FIFA is a very popular title worldwide much like soccer/futbol is, here in the United States it isn’t as mainstream, but the video games do well. EA recently announced FIFA 09 and what would be crammed into it and it sounds very impressive.
One thing that I am curious about is the fact that each FIFA game is unique? There are different game modes in each specific console version, so although FIFA 09 is multi-platform it will provide different experiences. The Wii version is scheduled to get a game mode where you can use your Miis.
The PS3 is also getting a unique game mode as well as the Xbox 360, but these haven’t been named just yet. I would imagine that these two systems will have something to do with the cameras and face mapping or perhaps for the the PS3 maybe HOME integration?
Here is the official press release:
EA SPORTS Delivers Platform Specific Experience for FIFA Soccer 09
PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 Feature More Than 250 Core Gameplay Enhancements That Deliver Most Responsive, Intelligent and Realistic Action Ever
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today revealed it has created platform specific experiences for its best-selling* FIFA Soccer 09 franchise from EA SPORTS™. FIFA Soccer 09 has been designed and customized to deliver a unique gameplay experience that takes advantage of the hardware specifications of each available platform — the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, Wii™ home video game system, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and mobile — when it is released worldwide this autumn. Read More »
In case some of you hadn’t noticed I have been gone for the last couple of weeks traveling. I spent a couple of weeks in Germany watching futbol (soccer for those of you in America) and drinking tasty beer, it is a hard job, but some one had to do it.
So that meant no video games for me for the last two weeks except for my trusty DS and The World Ends With You, that game continues to grow on me the more I play it. Unfortunatley I learned a quick lesson, the power charger on the DS is not rated to European electricity, so once my DS died it was dead.
After being in Germany and watching a lot of futbol, since the European Champions League is happening right now, I really feel like picking up a copy of a good soccer game, perhaps the newest FIFA or Winning Eleven Seven. Futbol is huge in Europe and is a lot of fun to watch with a beer in one hand a soccer hooligan screaming around you.
Now that I am back in the swing of things it is time to get to the news and business of games to make our readers smile.
Here is the big list of top 100 selling titles over the last 12 months. Pretty interesting to see what the top ten games sold are, especially with FIFA beating Madden, COD4 beating out Halo 3, Pokemon still being in the mix after all these years and Brain Age coming in strong to round out the top 10.
10 - Brain Age 2: More Brain Training in Minutes a Day
9 - Super Mario Galaxy
8 - Assassin’s Creed
7 - Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
6 - Need for Speed Pro Street
5 - Madden 08
4 - FIFA 08
3 - Guitar Hero 3
2 - Halo 3
1 - Call of Duty 4
EA released a demo today for FIFA Street 3 on Xbox Live. No word on a PS3 demo, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it show up later today in the weekly PlayStation Store update.
Download the demo for FIFA Street 3 and enjoy the ultimate arcade football experience! Take the worlds best players to the streets and experience all the style, flair and attitude of street football like never before.
The demo is available in all Xbox Live regions. None of this selective release crap. I’m personally not a big fan of the Street games, but it’s worth a shot. Let us know what you think of the demo.
Check out the first-ever gameplay footage for FIFA Street 3, too bad it looks like shiet. Sorry EA, but this one does not improve upon last iterations. Why do the characters look like they haven’t eaten in years? The graphics look subpar to say the least and the fields are failry un-impressive. No real interesting gameplay mechanics are shown off, looks like a staright forward game that won’t interest many, real soccer fans will buy Winning Eleven Seven or something more realistic than this.
EA released a trailer today for FIFA Street 3 for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Looks pretty good, even though it’s just one character on screen doing some ball tricks.
Just one question… why does Ronaldinho look like he hasn’t eaten in 6 months?
If I had to describe FIFA 08 in two words, it would be stunning and difficult. The game looks great, I knew that going in. The big question here is the gameplay. Every year they promise that it will get better, and this year… inconclusive. You only get a 4 minute half. For the size of the demo, about 700 mb, I don’t know where it all went. The game is smooth, but playing FIFA is a lot like chess. You need strategy. You cannot dribble through everyone or just blast the ball downfield. They game has a ton of promise. I need to play a full version before I can get a decent feel for it. A very cool caveat is that you can play 1 v1 against the goalie in between halves and while the game loads. Very cool.
Major Nelson dropped word letting us know that there’s now a demo for FIFA 08 on the Xbox 360. The demo is available in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, United States.Oddly enough, EA didn’t make the demo available in THE biggest market for soccer in the world, Europe. According to the Major:
EA has told me this demo is coming to Europe ‘very soon’. The moment it is released in Europe I will make a post. I don’t know the exact date.
The demo weighs in at 702.7 MB, so it should take a decent amount of time to download. The demo is also available today on the PS3, but again, not in Europe. EA really dropped the ball there.
We're like Spaceballs... we're making Loot Ninja everything. Coming soon we'll have hats, shirts, hoodies, possibly banana hammocks if one Editor has his way...
Check out the shirt prototypes here and the hats here
The game looks great. Let’s just hope it plays as well as it should. Could this be the year they finally get it right on next gen? 
Major Nelson 
