Gaming
Your favourite instalments in EA Sports’ decade-spanning football sim series.
We asked and you answered: we now have the results of our poll. Earlier this month we picked a long list of 10 of our favourite ever editions of FIFA and asked you to whittle them down. They didn’t have to stand the test of time – have you seen what FIFA 96 looks like now? – but they did have to be your favourites based on your reaction when they were released.
So which editions made the cut? Were they the prettier, more feature-packed versions, or did nostalgia swing it for the classics? What about the games from the periods in the 00s, when Pro Evo topped the table –have they been overlooked? Have a look below and see for yourself...
5. FIFA 09 (2008) (9.4% of the vote)
It’s no surprise that the first edition of FIFA to introduce the legendary Ultimate Team mode has made your top five, although at the time EA Sports probably had no idea just how popular it would become – it was only a downloadable option on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. That wasn't the only breakthrough in this version: improved collision and better goalkeeping made for a more nuanced game, too. Plus you could control your player during a goal celebration, which was an inspired move.
4. FIFA 10 (2009) (11.1% of the vote)
It’s inevitable with a big, annual gaming franchise, really: several years of iterative improvements eventually have to be followed by an overhaul to help keep things fresh. FIFA 10 was one of those versions to make a quantum leap forward, with EA introducing true 360-degree player movement for the first time, instead of the old eight-way directional system dating back to the 90s. The meaty Virtual Pro mode, meanwhile, proved to be the most compelling single-player EA creation yet – Ultimate Team was once again a standalone download for PS3 and Xbox 360.
3. FIFA 06 (2005) (11.4% of the vote)
Voters didn’t look too kindly on the older FIFA games. FIFA 06 is the only version in your top five to predate the seventh console generation at all, releasing on PS2, GameCube and Xbox. But it was still a seminal instalment, with a major engine upheaval and an expanded, memorable career mode.
2. FIFA 11 (2010) (16.8%)
Your second-favourite FIFA was released on just about every platform under the sun and it would be the last to appear on the Nintendo DS. FIFA 11’s solid Career mode was a stand-out feature, while PC players probably remember the major engine update that put the PC version on a par with its PS3 and Xbox 360 siblings. But EA’s next big engine upheaval has proved to be more popular in our poll.
1. FIFA 14 (2013) (24.8% of the vote)
With almost a quarter of all votes cast, FIFA 14 is the best FIFA ever, as voted by you. We’re putting that down to its debut on the PS4 and Xbox One, improved AI, Ultimate Team mode and the slick new Ignite engine that makes the game look more realistic than ever. Clearly you all felt, that 14 was more of a jump forward, and better value for money than its sequel, and as we said earlier this week, FIFA 16 is going to need to make another big stride forward again if EA is to fend off Konami for much longer.
Do you disagree? What are your five favourite FIFA games ever? Tell us in the comments below.
