RealSports Soccer for the Atari 2600 is a simplified version of soccer, featuring only three players a side and no human-controlled goalkeeper. The gameplay scrolls horizontally over a play area roughly three screens wide, providing a wider view of the field compared to other games of its time.
During play, the human player controls the character with the ball, while the computer AI controls the characters that are off the ball. To switch control to another character, the player selects the character nearest to the ball by pressing a joystick button. However, control of the character is also switched automatically when a successful pass is made.
While simplified compared to modern soccer games, RealSports Soccer for the Atari 2600 provided an early example of sports simulation in video games, offering a mix of strategy and action for soccer enthusiasts.