Few Xbox Live Arcade titles have been as highly anticipated as Codemasters' soccer classic, Sensible World of Soccer. With the game originally pegged for release in the third quarter of 2007, delay after delay has kept retro fans eagerly waiting to get their hands on it. After a problematic release, SWOS is finally here and this updated version features improved graphics and Xbox Live multiplayer, something fans of the series had been clamoring for.

SWOS was famed for its tricky control system, with passing, shooting and tackling all handled with a single button. The key to improving your skills lies in a feature called aftertouch, which allows you to influence the ball's flight once it has left your boot. Pulling left or right on the analog stick or D-pad immediately after kicking the ball will cause some serious Beckham-style swerve, whereas pushing forward will lower the height of your kick. The trickiest maneuver is sending the ball skywards by promptly pulling back after your strike. You'll need to master this skill to become truly effective in front of goal, as there's nothing more frustrating than making a great run straight through midfield only to come face-to-face with the opposition keeper before turning and hoofing the ball all the way back to your own half. Another core dynamic of SWOS is the fact that the ball doesn't stick to your feet at all. This means that sudden changes of direction require measured touches to accomplish, which can be tricky with the 360's D-pad and almost impossible with the analog stick. For those willing to devote serious practice though, dribbling the ball can become an art.

Sensible World of Soccer returns with some excellent enhancements.

All of the original game modes have been included, with options to play friendly exhibition matches, custom tournaments, and the ability to take on the team of your choice for a preset league season. In league mode, you then have the option of playing like usual, or taking control as your team's coach. This mode allows matches to be simulated, and pretty much plays like a soccer management sim. The game's deepest mode is the career option, which allows you to create a fictional manager and work your way from team to team - hopefully with increasing success.

There are a huge number of teams featured in the game, with National and Club teams available. Although SWOS isn't licensed, and therefore features slight variations to player and team names, the squads are immediately recognizable from yesteryear. The decision not to bring the game up to date with today's team rosters was not a bad one, as the nostalgia of the game more than makes up for it.

The most notable addition here is multiplayer gaming through Xbox Live via an added master menu. One minor annoyance is the inability to return to this master screen from the original single player menu, forcing players to return to the dashboard and reboot the game if the urge to leave solo play in favor of multiplayer should arise. Minor issues aside, the Live play works beautifully. It can occasionally take a brief time to find a match, but once you do, there are very few lag or latency issues to contend with. In fact, the vast majority of games run perfectly, making SWOS a great casual title both on and offline.

The graphics feature the usual XBLA enhancements, which in this case have made quite a positive improvement to the blocky pixels of the original. Switching the graphical enhancement off in the options menu is truly a reminder of how far game visuals have come in a decade or so. SWOS also features the original soundtrack, which still sounds fantastic today. Codemasters' older titles often featured catchy or just downright funny menu music, and Sensible World of Soccer is no exception. As for the standard sound effects, they're just as good. The crowd's chanting and the sounds of the ball being kicked are both excellent, especially when the age of the original game is taken into consideration. Overall, the presentation still holds up well for a classic title such as this.

If you spent hours of your childhood playing SWOS, you won't be disappointed with this updated version. With all of its original features intact and the addition of online multiplayer, there's plenty of depth here for those who are willing to devote time and practice. Even if you haven't played before, this is one of XBLA's best offerings to date, with immense pick up and play value. It should be noted that the inclusion of in-game advertising could perhaps have led to a slightly reduced price tag, but 800 points is still a great value for such a quality, classic title. Without a doubt, Sensible World of Soccer is a great purchase for fans of the franchise or the sport in general.