FIFA Soccer 10

Soccer, like hockey, is something that I've watched only occasionally (usually in international competitions). I've almost always enjoyed it and thought I could at least pick up on who was dominating who, but any semblance of strategy was definitely lost on me. So it is with this mindset that I am reviewing FIFA 10 for the DS.

I've never played a soccer game on the DS, so I did not know exactly what I might be getting into, but I have played a previous EA Sports title on the DS (Madden 09, see review) and this does help provide some frame of reference to this game. EA Sports has a knack for putting out games on the DS. They always get a solid version of the actual game in place (football for Madden, futbol for FIFA) and then cram an insane amount of other things into the cartridge that add extra replayability.

In this case, the actual game of soccer is really enjoyable to a novice like me. You can pick up and play on the easiest level and usually win a match 3 to 0. I've turned the difficulty up one to Semi-Pro though, and have probably won 2 games and lost 7 since then. I just can't seem to muster any offense, though I am getting better with the offensive and defensive strategy options available via the touch screen. Is your defense too slack when the ball is in your territory? Just move your thumb over and change your strategy to "press" and your guys will clamp down. Are you not getting enough chances on offense (my problem)? Use the touch screen to change your strategy to "overload" and throw more guys in the box. It's a fun and fairly easy to use addition to what is already a fun game of soccer.

In addition, there is the Be a Pro mode, where you choose one guy and are locked on him the entire match. It's not as good to me as the actual game and it has a weird camera that is always focused on the goal, but it's nice for a change of pace if you want to take a break from the usual soccer game.

The other modes consist of Multiplayer (Single Card play available), Manager mode (sort of a franchise mode where you build points managing a team), Training mode, a Penalty Shot mini game, and Cup play, which is a tournament mode that can be played in any of the several leagues in this game (US MLS included, choose International League for World Cup). Like I said earlier, there is a ton in this game.

The graphics are pretty good in my opinion, but more importantly, the game plays very fluidly with absolutely no slowdowns ever, which is really important in a game that requires split-second decision making. This game is definitely a 5-star game to me, and I would highly recommend picking it up if you are looking for some good soccer on the go.

***Update*** After playing a little more, Manager mode is actually a real franchise mode, where you can play through 5 seasons with any team on the game (or a custom team). I originally thought it was only a place for you to make managerial decisions and simulate games.

Also, Be A Pro mode lets you change the camera so that it follows the ball and is not ultra-zoomed in on your character. I find it easier to play with the "End to End" camera which shows you a behind the ball view with a pretty good zoom level. You can't always see your guy on the screen, but it's much easier to follow what's going on and allows you to pull yourself a little out of position in order to make a play. That's all, still 5 stars.

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