Inazuma Eleven Victory Road, a Striker, a Goalkeeper and the Universe at Play!
by Simon Larocca·October 19, 2025
For those who, like me, grew up on bread and football, strictly with the black patches in the shape of a pentagon like the one that bounced around the endless fields of Holly and Benji (otherwise it wasn’t a real football), football titles for consoles and PCs have a special charm, born of my turbulent childhood on the little pitches of the city park.
After taking off the cleats with studs and putting on the joypad, my adolescence was marked by the various PES, Fifa International Soccer, and a whole series of arcade cabinets full of magic, such as Actua Soccer or the beautiful Kick and Run by Taito. But in 2008, two important things happened for my evolution: I had a Nintendo Ds and Inazuma Eleven was released for the aforementioned Nintendo handheld.
The concept it proposed was as simple as it was brilliant: combine RPG mechanics with a sports storyline that would go from the school football fields all the way to the salvation of Earth itself against invading aliens, who were also fans of the quintessential green-pitch sport! Animated series and spin-offs, arcade versions and rather successful ones that fired up players on home consoles like the Wii; then the franchise expanded and now, in November and for all next-generation consoles on the market, the next exciting chapter is preparing to step out of the stadium locker room: Inazuma Eleven Victory Road.
Firmed as per tradition by Level-5, the Japanese development studio that hardly ever puts a foot wrong (did someone say Professor Layton or Yo-kai Watch, by any chance?), this seventh chapter, shown sparingly in the trailers released over the last two years, seems to take a decidedly different path from the storylines and characters we have learned to love in previous versions, even if the Chronicle mode, with more than five thousand recruitable characters, effectively constitutes the legacy and tribute to the glory of the past.
In the tutorial that was possible to play in the latest released demo, it was possible to take back the reins of the iconic Mark Evans, the motivational goalkeeper and great protagonist of the franchise’s early chapters; however, Victory Road, although it wants to take the road to final victory, literally, as a fully comprehensive and strongly celebratory chapter, focuses attention on another main character, at least at the beginning.
I’m talking about the much-discussed Unmei Sasanami (localized as Destin Billows): unlike the gritty Mark, a pillar between the posts and a character with Tsubasa-like vibes for charisma and support for the teammates we recruited, Unmei is presented as a much more fragile boy, affected by a congenital malformation that prevents him from practicing sports that are too intense.
Practically, the evolution in the twenty-first century of the great and never-forgotten Julian Ross of Mambo.
So, you may be wondering, where’s the catch? Playing on the hype they themselves have been building in recent times, Level-5 will not only let us play once again with Mark and his historic teammates (I won’t give away too much of the plot, which was partially revealed during the Tokyo Game Show), but across various timelines, just like a real scout traveling between Barcelona and Milan in search of the next Phenomenon, Unmei will be able to sign the champions who have made Inazuma Eleven history, and there are thousands of them, to effectively assemble the strongest team in the universe.
Victory Road aims high, despite the problems of the past that saw the Inazuma project collapse a couple of times: the gameplay has been heavily modified as regards matches and clashes with other players, but Level 5 has promised greater management of the tactical aspect and a story with epic twists.
On November 13, barring any possible postponements, which we do not hope for, we will have all the answers we are looking for. We can talk as much as we want and debate for hours in front of the chalkboard in the locker room, but as always it will be the pitch that speaks. And us with it.
Simon Larocca
Mi chiamo Simon Larocca, e sono un videogiocatore, collezionista e amante della cultura pop in tutte le sue forme. Vado al cinema ogni volta che posso, leggo da quando porto gli occhiali, quindi da sempre, e ho la passione per lo storytelling in tutte le sue forme, così dirompente da farla diventare una professione. Ma come direbbe Doc di Ritorno al Futuro, non ci sarebbe presente se non si guardasse al passato con rispetto e ammirazione, ed è il Simon bambino di più di trent’anni fa, anno più anno meno.
Simon Larocca
Mi chiamo Simon Larocca, e sono un videogiocatore, collezionista e amante della cultura pop in tutte le sue forme. Vado al cinema ogni volta che posso, leggo da quando porto gli occhiali, quindi da sempre, e ho la passione per lo storytelling in tutte le sue forme, così dirompente da farla diventare una professione. Ma come direbbe Doc di Ritorno al Futuro, non ci sarebbe presente se non si guardasse al passato con rispetto e ammirazione, ed è il Simon bambino di più di trent’anni fa, anno più anno meno.
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