FIFA 12 Review

The Wii version of FIFA has always stood gawkily in the shadow of its much more impressive, ever-changing sibling. And with the advances made by the latter this year, the disparity between the platforms is more pronounced than ever. It's not that the Wii version of FIFA is awful or unplayable. It's really not. It can be a lot of fun. Sadly, it just suffers in comparison.

One of the main reasons why is its inability to innovate sufficiently. It seems content to trot out a game that is ostensibly built upon what feel and look like last year's gameplay and graphics. Amidst the deja vu, there's a notable addition in the shape of something called FIFA City. It's a rather quaint idea. You get to christen a city and the team in which the hopes and dreams of its tiny population rest. As you win matches and fulfil certain objectives, your city will experience an influx of new inhabitants. There are 100 challenges scattered throughout the game's various modes. For instance, if you score 6 goals without reply you'll be rewarded with a municipal upgrade or a new shiny facility at your training ground.

Rather than receiving your reward in the form of a bland achievement notification, you'll actually be able to see the fruits of your labour, since your city doubles up as the menu screen for FIFA 12. You'll build up a team, take on rival cities, and unlock more and more fixtures and fittings for your city and team. It's a charming little feature, adding character to the game, but in no way does it enhance the overall experience. While it may give you the added impetus to work your way through the games different modes, rather than just play quick one-off matches, the rewards meted out are ultimately superficial menu decorations, making it a playful yet ultimately superficial innovation.

The gameplay remains simple. FIFA 12 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation can be daunting for a novice. There's multiple ways to manipulate a pass and you can loft or drill a cross into the six-yard box. As a regular FIFA player it's easy to forget the high-bar of entry. FIFA on Wii has always sought to lower that bar. Consequently, passing is assigned to a single button; tap it and you'll keep the ball on the deck; hold it down, and you'll lob it. Nice and simple. Occasionally, passing goes awry. Tapping A won't always pass the ball to the player you want it to, no matter how firmly you direct the analogue stick in the direction of the unmarked player. It's frustrating to say the least. If you're accustomed to the fastidious control other versions of FIFA permit you to have over ball distribution, the Wii version is exasperating.


But taken on its own terms, it allows for some breath-taking, fantastical goals to be scored. Shoot from wherever you want, and if you catch it right, it's got more than a good chance of screaming into the top corner. When it's all too easy to sky a shot in the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, it's hard not to be enchanted by the easy satisfaction of regularly rippling the net from 35 yards. Some will say it removes the nuance from the game, but you can also see it as removing the complexity.

At its best FIFA 12 on the Wii is fantasy football, an experience which is only enhanced by some of the gameplay animations. For instance, if you commit yourself to a sliding tackle, a spray of dirt will surround the player going to ground; similarly, unleash a powerful shot and a wispy tail of air emphasises its velocity. It's still grounded in reality but these little tweaks make you forgive its less than realistic gameplay.

The realism is further undermined by the underwhelming visuals. Colours are too vibrant and there's a lack of texture and shadow. Players look more like caricatures at times, with over-sized craniums making them look slightly top-heavy. Play a five-a-side game and you'll be forgiven for thinking that your team resembles a neolithic boy band, such are the heavy jaw lines and strong brows of most player models. Similarly, stadiums lack the detail for them to be anything other than drab backdrops to matches, while the crowds should just be ignored whenever possible.

Commentary is functional, but it can go AWOL from time to time. Shoot from the half-way line and you can expect to hear, "He should have done better from there. What a waste!" How well should one do when shooting from the half-way line, really? Pele really should have done better, you know.


One of the biggest features of FIFA 12 finds it way to the Wii version, and that's Tactical Defending. You'll be able to jockey and command a teammate to mark a player while you maintain your overall shape. It's performs adequately, but occasionally it'll call on the wrong player. So instead of logically sending the closest player to the man in possession, it'll drag someone else out position.

Presentation is also not as strong on the Wii, as you'd expect. Load screens just don't have the attention to detail or that impressive sheen, while some of the stock images used to illustrate Career Mode look like they've been ripped from a corporate brochure. It's ultimately detrimental to the overall experience.

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