World Cup 2018

World Cup 2018 strips soccer down to the part that decides most tournaments anyway: the penalty shootout. There's no midfield, no build-up play, just you against a goalkeeper, then a keeper against you, repeated across seven opponents in a row.

That format makes every single kick count on its own, since there's no earlier lead to fall back on and no later chance to make up for a bad one. Beating one national team only opens the door to the next, and the goalkeepers get sharper to match. Getting through all seven without a shaky round means treating each shootout as its own contest, not an extension of the last one you won.

How to play

Take penalty kicks against a goalkeeper, then defend the goal when your opponent shoots, working through seven national teams one after another. Score more goals than you concede across each shootout to advance to the next team. Aim toward the corners rather than the center when shooting, and watch the goalkeeper's stance for a hint of which way they'll dive when you're defending.

Controls

Aim and shoot with the mouse, and use the mouse again to choose a direction when defending your goal.