The original Kick Off was expanded on in many ways for this sequel. The game now features full tournament modes (although the players on the teams are fictitious) and four different pitches (including an implementation of plastic pitches, whose uneven bounce cause controversy when several British clubs tried them in the 1980s).
Kick Off 2 introduces new gameplay mechanics such as trapping the ball under your foot to prepare passes. Running with the ball is tricky at first, but becomes easier with practice. Players can perform complex moves like overhead kicks and long-range through-ball passes.