FIFA Soccer 64

After the stumble of FIFA 97 for the PlayStation, it's nice to see EA Sports pick themselves up, dust themselves off and deliver the soccer action we've been craving. FIFA 64 is a fast paced, solidly designed and beautiful event. It may not be the finest FIFA to ever see the light of day but it is probably the best blend of all of FIFA's finer points.

The Goodies

The FIFA franchise has always benefited from the over-zealous attention to detail exhibited by Extended Play Productions. FIFA 64, because of the Nintendo 64's processing muscle, is able to provide all of the pro-league substance the series has had since the 16-bit carts, as well as a high level of visual and audio flash. And because this a cart based game, the immediacy of high stakes-fast action play is unremitting. It felt good to be able to launch into the game without any loading hesitation. Something about FIFA on a cartridge just feels right.

Don't think that because the game is cart based the extras had to be sacrificed. You still get tons of play-by-play by John Motson and company (although player names aren't called). A myriad of camera angles are supplied, including a new one dubbed the 64 Cam. Not only are all of the camera angles playable (unlike previous multi-angle FIFA revs), but they can be selected on-the-fly. There's even a Picture-In-Picture window, which I found utterly useless because it obscures your field vision (similar to the equally weak PIP in Andretti Racing). Still, it's always nice to see the developers thinking of new additions.

Of course, the hundreds of professional players and teams that are part of the real life FIFA have made it into this game. You don't have the ability to create custom players or teams, however.

Like usual, you have a choice of playing a preseason Friendly match, heading into League play or starting up a Tournament. In FIFA 64, you don't get all 12 of the international leagues available in the PSX model, but the six that are provided should give you ample room for discovery. In all, there are more than 160 teams to choose from.

The Whistle Blows

There are two ways to play FIFA 64. You can take the arcadey route and choose the Simple control layout, or you can choose to have more input on your success (or failure) by assuming the Complex control set.

The Simple set boils down all functions in the game to three or four buttons. It's much easier to play the game (it feels like the Genesis version) but there is a sense of detachment from the proceedings.

The Complex controls allow you to call plays, pick different ways to handle and receive the ball, as well as switch between three different play modes. In actuality, the Complex controls aren't all that complex, after you've taken a few rounds (using the Simple controls) to acclimatize yourself to the FIFA 64 environs.

Making your moves on the field is a smooth enterprise, thanks to the freedom of the N64's analog control stick. Instead of the angular approach to control that you'll find in other digitally responsive soccer titles, the rounded finesse of the control stick is extremely satisfying. You do get a sense of cleats having to dig into turf and the player having to twist his body before being able to round out a corner. This isn't the Tron Lightcycles pivot-on-a-dime interface we're used to seeing in vidgame football.

In spite of this control refinement, there is the slightest hesitation before every move. You don't get that immediate "smack-smack-shoot... goal!" of 16-bit FIFA one timers. Although the speed of the game is much improved over the disastrously slow FIFA 97 on the PSX, I did wish that shots and passes were carried out a little quicker. As unrealistic as they were, I missed the frequency of those 16-bit one timers.

All in all, the game play of FIFA 64 is right on par with the best revs in the series. It is a slower game than FIFA greats like FIFA 95 for the Genesis, but it hasn't lost too much of the ace visual and sonic clarity you'll find in the aesthetical excellent FIFA 97 for the PSX. The compromises in FIFA 64, and there definitely were some, because this isn't the best soccer game of all time, all occur in the right places.

Taking a look at the pros and cons of this cart, it's a safe bet to say that next year's rev of a 64-bit FIFA should be the king.

Hot Tickets

The graphics for FIFA 64 are among the finest in all of sports games. The stadiums are swarming with color and activity. The advertisement banners that ring the field are complimented by the multinational hues of rabid football fans above them. Textured skyscapes behind and above the stadium suggest a complete virtual countryside beyond the stadium's gates. The patchwork lines and checkered patterns of textured turf on the pitch even show noticeable wear during the course of competition. Everything in FIFA 64's environments is rock solid, befitting the Z-buffering strength and sheer polygon power of the Nintendo 64.

As sweet as the look of the stadiums is, however, it is the graphics and animation of the players that is truly special. FIFA 64 features rock steady polygonal players, resplendent in official FIFA garb. Even while they're standing still, the textured and shaded polish of these players is impressive but when they start hauling butt up the field, you know that there's been some serious work been done for this cart.

FIFA 64 features a patented EA Sports process called Motion Blending. This animation technique incorporates soccer data collected at Electronic Arts' Canadian Motion Capture Studio. But, instead of introducing specific motion captured plays or movements by attaching them to hand animated motion, a series of realistic captured moves have been blended together to provide a sense of real world physicality. Indeed, every single frame of animation in FIFA 64 seems rooted in realism. If there is a soccer title that will have people looking twice to see if a real soccer game is on TV, FIFA 64 is it.

Compared to the texture rich world of the PlayStation's FIFA 97, the look of FIFA 64 is just a smidge less detailed. The resolution of the N64 title is cleaner, however. The turf looks better, the weave of the nets is sharper and the players, although less flashy looking, seem more rounded and convincing. The most noticeable difference between the look of each of the current console FIFA games is the increased speed of the N64 version. There is still a slight degree of choppiness that creeps into FIFA 64, but it's nowhere near as painful to watch as the molasses-like dirge of FIFA 97.

Of course, this being a cartridge game, the next generation, all-frills FMV sequences, that have been a part of the FIFA franchise since the 3DO port, are not included on the N64 version. Did I miss them? No.

Bring Out The Balloons

The biggest surprise in this game is the stunning quality of its audio. Now, there's no comparison to the CD sounds of the PlayStation game, but I was taken aback by this cart regardless.

For starters, you get the enthusiastic roars of the crowds spattered with distinct wails of individual voices - I couldn't tell if these yells were from the players on the field or from some particularly noisy fans in the stands. The play-by-play calls of not one, but three, commentators is a remarkable feat on the CD-ROM systems but compressed onto a cartridge? Who would have believed it? Referee whistles and the thumps and bumps of a ball being booted around have also been faithfully recreated. Best of all though, you get to hear all of the frenzy in the game through exquisitely mastered Dolby Surround.

The tunes of FIFA 64 are danceable little digi-bounce numbers. Not exactly the soulful stew found on the multicultural FIFA CD-ROM games, but definitely groovy enough to percolate your adrenaline.

Beginning to end, I played FIFA 64 with the tunes and audio effects blaring. I bothered a few a people around the Playground with my noise insensitivity but I was too blissed out on soccer atmosphere to notice. Bravo, EA Sports! More N64 carts that sound this good please.

The Ribbon

EA Sports is not alone in the soccer game universe. FIFA 64 is good, but it's no World Wide Soccer 97. Other companies will be delivering their own versions of soccer nirvana to the N64 over the course of the next year, in an attempt to knock Sega's soccer game off its perch. First on tap will be Konami's entry, sometime this summer. Personally, I'm anxious to see if a N64 port of Interplay's superb VR Soccer will ever see the light of day. However, if you can't wait 'til summer to see what the other companies are brewing up for the N64 (who could?), I wouldn't blame you one bit for rushing out to pick this cart up.

As the first fully dedicated sports title for the Nintendo 64, FIFA 64 holds a special distinction. The game is not exactly the system's killer app, but it does show that Nintendo's box is more than ready for whatever sports titles developers decide to throw at it.

Despite its good looks and sounds, and its satisfying gameplay, I don't think FIFA 64 even scratches the surface of the N64's capabilities. I think future revs of N64 FIFA will get any of the superficial rough spots smoothed out and offer up even more game play finesse. I get the feeling that this indelible series is in transition. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that future FIFA games are being concocted right now that will bring us even closer to reality. We'll be seeing soccer videogames in a whole new light within the next couple of years. Bank on it. Nintendo and EA have.

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