FIFA Soccer 08
Preview
FIFA 08 makes use of a new control scheme for the Wii.
by Dynamo
previewed on WII
Ad infinitum
FIFA is one of those series that, for a number of years, has been offering the same thing over and over again, with only a few aspects changing in each rendition. While other versions of the game seem to have borrowed from the increasingly popular Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution Soccer series from Konami, the Wii version is leading the way as far as innovation goes. As with other EA Sports titles, such as Madden NFL, the developers are aiming to give players a fresh experience on the Wii.
The offerings in FIFA have grown to include over 15,000 players from 30 different leagues ranging from the well-known and world class European leagues to lesser leagues from around the world.
Two ways to play
The Wii version of FIFA 08 is looking to cater to both hardcore gamers and those uncomfortable with a controller in-hand by offering two control modes: family and advanced. A healthy blend of gesture and button-based controls offers a unique experience without being overly gimmicky. The family mode, limited to the Wiimote, simplifies the experience by giving the control of many gameplay functions to the CPU, including movement, leaving the player to concentrate on passing and shooting at goal.
Most gamers won’t be very happy with giving the AI too much control, opting to use the advanced control mode, which makes use of both the nunchuck and the Wiimote. The nunchuck handles player movement with the control stick being used to maneuvering players (who would’ve thought) while the Z button will cause the player to sprint. In addition, tricks can be performed by tilting the nunchuck while holding down the C button.
The Wiimote is used to handle ball control and tackling. The standard pass is performed by pressing A while B initiates a through ball. Shooting is performed by flicking the Wiimote up with the direction, speed and height of the gesture all being taken into account. Gamers are able to tweak these basic maneuvers for greater variety, such as lobbing the ball. The controls are simple to pick-up for beginners yet will still prove challenging to a master.
A new perspective
The default camera has had a makeover in this version of FIFA 08. Traditionally, the field in FIFA games scrolls horizontally across the screen. However, the developers felt an overhead, vertically scrolling camera (similar to the one found in Madden games) leads to a better experience with the gesture-based controls.
It certainly makes more sense. The height and direction of shots at goal should be much easier to execute with the gesture-based when the goals are on the vertical axis as opposed to the horizontal axis. Those who prefer the traditional camera view shouldn’t feel excluded, as gamers have the option to revert to the classic view if they so wish.
