2006 FIFA World Cup

Some know it as soccer. Most know it as football. I know it as FIFA, the EA-created series that made soccer a great video game to play regardless of your interest in the sport. This month EA will launch the next chapter in their World Cup series – 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.

Featuring 12 official stadiums that will be used at the real World Cup, as well as stadiums from each qualifying region, FIFA World Cup 2006 is championship-themed variation of the formal FIFA game.

Thus far the core gameplay mechanics are the same as FIFA 06. Once again you get to choose between classic analog and digital dribbles, or new analog and digital dribbles. What this means is that you get a different button layout. It doesn't actually change the way the game is played. I'm interested in seeing developers improve gameplay, but different isn't always better. FIFA World Cup 2006’s most noticeable (and most appealing) difference is the difficulty. AI opponents are sharper and quicker. They have no trouble taking it from you before a shot can be taken. And once they've got it, they're more than ready to guard it.

The camera is a little higher and has a slightly different angle, but it can be tweaked (zoom in/out, change the angle, etc.) via the pause menu. All of the angles were at least slightly different from the last iteration, and with the default view being set further back, you can tell the developers are trying to cram more of the "game" into our dated 4:3 television sets. This should be less of an issue in next-gen versions (Xbox 360, etc.) because developers can program them to run in the wider high-def format.

On the presentation front, the camera angles are impressively dynamic. It follows the players quite dramatically, and starts the game from an array of exciting angles – including one where the camera is focused on the center of the ball, then zooms all the way out to the gameplay angle. No CG tricks appeared to be in play. Everything I viewed looked like it was running in real-time. 

Game modes include the expected (Play Now, Practice), the familiar (Play Online, Team Management), the intriguing (Penalty Shootout), and the all-new (Global Challenge). FIFA World Cup mode lets you jump right into the qualifying rounds, as well as the finals. Dozens of teams are available from the European, Oceania, North American/Caribbean, South American, Asian, and African territories. Games can be played on any of the 12 official World Cup stadiums the game offers.

Global Challenge mode will test your abilities with classic FIFA World Cup moments that have been re-created for this game. This is similar to the ESPN Classics mode that made its debut in Fight Night Round 3. When you're faced with the toughest team on the planet, or when you're evenly matched but down by three points, you'll have to perform your best if you want to have a chance at winning. Win and history stays the same, perfectly intact. Or it could have changed entirely, depending on which side you're on. Whether this will affect the rest of the game in some way is unknown. Whatever the outcome, the Global Challenge mode gives fans another venue for prolonged entertainment.

Within the My FIFA mode players get the chance to visit the in-game store to buy additional players, get tactical help, view team objectives (who to beat, etc.), and mess with the EA Trax listings, among other things. The store is stocked with a few dozen classic players – adding them to your lineup will surely increase the status, power and skillfulness of your team.

There are other “extras” to look into, including a virtual magazine and the FIFAWorldCup.com zone (where you can watch videos showcasing the stadiums and locations of this year’s tournament). EA said that this build was only 80% complete. Who knows what other features may be uncovered in the final version.

Enhanced player animations were promised and the developers did not disappoint. The players look more realistic and have increased fluidity. Kicks look more natural. When they run, it appears that real players are out there on the field, not polygonal video-game characters. Face, skin, and body detail has also been improved. I don't know one soccer player from the next, but I can tell you that these guys are looking more and more like real players (as opposed to looking like enhanced 3D characters. 3D is good, but reality is better).

The music and sound elements have not been finalized, but once again the series is going for a European sound. I heard more pop than rock or rap, with elements of techno mixed in between. The commentary has a distinctly European sound as well, matching the rest of the game’s style and atmosphere.

Scheduled for release in just a couple of weeks, FIFA World Cup 2006 is the closest you’ll get to attending this year’s World Cup without actually being there. Look for it to kick up a storm on April 24th.