FIFA: All games, versions and best editions

FIFA History – The first steps of the saga

FIFA International Soccer (1993)

The origins of the FIFA video games date back to the year 1993 . FIFA International Soccer was the first title produced by this franchise. It had the arcade aesthetic of the time, similar to other 16-bit games with which it shared a generation. Originally, the game only featured world teams , and the players did not have real names. It was developed by EA Canada, becoming the first soccer video game that had an official FIFA license. It originally came out on the Sega Mega Drive, although a year later it would have a few ports .

Despite being released in December 1993, FIFA International Soccer quickly became the best-selling game of that year in some countries .

FIFA Soccer 95

In late 1994, Electronic Arts repeated the move with FIFA Soccer 95 , a sequel for the Sega Genesis, which, unlike its predecessor, never had a PC version. FIFA 95 used the same aesthetic resources as FIFA International Soccer , that is, it had an isometric view . The player could control the four players closest to the ball, while the rest would be moving using the AI algorithms.

The great novelty of FIFA Soccer 95 was the leagues . This second edition of the video game already featured La Liga Española , as well as the Premier League , Ligue 1 , Bundesliga , Serie A and the Eredivisie . They didn’t have the player licenses, so they had to make up names. But the game laid the foundation for what it is today. Another very curious novelty of this title was the penalty shootouts. If a game ended in a draw after extra time, it could be resolved with this famous lottery.

FIFA Soccer 96

The franchise was going from strength to strength. It would have been absurd not to continue betting on this product. And, unlike the 1995 version, this new title would bet on all existing and future platforms. It came out for DOS, Sega 32X, Mega Drive, SNES, Sega Game Gear, Game Boy, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. On some platforms, it came out under the name FIFA 96: Virtual Soccer Stadium . This version had real-time 3D graphics, although it was only available on the most powerful consoles.

Regarding the common elements of both versions, the players now had their real name . The option to transfer footballers from one team to another was also included and a 15-song soundtrack was introduced for the first time, another quite characteristic element of the IP.

FIFA 97

In June 1996, EA Canada once again repurposed its recent virtual stadium technology to bring another title, now called FIFA 97 , back to the table. Its 3D versions looked really good, but PC and PlayStation gamers complained about the game jerking . This phenomenon was quite common at that time. The leagues were maintained, and teams from the USA and Canada were also added, which came to complement the game with the national teams.

FIFA: Road to World Cup 98

The 1998 World Cup in France was the title of the official football game of that year. EA focused on improving what already existed, improving graphics and player customization. More team licenses were added and for the first time, famous songs made it to the soundtrack.

FIFA 99

The sixth installment added new game modes , improved the graphic section and corrected bugs in the game’s AI. However, he reduced the number of teams . Two new leagues were added, friendly matches were born and also the ‘golden goal’ mode. Despite being a fairly continuous game, this title was the first to be narrated in Spanish by Paco González and Manolo Lama .

FIFA 2000

With few improvements over its predecessor and divided opinion, FIFA 2000 or FIFA Football 2000 began to show signs of exhaustion . The game had the FIFPro license , but it lost players such as Ronaldo , Romario , and Youri Djorkaeff , as well as the ability to play Pelé in classic teams mode. Still, it had good sales. His biggest criticism was not the absence of some of the world’s players, but their ease in scoring goals.

It also had a version for Game Boy Color , developed by THQ, and to which most of the specialized media gave a nice suspense .

Second stage. Consolidation and rivalry with PES

FIFA 2001 – FIFA 2004

With the advent of consoles such as the PlayStation 2 , FIFA continued to be successful. FIFA 2001 continued its path, recovering licenses and improving the game in general terms. For the 2002 version, Electronic Arts began to face off with Konami , which began to raise some rights for leagues outside of Europe, as was the case with the Japanese National Team. The JFA (Japanese FIFA) gave the exclusive rights to Konami. This would hold even in titles after Pro Evolution Soccer 3 . FIFA 2002 debuted a new type of control, called ‘ Freestyle Control ‘, which was substantially improved a year later in FIFA 2003 .

The 2003 version featured well-crafted cutscenes and much more elaborate commentary than previous games. Shortly after, FIFA 2004 would also include second divisions. However, his greatest contribution was ‘Off the ball’, a new mechanic that allowed two players to be managed simultaneously.

FIFA 2005 – 2007

Starting with FIFA 2003 , many players started switching to PES . FIFA tried it with its spin-offs , but Konami was beginning to be the favorite of many soccer fans. FIFA 2005 even advanced its release so as not to overlap with Pro Evolution Soccer 4 , and this title was quite up to the Japanese.

Both the career mode and the option to create your player are back. The 2005 title was the last to come out for the original PlayStation, as well as the first for the PSP, only it was released under the name FIFA Soccer .

Starting with the 2006 edition, EA began to simplify the ’20’, which is why said edition was named FIFA 06 . It only had changes in terms of its gameplay . The rest remained practically static.

FIFA 07 should have been the first game in the series to step on the new generation of consoles. However, Microsoft obtained exclusivity with its Xbox 360 , depriving Sony of the possibility of bringing this game to PlayStation 3. The game was published on Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.

FIFA 08 – 10

Despite the improvements at the playable level, FIFA remained with very similar graphics since FIFA 2003 , encountering a barrier year after year. Although Konami had serious problems obtaining licenses from the teams and players, this second stage continued during these years along a very continuous path. FIFA 08 was the first to come to PS3 and the Nintendo Wii . However, many changes were made to improve the gameplay, highlighting a new pass system , its ‘Be a Pro’ mode, the new defensive system or the possibility of creating your own formations. The goalkeeper also got more prominence in this title.

The next game in the saga, FIFA 09 , would bring improvements to its online . The player could control the footballer during the celebrations, and overall, EA confirmed that there were over 250 improvements from the previous game.

Finally, FIFA 10 would come with improvements, highlighting its practice mode . Here you could rehearse with the buttons to practice shots, and you could record your plays. It also had a manager mode and preseason mode . It would be the last title before the arrival of the new engine.

FIFA Stage 3 – Next Gen GamePlay Engine

At the end of 2010, as usual, Electronic Arts released its next FIFA. It was from here that he began to regain control of the market .

FIFA 11 and FIFA 12

FIFA 11 had many improvements that were polished over time. However, the game was only able to develop its best features on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. On other consoles, the game continued with mechanics from the previous era.

Some of the improvements in FIFA 11 were the new graphic engine , the Personality + system , an incredible passing system, a Street Football mode (which would take up the style of FIFA Street). More importance was also given to the goalkeeper, with improved artificial intelligence and the ‘ Be a GoalKeaper ‘ mode.

All these mechanics were improved and polished in FIFA 12 , with a new impact engine , better artificial intelligence, greater precision when making movements and a tactical defense that allows better interceptions of the ball and much more elaborate offenses.

FIFA Beginnings: Ultimate Team

It was followed, of course, by FIFA 13 , with a second version of the impact engine , a new dribbling system and more team licenses than ever. Up to 500 joined this title, with more than 15,000 players . This title formally presented the intentions of the FIFA Ultimate Team mode, which had been timidly added as an expansion since FIFA 09 .

FIFA Stage Four – Ignite

Coinciding with the new generation of consoles, FIFA debuted a new engine in FIFA 14 . Artificial intelligence was making leaps and bounds on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with opponents now moving in a more organic and human-like way.

Celebrations featured prominently in this game, and were also new to FIFA 15 and FIFA 16 . During this stage, Electronic Arts put a lot of effort into crafting FIFA Ultimate Team . Its interface was improved, charity cups were organized and, in general, weight was given to this mode.

Fifth Stage – Frostbite Engine

FIFA 17

Although Konami managed to take away some licenses from FIFA for FIFA 17 , Electronic Arts gave FIFA a makeover with the Story Mode , called ‘ The Journey ‘ or ‘The Path’. This game mode was exclusive to the new generation consoles, and consisted of building the career of a young promise, a fictitious 17-year-old British player, Alex Hunter . The objective? Get the kid to debut in the Premiere League. The story of The Journey would give FIFA a breath of fresh air . Additionally, Hunter’s story would start a trilogy , to be completed in FIFA 18 and FIFA 19 .

FIFA 18

The 25th anniversary of FIFA would be starring “El Bicho”. FIFA 18 would include Ultimate Team ICONS , featuring a cast of classic footballers in 3 of the stages of their sporting careers. FIFA 18 was also the first FIFA to come to Switch , but due to technical limitations, it did not run under Frostbite , as was the case with previous generation consoles, which saw the game, but with limitations.

FIFA 19

Alex Hunter ‘s trilogy came to an end in FIFA 19 . The gameplay has been improved and more FUT Icons have been added to the roster as well. The game had a lot of gameplay improvements, and it was a great title, but the most talked about thing was its controversial cover art .

FIFA 19 was presented at E3 2018, held in June. There it was possible to see that, for the second consecutive year, Cristiano Ronaldo would be the cover of the video game dressed in the Real Madrid shirt . Just a month later, the Portuguese announced that he was leaving the merengue club.

And a little later, in October, EA begins to remove Cristiano from the cover of the video game . This was due to an alleged sexual scandal filed against the Portuguese, which would be dismissed a little later. Finally, FUT would end with Paulo Dybala, Kevin De Bruyne and Neymar on the cover, after this dizzying roller coaster. Later, some EA directors acknowledged that they removed CR7 from the cover for giving prominence to other stars , using the aforementioned scandal as an excuse.

Recent FIFA Games – FUT and FIFA Volta

FIFA Volta. Street games to haggle to the monotony of FIFA

Since FIFA 20 , the quintessential soccer video game saga has tried to reinvent itself. Electronic Arts already knows very well that their audience is loyal, and that they will buy their game religiously, but the casual audience comes and goes, representing a large part of the pie.

For this reason, FIFA 20 included FIFA Volta , a new game mode inspired by the FIFA Street series . This new mode begins by inviting the player to create their own character. Once this step is done, parties can be played in groups of 3v3, 4v4 and 5v5. There is a wide range of rules, and this new section of FIFA was very well received. Having found the key, EA put even more effort into this mode, which would arrive improved in 2021 , hooking a greater number of players. FIFA 21 brought a somewhat more arcadey FIFA Volta , with a lot of aerial play and rewarding more skill with the buttons. In addition, its cooperative modewas redesigned, allowing you to form a squad with friends or join a random party with online players you find in the lobby . This gave FIFA Volta an even more street feel , maximizing the experience with the customization of plays, touches and its 23 arenas based in cities around the world. FIFA 22 also streamlined this mode a bit, introducing a new points system and adding a new ‘ Volta Arcade ‘ mode. Despite this, the greatest number of novelties were included in the previous edition, which continues to be one of the greatest attractions of this successful video game franchise.

FIFA UltimateTeam. The most popular mode in FIFA

What was born as an extra in FIFA 15 has become one of the central pillars of the FIFA universe . FUT is every football fan’s dream. In this mode, you will be able to create the team of your dreams , without limitations and within your personalized club. The mechanics of Ultimate Team have been getting more complex over the years. There are multiple variables such as the player’s category , which will determine his skill with the ball on the court. On the other hand, there is chemistry . Placing several players who have shared a club or who share a nationality are fundamental attributes to reinforce the synergy of the team. A team without chemistry will keep their base stats. On the other hand, increasing this attribute will boost the abilities of the team members. The process can be done in many ways, and we will have to replace more than one manager or change some position players to improve the affinity between them and thus create a perfect team .

Despite the great work that goes into FUT, it is also the most controversial mode in FIFA . To access this game we will have to get hold of coins , initially purchased with real money. With these coins we will buy envelopes , which basically work like loot boxes . Through these envelopes we will obtain cards from new players, being the most likely that we will obtain players with low statistics.

Thanks to the transfer market , the player can get rid of those players that he will not use, receiving coins in return to invest in new packs . The dynamics of FUT are in the spotlight of many organizations that study problem gambling . This game has also been banned in
some territories that restrict video games with loot boxes , as it is considered a danger when directed at minors .

Withdrawal of licenses and possible abandonment of the FIFA brand

Electronic Arts and Konami have always had their tug-of-war with licensing. In FIFA 20 , Juventus was an exclusive club in eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer . A tremendous stick for players. This was repeated until the current FIFA 22 , where the Serie A club continued to have an exclusivity contract with Konami and their eFootball 2022. Since FIFA 20 , the Italian team is called Piemonte Calcio . The Camp Nou also had exclusivity with the Japanese, who joined Roma, Atlanta and Lazio, who withdrew their licenses from EA Sports .

Many of these operations have caused a stir around EA Sports. Electronic Arts has renewed its agreement with FIFPro , the footballers association, guaranteeing that it can use the image rights of the players in its franchise. However, the Federation itself, that is, FIFA, has doubled the price of the use of its brand . According to the International Federation of Football Association, its objectives are to expand the FIFA brand, allowing other developers to have the opportunity to work with its identity.

EA Sports has already considered changing the name of its fruitful saga in order to avoid the new rate imposed by FIFA after almost 30 inseparable years going hand in hand.

Special versions and spin-offs of FIFA

These are all the special versions and spin-offs that have been released so far of FIFA.

FIFA Mobile

This title exists since 2016 and is published for iOS, Android and Windows . It was announced at Gamescom that same year. The first game in this series was called FIFA Mobile 17 . Since then it has had one version per year. Almost all of the game mechanics are focused on FIFA Ultimate Team .

The gameplay of this mobile spin-off is good, but many players constantly complain that it is pure pay-to-win . Additionally, players suspect that the game’s matchmaking system groups players who have not invested money into the game with others who have spent money on cards, making it almost impossible to win without jumping through Electronic Arts’ hoops.

FIFA World Cup

Since the 1998 World Cup, Electronic Arts publishes a new bonus game for each World Cup . The titles that have come out so far are the following:

• World Cup ’98
• 2002 FIFA World Cup
• 2006 FIFA World Cup
• 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
• 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
• 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

FIFA UEFA Euro

In a move similar to the previous one, EA bought the rights to the European Championship in the year 2000. Only 3 titles came out, corresponding to the European Championships of the year 2000, 2004 and 2008. As of 2012, it was added within the game of the same year .

FIFA Street

Surely the best spin-off in the entire history of FIFA. In 2005, FIFA Street brought street soccer to the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Game Cube . The game was focused on feints, touches, dribbles and taught a new way of playing football, promoting freestyle .

A year later, Electronic Arts repeated with FIFA Street 2 . The 4v4 mechanic was retained, but ball movements and tricks were enhanced . FIFA Street 3 would come out in 2008 , for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. On this occasion, EA Sports BIG burned the formula a bit.

Four years later, Electronic Arts rebooted the franchise with FIFA Street (2012) . The game gained in variety and control. Even so, this game system would not shine again until years later, when EA recovered the idea and built FIFA Volta .

Other titles

• FIFA Superstats – was a game developed by Playfish and EA for Facebook. It was released in 2010 and became unavailable in 2013.
• FIFA World – This was a free-to-play MMO based on FIFA 14. It lasted just over a year.
• FIFA Online : There were four editions of the FIFA video game released exclusively for the Asian market.