Okay, I got it as soon as it was unlocked, probably within the first 5 minutes.
With a current price bonus of -20%, I payed 6.39 Euros.
First impressions after three exhibition matches: lovely. It feels and plays exactly the same as the original, and I was laughing myself almost to death while playing (Speedball always had this effect on me). Graphics are full HD. The handling with an xbox controller was superb. Alternatively, the WASD- and alternatively the arrow- keys can be used to control your player as well, that way two people can play each other via one machine (no online MP there is, I believe), two can even play via one keyboard only, without a controller. Several different play modes, 4 planetary leagues with 28 teams, 6 arenas (looks are different but play and functionality are the same), and a player market of 336 players (that are kept care of via the same manager screens you know from the original).
For that price - I beg you! How can you say No to it for this little money?
The one thing I did niot like is that judging by the locked screens in exhibition mode, arenas and teams need to be unlocked by progressing somewhere else in the gameplay. I never liked stuff needed to be unlocked. But that is a minor rthing, and maybe cna be worked around via ini-editing, I do not know.
The important message by the end of the day is: it plays exactly like the original and is as mean and underhanded as ever! I won the first match because I trailed behind in goal points, so i started to beat up opponent players until the robomedics needed to grab them by their feet and pull them off the grid. In Speedball, if you do not know it, mauling a player until he needs to be removed from the match this way gives you as much points like scoring a goal.
First impression verdict: looks good at first glance!
(And yes, it is old-fashioned 2D sprite animations for sure
)