More than pretty much any other competitive sport, soccer is perfect for showing off. Few sports can match the artful way in which the practitioners of the “beautiful game” can juggle the ball using their head, knees, feet — anything but their hands.
The latest FIFA Street puts the outstanding FIFA 12 engine to work replicating futbol’s fine tradition of backlot showmanship, with terrific results. Using the triggers and analog sticks, you can juggle, dribble, and perform various other tricks with a minimum of fuss (though there’s definitely a learning curve involved), and the result is often some truly amazing shots. It’s a very different taste than classic soccer, where teamwork and precision passing are key, but it’s a welcome one.
Moreover, FIFA Street also includes custom teams, which you build up with uniforms and moves unlocked by completing various challenges in World Tour mode. From there, you can take your team online with the seamlessly integrated Xbox Live component, complete with online team play, ranked divisions, and periodic tournaments. World Tour even lets you sub in a real person for the computer, whether you’re playing online or in local co-op. The presentation is tremendous all-around, and being able to take your custom team online helps differentiate FIFA Street from its awesome sibling.
Thanks to its high-quality animation and well-realized mechanics, FIFA Street only reinforces FIFA’s standing as EA’s top sports brand. It’s a welcome alternative for veterans, but even folks relatively unfamiliar with soccer will find a lot to love here.
PUBLISHER: EA • DEVELOPER: EA Canada • ESRB: Everyone • MULTIPLAYER: 2–4 offline, 2–12 on Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: For completists • COST: $60
+ Excellent visuals and extremely smooth animation.
+ Spectacular World Tour mode with a huge number of challenges and unlockables.
+ Outstanding online integration sets the standard for all other sports games.
? Will more casual soccer fans embrace FIFA Street over FIFA 12?
