It’s like soccer mixed with street … drugs.
Xbox
Released in 2006 by EA Sports BIG
Grade: C+
This cracked-out piece of un-soccer-like nonsense can provide a break from soccer sims for diehard soccer fans, but I wouldn’t recommend for most other gamers.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the second of two in the PS2/Xbox generation. There are two more on the next gen, and (confusing naming alert!) the last is simply titled FIFA Street.
Praises and gripes
This is 3-on-3 plus goalies on a small court, and it’s all about juking defenders out. The moves are done on the right thumbstick. Push down to go through the legs, push up to lob it in the air, or go side to side. Likewise, the defender can thwart that move by pushing the same direction at the same time. At least that makes logical sense, but I don’t like how quickly both players are stuck in an animation, usually with the defender looking foolish and falling on his ass.
The game goes out of its way to reward razzle dazzle. When you fill up your tricks bar, a goal is worth +1 for you and -1 for the opponent. Or juke out three opponents in a row and score a goal, and it’s game over! That’s silly, right? And I forgot to mention that while this is going on, the screen switches to a diagonal view and washes out the already-washed-out colors, disorienting you at the most critical moment of the game.
Of course you can turn this off …
…
Psyche!!! You actually cannot turn this off. This wacky system is the only option on the disc.
As a result, no alternative strategy is worth a damn. Nifty passing and teamwork-based strategy won’t help you much.
The action ends up being pretty slow — it’s wise to control the ball closely before dialing in your fancy footwork commands — and so this is a rare “arcade sports game” that actually moves more slowly than the sport it’s based on.
I don’t find it too fun, but I suppose that for gamers who only play soccer games, this might be a fun diversion for a short while.