I’m focusing on this stretch of FIFA games for three reasons:
- They’re all awesome games.
- Each version incorporates more realistic AI and humanlike physics, evolving from an already kickass soccer game to a more genuine representation of real-life soccer.
- If you browse online discussions among FIFA dorks, you’ll see widely mixed opinions about which game is the best of this era. What degree of realism makes for the most fun, most satisfying soccer experience?
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FIFA 12 often gets called one of the greatest sports games ever. I don’t know if it hits a sweet spot that’s any sweeter than the others, but it has key advancements from FIFA 11. The consensus opinion among the FIFA 12 touters is that everything before was too arcade, and everything after was too sim.
Frankly, none of these games is even close to a soccer simulation. Their realism varies, but each one has roughly the same amount of scoring, which is much higher than in real soccer. You can play 10-minute halves and get final scores like 2-1 and 3-2. By that logic, if you played with regulation 45-minute halves, scores could be 5-4 or even 12-10, and you know that never happens.
All these games pull off a wonderful trick: They feel realistic but are more exciting than actual soccer. They capture soccer’s tactical depth without boring you. Not even soccer enthusiasts want to play a video game for 90 minutes with no goals.
It’s worth noting that soccer’s infamous flopping isn’t really an issue in FIFA, nor can you cheaply burn the clock at the end of a game by taking extra time for a throw in or free kick. Nobody wants that in a video game either, so I’m glad they left it out.
All these games also share a few of the same problems that are inherent for soccer video games.
- Free kicks and penalty kicks would be lame without some added complexity, so there are extra controls to learn that aren’t super intuitive, and they feel far removed from the rest of the action.
- There are inevitably moments when the ball bounces back and forth a few times before someone can kick it away or escape with the ball, and you don’t feel in control of the outcome of these situations.
- Blame it on my USA-centric sports sensibilities, but I hate certain soccer rules, like the running clock and a lame overtime format. If I were king of the world, I’d switch it to a stopped clock and sudden death overtime, no matter how long games would take. I don’t like seeing games decided by penalty kicks.
Let’s go game by game and point out their notable differences.
FIFA 11
Of the four games, this one is the most “arcade,” but back when it was new, it certainly didn’t seem arcade to me. It has a ton of controls, different passes, shots, and dribbling moves. Defenders can sidestep, close in on the ball, and tackle in different ways. Attacks usually require strong teamwork. Full FIFA 11 review
- Slide tackling is easy compared to the later games, too easy for the online dorks who complain about it. Frankly, slide tackling didn’t seem too easy to me initially, but I can see why the later games are praised for more realistic defensive tactics.
- The ball often “pinballs” between players. With FIFA 11’s more primitive physics, players don’t gather the ball naturally, and it tends to bounce straight from one player to another.
- The control is the most snappy. Players can start and stop quickly, and although they jostle for position, it’s not as dynamic as the later versions. Theoretically, this makes this one the easiest to play, but limited in its realism.
FIFA 12
This is perhaps the most revolutionary installment, with deeper AI and physics. It retains the snappy control from FIFA 11, except for the “easy” slide tackles. Full FIFA 12 review
- Defenders patiently close in on opponents more realistically and with respect to the individual player’s skills. This is the kind of thing that’s hard to notice if you play just a few games, but in time you’ll notice the CPU opponents defend your best ballhandlers differently from your less skilled players.
- When players collide or jostle for the ball, it’s more organic and realistic, which I consider a solid improvement. The controls for jostling add another layer to the learning curve.
- Scoring from just outside the penalty area is too easy, so say the online dorks. By holding R1 for a “finesse shot,” you can too reliably get one past the goalie. I unfortunately never mastered the game enough to exploit this quirk, but if a hundred dorks say so, let’s call it a fact.
FIFA 13
This one plays a lot like FIFA 12. It takes the realism up a notch and adds “first-touch control.” It’s the last that’s solidly in the PS3 generation before PS4 installments came along the next year. Full FIFA 13 review
- There’s a slightly more “contained” feel when it comes to players facing up to one another and battling for the ball. This initially felt sophisticated and natural to me when I first played the game.
- “First-touch control” isn’t exactly a control; it just means that individual players have varying skill when they first touch the ball. You may see one player fumble with it, another player gather it swiftly, and another player gracefully roll it along and get a head start as he runs with it. Honestly, I’m surprised this wasn’t a feature in the series already, and you’ll only notice the difference when you play with the same team for a while.
FIFA 14
This is where the series changes more drastically, focusing on a hardcore simulation. The control is less responsive, players are more restrained by human physics, and the ball takes more realistic bounces. Full FIFA 14 review
- The controls aren’t as snappy. Players need to contort themselves to turn, and they build up momentum before sprinting. You need to press the button for a pass or shoot a moment earlier than before. This makes the game more difficult to play, but it feels right once you make the adjustment.
- AI-controlled players will run farther out of their formations as the action unfolds, which feels much, much more like real soccer to me, and makes certain passing patterns less repetitive.
- The ball ends up in open areas more often, which also feels much more realistic. Long passes and deflections don’t magically move straight to a player like they used to.
- The graphics have a glossier look, since the game is based off its PS4 counterpart, which is ultimately a little less pleasing to the eye.
Which one is the best? I don’t know. Did you expect me to provide an answer?
Just kidding. If I had to make a recommendation to the average gamer, I’ll say FIFA 12. There’s impressive realism, but it’s user-friendly. When I play it today, I have a lot of fun.
I’m tempted to say FIFA 13 is “technically” the best, with a tad more sophistication than its predecessor without going overboard, and it’s the last one that feels at home on PS3.
But if I was going to hunker down with one for a long while, I’d take FIFA 14 for its extra variety in how games can play out. It seems like it offers the most rewarding experience over the long haul.
Published July 29, 2019
Updated July 22, 2022