The home European Championship is currently keeping handball Germany on its toes. Can the Kempa trick also be played virtually? We show you the video game options in which the big shot can succeed
First things first: anyone expecting a big video game series à la FIFA or NBA 2K will be disappointed. Unlike other major ball sports, virtual handball flies under the radar. This does not mean that there are no opportunities to experience the digital arena.
The latest simulation was released at the end of 2020 by Bigben Interactive and Nacon in collaboration with developer Eko Software: Handball 21. The license package includes eight European leagues – including the Handball Bundesliga and the second German league – and 131 teams. What is missing, however, are national teams. It is therefore not possible to recreate a European Championship.
The title does offer various modes. ‘Quick Match’ is the counterpart to the kick-off mode in FC 24, and matches can also be played in the online environment. In “League” mode, THW Kiel, SC Magdeburg & Co. are played in the respective league throughout the season. The task in “Solo”, on the other hand, is to put together your own team and lead it from the third division to the top.
Improved defense and significant weaknesses
The framework conditions are therefore quite promising – however, the gameplay and graphics did not receive good reviews even back then. In this respect, Handball 21 cannot keep up with other sports simulations such as FC or Madden NFL, which is mainly due to the significantly lower budget. In many places, the wooden animations and lack of atmospheric scenery were criticized
Most fans nevertheless noticed significant improvements compared to its predecessor, Handball 17. Manual defending in particular was considered a weak point in previous editions, and the developer worked on this. Handball 21 was not at the cutting edge of technology when it was released at the end of 2020. However, if you want to get in on the virtual Kempa trick in the most modern setting possible, you can still get your hands on it
National teams – but from ten years ago
Six and a half years before Handball 21, Nacon and Bigben Interactive had released a simulation in official partnership with the IHF, the world governing body. IHF Handball Challenge 14 was the second and final title in a short series that began in 2011 with IHF Handball Challenge 12.
The big advantage over Handball 21 is the 20 licensed national teams. This means that a little more European Championship atmosphere can actually be created. Although the squads are of course a far cry from those currently competing for the title in this country. IHF Handball Challenge 14 also features a total of 80 teams from the top leagues in Germany, France and Spain, among others.
Fast matches, the battle for the championship and the challenge of creating your own teams and competitions – IHF Handball Challenge 14 has various modes and game types to offer. However, the simulation has similar problems to Handball 21: the graphics and gameplay were by no means state of the art back in 2014. As a result, the majority of tests back then were also rather mediocre.
Handball has a niche existence in gaming, with no relevant title on the popular sport being released in 2023. The options for scoring goals on PC or console are therefore limited. If you really want to compete against other countries with the digital eagle on your chest, IHF Handball Challenge 14 will have to make do with considerable graphic and gameplay shortcomings. Handball 21 is newer and looks better – but without national teams, it’s hard to get that European Championship feeling
