and planning, and it punishes players who want instant gratification. For those willing to put in the hours, there is plenty of content to explore.
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is available now on PS4, PC, and Switch. It carries a critical score of 7.8 out of 10, reflecting a game that is solid rather than exceptional.
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