FIFA Soccer 11
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Sports (Soccer)/ Arcade/ Simulation
Graphics & Sound: Like soccer? Have a Wii, but not a next-gen system? EA Canada's got you covered with FIFA Soccer 11. It's not the best-looking game of soccer on the market, nor is it the most fully-featured. However, one major Wii-specific addition and a surprisingly competent online suite make it worth a look for Wii-owning football enthusiasts. I wish I didn't tear into the Wii version of FIFA 11 right after finishing with the Xbox 360 version of the game. Of course, the comparative graphical blemishes are to be expected; by comparison, the Wii version features an exorbitant number of jaggies. However, the animation work is up to par, which is short for "extraordinary." All of the unpredictability that you find on the pitch in the next-gen offerings is here; if a player falls and your character is running headlong at him, he will quickly and naturally hop over the guy on the ground. The rest of it looks great, too; from the dribbles to the tackles to the punts to the crosses and all the way to that one awesome bicycle kick, FIFA 11 delivers on both the ball physics and the player physics. The effects in the Street Mode are beyond words; you'll have to play for yourself to see them. I didn't find the sound design for FIFA 11 on the Wii to be all that noteworthy, but perhaps that's because it's practically identical to that in the next-gen version. The action on the pitch is punctuated with grunts and calls, and the crowd sounds as riled up as it's ever been. Andy Gray returns for commentary duties, but Martin Tyler is replaced by Clive Tyldesley. The commentary itself is about as good as it is in the next-gen version. The soundtrack is standard EA Trax fare; nothing to complain about.
Gameplay: Don't confuse the Wii version of FIFA Soccer 11 for the next-gen versions; of course its different in terms of presentation, but the gameplay modes are a bit different as well. None of the modes offers the same overwhelming level of depth or management. However, what we've got here is still good. I liken it to what they did with NHL Slapshot. It's more accessible, but lighter on the features. Streets to Stadiums is where I spent most of my time, and it's probably where you'll spend the majority of yours. Every sports game these days has a mode in which you create a player and bring him up from rookie to star player. It's great to start on the streets, where you can bank passes off walls and get from one end of the field to the other in less than ten seconds. If you've played an impromptu game of soccer, it may generate a sense of warm nostalgia. It certainly does for me. The further you get along, you'll be constantly showered with rewards, and it's always satisfying to see experience points pop up over your player's head when he does something good. For me, FIFA 11's pièce de résistance is the Indoor Soccer Mode. This raucously entertaining bit of arcade football pits two teams of five players against each other and throws realism completely out the window in favor of a more fast-paced experience. A more complete explanation can be found in the Game Mechanics section. Just because this is a Wii game doesn't mean that the developers have completely scrapped the idea of an online multiplayer component. EA Canada saw fit to take full advantage of the Nintendo Wi-Fi service and give players a chance to challenge each other and climb the leaderboards. I haven't had the best experience with Nintendo's online service, and comparatively speaking, there aren't too many players online as of this writing. However, the games I've gotten into flowed smoothly with nary a hitch.
Difficulty: It took me a long time to learn how to pull off awesome-looking shots in the Xbox 360 version, but I could have forgotten everything and still been able to pick up the Wii version with ease. At default settings, it's pretty easy to work the ball and the pitch to your advantage. If you want to score a sniper shot, it's much easier to execute one in the Wii version. Ease is one of the Wii's main selling points, and FIFA Soccer 11 was developed with that in mind. That doesn't mean it's super easy to master, though. FIFA 11 for the Wii doesn't offer anything substantial in the way of a tutorial, which is a shame. If you're new to the series or soccer in general, you'll have to study a few diagrams for a bit if you want to get the offensive and defensive controls down pat, lest you get thrashed on the pitch. All that being said, it would be just plain irresponsible of me to ignore EA's primary concession to newcomers: All-Play mode. This mode takes the key challenge of soccer (and the Nunchuk) completely out of the equation. All you have to worry about is passing and shooting. It's a nice gesture, but I only recommend this mode for young children who don't really know what they're doing.
Game Mechanics: If you've got a Classic Controller, break it out. The Wii-mote/Nunchuk control scheme works fine on its own, but it's inferior -- not just from an ergonomic standpoint. Motion controls rarely offer a viable substitute for analog sticks and face buttons. The problem here is that Wii waggle is used to execute a sliding tackle. In my experience, Wii waggle works only when the mechanic in question has to do with mindless thrashing. Sliding tackles require precision and timing, and Wii waggle doesn't allow for either of those. The Wii-mote/Nunchuk scheme allows you to choose a passing target with either the Nunchuk's analog stick or by using the Wii-mote as a pointer. If you're playing on a higher difficulty setting, I'd advise against using the pointer; when you're on the pitch, there's just so much going on that it's easy to get distracted. The Classic Controller setup is much more comfortable and offers a control scheme that's similar to what you'll find in the next-gen offerings. When you're playing indoor soccer, you'll be given the use of special power-ups. These power-ups grant you special abilities, and sometimes they grant your opponent special disabilities. For example, one power-up will effectively double your team's running speed, while another shrinks the other team down to hobbit size. This mode is a bunch of goofy fun, but it's really the only instance where FIFA 11 Wii gets a notch in its favor. I admire the fact that EA Canada compensates for the Wii's technical inferiority with a gameplay mode that feels like it belongs on the platform. The rest of the content is solid, but make no mistake: the next-gen version is superior. Still, if this is your only option, don't feel bad; this is a fine option indeed.
-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications AKA Jon Carlos
Related Links: Official Website of FIFA Soccer 11
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