Soccer? No way....FOOTBALL!
Written: Aug 30 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great controls, excellent multiplayer support, full FIFA license
Cons: no rumble pak support
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| Oleg3130's Full Review: Fifa 99 for Nintendo 64 |
Have you ever played a soccer sim? I suggest you put it in the closet and go get the most advanced soccer game for N64 on the market - FIFA 99. Made by EA Sports, this game is as good as it gets. Full FIFA license (read REAL NAMES), excellent controls and innovative soundtrack are just a few distinguishing features of this game. If you asked me, what is the best multiplayer party sports game on N64, the answer is obvious - FIFA 99. Let me tell you why this game is what you need.
AYE:
1) Full FIFA license: I remember the days of Sensible Soccer (i.e. Klonsmann and Beggio). No, this sim has all the real players and all the real line-ups at the time the game was released (except Ronaldo, who is code-named Calcio and plays for Inter at #9). Unlike PC version though, the commentator does not announce players' name, which takes away the TV-like commentary feel.
2) Abundance of camera views: there's about 6 or 7 views. I prefer Tele side view, which gives me a view of the whole field.
3) Controls: you have them all! Jinks, lobs, spins, sliding tackles, headers....You have many buttons to choose from, and, unlike PC version that requires you to press several buttons to execute a move, N64 controller has dedicated move buttons. And I'm not even talking about the usefulness of the rotating stick in this sim!
4) Strategies: you make a selection of the strategies before and during the game. You are the manager, coach and player. FIFA 99 allows you to switch "formations" on the fly and select the field coverage, player positioning and kick takers.
5) Teams: so many to choose from. FIFA 99 has several national leagues as well as cups in which you can select to compete. Although your favorite team may not be present (MLS lovers need not apply), all the famous teams are there: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Spartak Moscow (sorry, couldn't resist) and many more. International teams are also present, about 40 of them, including USA.
6) Editing: create your own players or modify existing teams! You decide who is the best and who is the worst. You can select the colors of the uniform for your national team, or change the shirt style of Arsenal forever. Of course, you need a memory pak to save your changes.
7) Soundtrack: very modern and appropriate. Pop music is associated with soccer around the world and it makes its way to FIFA 99. The theme song is by Fatboy Slim called "The Rockafeller Skank". I love the music! Oh and did I mention REAL crown chants?
8) Stadiums: there's about 20 international stadiums you can select from. My favorite is Munich Olympic Stadium.
NAY:
1) Rumble pak: about the only thing that's missing is rumble pak support for those "bone-crunching" tackles. Although it was anticipated, the game does not support rumble pak, so you'll have to imagine what the players go through when they are brought down close to the "box".
Final thought: this game is DA game. You can play alone, with a partner, or with 2 or 3 partners. You can be on the same team or be on the different teams. It's a great game for parties because 4 players can engage at once. It is the most realistic soccer, excuse me, football sim on N64 to date, and is only beat by its PC version and FIFA 2000 MLS for PC. Nonetheless, EA did a splendid job of using N64 resources to produce FIFA 99. I highly recommend it, you will not be disappointed. For beginners I suggest playing a couple of leagues on easy level, then move on to Pro level to play with your friends against the AI. With this, I wish you a win in your first "fixture"!
Overall score: 95/100
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Oleg3130
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Member: Oleg Gerovich
Location: Dania, FL
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 3 members
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