KICKER Tribute Edition · for iPad, iPhone & Android
A new KICKER version.
After 35 years.
I mean it. On iPad, iPhone and Android. And you’re in — from the very first version on.
OK — is this serious?
Yes. I really mean this.
I want to bring my brother’s teenage project back to life — beyond an existence inside an emulator. And on the devices people actually play on today: iPad, iPhone and Android.
The vision
KICKER. On the App Store. Officially. As close to the original as humanly possible.
- ▸All features of the original
- ▸The original look & feel
- ▸Those breathtaking goal scenes
- ▸Smooth on modern hardware
Yes, with AI. So what?
I lean on what people now call vibecoding — development with AI assistance.
What? AI? No way. I know — for many people AI in the gaming world is an absolute no-go. Honest answer: without it I wouldn’t have started this project at all. It helps me translate Dirk’s original GFA-Basic code into Swift.
And: it’s not as straightforward as it sounds. KICKER is a surprisingly complex game — all the little details that make football what it is have to land cleanly in the new code. That takes time. And patience. Mine. And yours.
How does this work?
I develop in my spare time, whenever it fits. New builds ship regularly — on iPhone and iPad via TestFlight, on Android as a directly installable APK.
STAGE 1 · DONE
The first usable version is out. I’ve had my fun — now it’s your turn.
STAGE 2 · NOW
Now real testing can start. I need you: bug reports, feature wishes, your taste of the original. The feedback tool is ready — structured and direct: send feedback. How to test on purpose — including the built-in cheat codes that drop you straight into a cup final or the end of a season — is on the testers page.
What is TestFlight?
TestFlight is Apple’s official way to test apps before launch. Free. Fuss-free. Right inside the Apple ecosystem.
- ▸Install the app to your iPad in one tap
- ▸Updates land on your device automatically
- ▸Send feedback straight from inside the app
You need: an iPad or iPhone, an Apple account and the free TestFlight app.
On Android?No TestFlight needed — the Android version ships as a directly installable APK. Allow “install unknown apps” for your browser in the Android settings once, download the APK, done. Or take the official route via the Google Play test.
Android via the Play Store
Rather not sideload an APK? Join the official test on the Google Play Store: the app installs like any other, and updates land on your device automatically.
- ▸Enter the e-mail address of your Google account below — the one you're signed in with on the Play Store.
- ▸I add you to the tester list in the Play Console (takes a few days, I do this by hand).
- ▸You get an e-mail with the join link, tap “Become a tester” — from then on everything runs through the store.
Already installed the APK? Uninstall it before switching to the store build — the two are signed differently.
And who knows …
Maybe something bigger comes out of this. A KICKER with features that never existed — the ones we always wanted from KICKER or Starbyte Super Soccer back then but never got.
A small KICKER community. A Starbyte Super Soccer community, if you prefer. In my experience, creativity has very few limits here.
So: be in.
The earlier you join, the more you can shape. Spread the word — the more testers, the better the whole thing gets.
or Android via the Google Play test
Looking forward to having you on board.