2006 FIFA World Cup - Review
Added May 14th, 2006 by Kisan Parikh
Introduction:
With this year’s World Cup in Germany just around the corner, soccer fans are growing more and more enthused. With this in mind, EA has released the official game of the World Cup, 2006 FIFA World Cup. After the disappointing Road to FIFA World Cup, we were all hoping that this title would be the first quality next-gen soccer game. Luckily, 2006 FIFA World Cup is much better than its predecessor.
Gameplay:
In the previous title, the only real mode of play allowed you to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. The mode was fairly lackluster, but this time around you can take your team through the World Cup finals. You can either start your team in the qualifiers for an extended run, or you can jump right into the action. Either way, you can choose from a huge selection of teams, some of which did not really qualify for the tournament.
With this year’s World Cup in Germany just around the corner, soccer fans are growing more and more enthused. With this in mind, EA has released the official game of the World Cup, 2006 FIFA World Cup. After the disappointing Road to FIFA World Cup, we were all hoping that this title would be the first quality next-gen soccer game. Luckily, 2006 FIFA World Cup is much better than its predecessor.
Gameplay:
In the previous title, the only real mode of play allowed you to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. The mode was fairly lackluster, but this time around you can take your team through the World Cup finals. You can either start your team in the qualifiers for an extended run, or you can jump right into the action. Either way, you can choose from a huge selection of teams, some of which did not really qualify for the tournament.
The structure of the World Cup mode of play is consistent with the real tournament, as you would expect. You start by competing for points to finish at the top of your group table. The teams that move on then compete in a bracket style tournament until the big finish. Along the way you have access to a number of extras such as the Virtual 2006 FIFA World Cup Magazine and EA Passport. The virtual magazine gives you news and stats from the World Cup as you progress, and the EA Passport shows your progress as you beat teams from around the world. Each team you defeat earns you a stamp and bonuses. While this mode will obviously not have much value after winning the World Cup with a few teams, it does offer some great soccer action.
On the gameplay end of things, the game has seen some subtle but important changes. Firstly, the shooting mechanic has been overhauled, and holding the B button now controls the height of the shot, not the power. The change is easy to get a hang of, and power is now mainly determined by the location, situation, and skills of the shooter. Another thing you will notice is that the game is much less of a standoff than RTWC. In the previous title, the game seemed bogged down at midfield, and the game’s pace suffered. Now, the game has a bit more flow to it, and I feel this is a change for the better. Additionally, EA has worked to make players seem less generic. Star players can now take control of the game. Each star has their own dominant skills such as dribbling, shooting, and tackling, and they will be best utilized by playing to their strengths.
The Penalty Kick mechanics have been overhauled as well. Shooters can choose from driven shots, chip shots, and curve shots. The goal of taking the free kick is to hit the bar on the shot meter. The closer you get to it, the better your accuracy. Goalies have a few more options as well. Goalies can squat, jump, and shimmy in the net before the shot. The mechanics of the PK is much more fun, and you have a bit more control over the results.
These tweaks make the game a bit more entertaining, but the distinct FIFA Soccer gameplay is present. The controls remain fairly simple, and the moves from previous titles make their return. The main difference is that the pace is much improved, and exciting scoring chances occur a bit more often.
Graphics:
Graphically, 2006 FIFA World Cup shines where it should. The animations of tackles, ball moves, and saves are well varied and fluid. Player models look and move as they should, and you can even recognize some of the more famous players. Above all, the game captures the atmosphere of the World Cup. The stands are packed with cheering crowds and confetti rains down. The game is most stunning during cut scenes where you see the players taking the field, celebrating a goal, or arguing a call. Even the loading screens/game intros look good, with matches starting with a zoom to the location of the stadium. The game is by no means the best looking when compared to other next-gen titles, but it is fairly solid visually.
On the gameplay end of things, the game has seen some subtle but important changes. Firstly, the shooting mechanic has been overhauled, and holding the B button now controls the height of the shot, not the power. The change is easy to get a hang of, and power is now mainly determined by the location, situation, and skills of the shooter. Another thing you will notice is that the game is much less of a standoff than RTWC. In the previous title, the game seemed bogged down at midfield, and the game’s pace suffered. Now, the game has a bit more flow to it, and I feel this is a change for the better. Additionally, EA has worked to make players seem less generic. Star players can now take control of the game. Each star has their own dominant skills such as dribbling, shooting, and tackling, and they will be best utilized by playing to their strengths.
The Penalty Kick mechanics have been overhauled as well. Shooters can choose from driven shots, chip shots, and curve shots. The goal of taking the free kick is to hit the bar on the shot meter. The closer you get to it, the better your accuracy. Goalies have a few more options as well. Goalies can squat, jump, and shimmy in the net before the shot. The mechanics of the PK is much more fun, and you have a bit more control over the results.
These tweaks make the game a bit more entertaining, but the distinct FIFA Soccer gameplay is present. The controls remain fairly simple, and the moves from previous titles make their return. The main difference is that the pace is much improved, and exciting scoring chances occur a bit more often.
Graphics:
Graphically, 2006 FIFA World Cup shines where it should. The animations of tackles, ball moves, and saves are well varied and fluid. Player models look and move as they should, and you can even recognize some of the more famous players. Above all, the game captures the atmosphere of the World Cup. The stands are packed with cheering crowds and confetti rains down. The game is most stunning during cut scenes where you see the players taking the field, celebrating a goal, or arguing a call. Even the loading screens/game intros look good, with matches starting with a zoom to the location of the stadium. The game is by no means the best looking when compared to other next-gen titles, but it is fairly solid visually.
Audio:
The audio is another well done aspect of this title. EA has included national anthems from all over the world and tracks from many international bands. Additionally, the sound effects in game are superb. Crowds roar and chant for their respective teams appropriately, and even muffle the sound on the field at times.
Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend do a great job with World Cup’s commentary. They match the flow of the game perfectly, and do well to capture the excitement of the event. You even get score updates from other team’s that will influence your country’s standings. Everything seems to work well as far as sound goes in 2006 FIFA World Cup from the music to the commentary.
Controls:
The controls in 2006 FIFA World Cup give you a good amount of control over your players without becoming too complicated. Everything is essentially the same as RTWC except for the change in the shooting mechanics. Pace control, dummies, fake shots, and first touch moves make their return. The right analog trick control is utilized again, and all of these controls work seamlessly. Your players respond to your commands flawlessly, and you are truly in command of your team.
Replay:
In addition to the World Cup mode of play, you also have a few other options. Global Challenge mode allows you to relieve and rewrite World Cup history. There are approximately forty different moments to play in, but you will have to do so with modern teams. In addition, you have access to slightly generic Xbox Live mode. The game features the standard ranked and unranked matches. Luckily, the gameplay is lag free, and playing the game against human opponents is loads of fun. For this reason, single console multiplayer will also provide some great soccer action.
The audio is another well done aspect of this title. EA has included national anthems from all over the world and tracks from many international bands. Additionally, the sound effects in game are superb. Crowds roar and chant for their respective teams appropriately, and even muffle the sound on the field at times.
Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend do a great job with World Cup’s commentary. They match the flow of the game perfectly, and do well to capture the excitement of the event. You even get score updates from other team’s that will influence your country’s standings. Everything seems to work well as far as sound goes in 2006 FIFA World Cup from the music to the commentary.
Controls:
The controls in 2006 FIFA World Cup give you a good amount of control over your players without becoming too complicated. Everything is essentially the same as RTWC except for the change in the shooting mechanics. Pace control, dummies, fake shots, and first touch moves make their return. The right analog trick control is utilized again, and all of these controls work seamlessly. Your players respond to your commands flawlessly, and you are truly in command of your team.
Replay:
In addition to the World Cup mode of play, you also have a few other options. Global Challenge mode allows you to relieve and rewrite World Cup history. There are approximately forty different moments to play in, but you will have to do so with modern teams. In addition, you have access to slightly generic Xbox Live mode. The game features the standard ranked and unranked matches. Luckily, the gameplay is lag free, and playing the game against human opponents is loads of fun. For this reason, single console multiplayer will also provide some great soccer action.
Summary:
2006 FIFA World Cup is a much improved soccer title compared to its predecessor on the Xbox 360, Road to FIFA World Cup. The slight gameplay tweaks and changes help make the game more enjoyable to play. The title’s strongest aspect is the way it captures the World Cup event. Like most other World Cup titles, there isn’t a whole lot of replay value here, but the time you spend playing this title will be enjoyable. Soccer fans will at least have to give this one a rental.
2006 FIFA World Cup is a much improved soccer title compared to its predecessor on the Xbox 360, Road to FIFA World Cup. The slight gameplay tweaks and changes help make the game more enjoyable to play. The title’s strongest aspect is the way it captures the World Cup event. Like most other World Cup titles, there isn’t a whole lot of replay value here, but the time you spend playing this title will be enjoyable. Soccer fans will at least have to give this one a rental.
