The FIFA Soccer (Football) franchise from EA Sports has, along with the NHL franchise, been one of my favourites. When I had the opportunity to take a look at FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play for the Nintendo Wii, I jumped at the chance.
I’m not really much of a gamer. I play sports games, mostly, and I’m not a big fan of fussy controls, codes, secrets, cheats, or whatever else the kids are into. Thankfully, FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play is a Wii game with my interests in mind. It is easy to pick up and play, even for the most inexperienced Wii gamers, and still offers the in-depth experience fans of “footi” will love.
FIFA 09 presents two basic options for a unique soccer experience, each with Wii-specific controls. The arcade-oriented game play offers first-time players a chance to jump right into the beautiful game with larger-than-life versions of some of soccer’s biggest stars and the ability to have a Mii play right alongside them.
And the standard game play options are still here too, with classic 11 vs. 11 match-ups with all the trimmings you could ask for. There are also a few mini-games, like table soccer and a fun shoot-out mode, that help fill in the gaps to create a more accessible experience.
The “8 vs. 8 Footi Mode” features arcade-style action with all sorts of cool ways to use the Wii remote. Players can use their customized Mii players alongside some of the game’s biggest stars, including Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho, for a gaming experience that is just flat-out fun. All levels of gaming ability should be comfortable with this version, as shots and passes are made with a simple wave of the Wii remote.
The more traditional version of the game, featuring the classic 11 vs. 11 match-ups, is actually a bit more my speed. Passing is easy, with pinpoint precision controls making it easy to slide a lob through to a teammate. And shooting with the Wii remote is just ridiculously fun. Over 500 licensed teams are available for use with accurate kits.
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