FIFA Soccer 2005

"King of Handheld Soccer Games"

FIFA Soccer 2005 has offered me many a surprise: some pleasant, others not. And until there are any other football (soccer, for the Americans) games released for the GBA, this will reign as king.

Graphics: 5/10
I honestly think that the graphics for the 2004 version are better. Heck, the graphics for my 10 year old laptop running Windows 95 and FIFA '97 were better. Some glitches are also evident, like when my whole Russian national team was black. All in all, this game just doesn't use the GBA to its full potential.

Sound: 6/10
Three songs, that aren't too bad actually, but they get repetitive quickly. Good that we don't get the GBA for its great music, huh?

Gameplay: 9/10
The game is very easy to get into, but not too easy to master. The variety of goals scored is actually very nice. Sure, the graphics hurt the gameplay somewhat and looking at the players without the ability to make them out is painful, but nothing one can't get over. The results end up looking somewhat realistic, which is always nice - by far the best gameplay on the GBA (then again, what rivals it?)

Options: 7/10
The dynasty mode starts off promising, but gets dull very quickly. It's not that hard to get the points needed for the master level in 2-3 seasons, meaning that the other 2, you have no goals set for you. Another major minus is the lack of transfers: you're stuck with your current team, and you're going to play with them: imagine Cambridge making it to the Premiership with their current squad - just not very realistic. The teams are there, which is always a plus, and the ratings for the players are somewhat accurate, much better than in '04. The game will last you a while, nevertheless.

Summary: 7.5/10
A great game for the GBA, even though the graphics may turn you off at first. The 05 can also be considered an improvement over the previous year's. Overall, it's a blast to play and any football fan should consider it.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/22/05