The game was a commercial success, selling over 1 million units in Europe.[23]
The game met with critical acclaim in Japan.[24] In an interview around the time of the game's release in the region, Shigeru Miyamoto said that "Konami's soccer game may be better than [Nintendo's N64] games. It looks really good."[25] Edge said that the Japanese import was "the most versatile and entertaining football game seen on any platform, and forms a strong addition to Nintendo's 64bit [sic] portfolio."[5] GamePro said that Striker "ranks as the best soccer game for the Japanese N64 and quite possibly one of the best soccer titles in Japan. If you own a Japanese N64, Striker's worth a kick-off."[26][d] Next Generation said that the same Japanese import "goes farther than most titles in presenting a fantastic look and feel. Just make sure you have a few friends around to play it, otherwise you'll tire from 10-3 wins real quick."[21] Famitsu gave it a score of 32 out of 40 for Perfect Striker,[7] and 31 out of 40 for World Soccer 3.[8]
The North American version received favorable reviews, according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. Game Informer gave it universal acclaim, and Nintendo Power gave it a favorable review, over one month before the game was released Stateside.[9][22] Several critics noted that the A.I. in the game was dramatically improved from the Japanese version.[e] Most said International Superstar Soccer 64 was better than the Nintendo 64's previous soccer game, FIFA Soccer 64,[f] and Kraig Kujawa of Electronic Gaming Monthly went so far as to call it "without a doubt, the best soccer game on the market".[6] GamePro was one of the few to voice criticisms with the game, specifically the music and the use of fictional players, but called it "an arcade-ish experience that, while not as realistic as FIFA, ranks much higher on the fun scale."[11]