FIFA Soccer 96

Last updated

FIFA Soccer 96
FIFA 96 cover.jpg
North American Saturn cover art featuring Notts County's Andy Legg and Brescia Calcio's Ioan Sabău
Developer(s) Extended Play Productions
Probe Entertainment (SNES, Game Boy, Game Gear, 32X, Saturn)
Publisher(s) EA Sports
Electronic Arts Victor (Japan)
Black Pearl Software (Game Boy, Game Gear)
Composer(s) Robert Bailey
Graeme Coleman
Series FIFA
Platform(s) MS-DOS, 32X, Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Gear, PlayStation, Saturn
ReleaseMega Drive/Genesis
  • EU: 30 November 1995
  • NA: 1995
MS-DOS
  • NA: 30 September 1995
Saturn
  • NA: December 1995 [1]
  • EU: December 1995
PlayStation
Game Boy
  • NA: December 1995
  • EU: 1996
Game Gear
SNES
  • NA: November 1995
  • EU: 23 November 1995
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

FIFA Soccer 96 (also known as FIFA 96: Virtual Soccer Stadium) is a football simulation video game developed by Extended Play Productions and released by Electronic Arts in 1995. It was released for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Saturn, Sega 32X, Game Gear, PlayStation, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems.

Contents

FIFA 96 is the third entry in the FIFA series, its tagline being "Next Generation Soccer". It was the first in the series to feature real-time 3D graphics on the Sega Saturn, PlayStation, 32X, and DOS versions, using technology called "Virtual Stadium". The SNES and Mega Drive/Genesis editions used the FIFA 95 engine. It is also the first in the series to use real player names and positions, with ranking, transfer and team customisation tools.

Development

The game's budget was $3 million. [3] FIFA 96 was the first game in the series to use the Virtual Stadium game engine. [4]

Soundtrack

FIFA 96 features 15 songs which were composed and arranged by Graeme Coleman.

Reception

The game was a bestseller in the UK. [15] For the DOS version Computer Game Review gave it a "Platinum Triad" score and called it "the best soccer game, if not the best sports game available, bar none." [13]

Reviewing the PlayStation version, Maximum applauded the game for the realism in the player controls and AI behavior, as well as the large number of features, such as the multiple camera angles and league play. They summarized "The remarkably user-friendly options ensure that even the most demanding players will be satisfied, and once the game begins properly, you will appreciate the time and honing skill that has been lavished upon this product by the truly professional EA Sports coders." [11] Tommy Glide of GamePro hailed the game for its realism as well, saying it managed to surpass even the 3DO version of FIFA International Soccer . He praised the use of more than 3,000 real players, the realistic passing controls, and the audio commentary. [16] In a retrospective review roughly a year after the game's release, a Next Generation critic commented that "One of the deepest, most beautiful, and eminently playable sports games hasn't lost a thing since its release". [8]

Rob Allsetter of Sega Saturn Magazine applauded the comprehensive selection of players, customizing options, and camera angles, but complained that the animation is "both slow and slightly jittery." He concluded, "Fifa '96 makes a brave attempt to capture the real thrill of football. At the end of it all though, it lacks the smoothness and speed to merit championship distinction." [14] The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly both gave the Saturn version an 8 out of 10, particularly praising the multiple camera angles and the play-by-play commentary, both of which they felt made the game very lifelike. [5] GamePro too praised the camera angles, but put greater emphasis on the deep gameplay. Comparing it to the PlayStation version, they remarked that the Saturn version has more vibrant colors and larger sprites, but rougher characters and less smooth scrolling. [17] Maximum highly criticized it as having a lower frame rate than the PlayStation version, adding that other Saturn ports of soccer games all were very close to the originals. Despite this, they declared FIFA 96 "the dominant soccer in the Saturn market" due to the advanced gameplay mechanics and the weakness of the competition. [12] A Next Generation critic was wildly enthusiastic about the game's accurate recreation of real professional soccer, particularly remarking that it is possible to identify individual players on the field just by looking at them, and that executing game plans produces realistic results. He added that even with all the devotion to realism, the game is also tremendously fun, and concluded to be one of the best games for the Saturn. [9]

Reviewing the Genesis version, a Next Generation critic judged that the game continued the FIFA tradition of improving with each installment, particularly praising the inclusion of real soccer leagues and players. He concluded, "While the Genesis version can't hold a candle to the near-perfect 3DO version [of FIFA International Soccer], it's still the best 16-bit soccer available and a great game beyond that." [6] Next Generation's reviews of the DOS and Super NES versions were similarly laudatory, casting praise at the animations, commentary, maneuvers, real world teams, choice of camera angles, and simple play control. [7] GamePro's The Athletic Supporter was also highly pleased with the Genesis and Super NES versions, saying they improved over the previous FIFA with smoother, more realistic graphics and added modes and features. He noted that the Super NES version plays faster than the Genesis version but lacks the Genesis version's exciting crowd noise. [18] [19]

GamePro's brief review of the Game Boy version stated that it "may be the best sports title of the year for the handheld systems. All the moves – like tackles, headers, and bicycle kicks – are included along with countless teams from the U.S., Europe, and South America." [20]

Related Research Articles

<i>Chaos Control</i> (video game) 1995 video game

Chaos Control is a rail shooter developed by Infogrames Multimedia and published by Philips Interactive Media for the CD-i, MS-DOS, Macintosh, Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1995. The game's cutscenes are rendered in a style reminiscent of anime.

<i>Battle Arena Toshinden</i> 1995 fighting video game

Battle Arena Toshinden, also transliterated Toh Shin Den, is a fighting video game developed by Tamsoft and published by Takara for the PlayStation. Originally released in 1995, it was released internationally by Sony Computer Entertainment, followed by 1996 ports for the Sega Saturn, Game Boy and MS-DOS. It was one of the first fighting games, after Virtua Fighter in 1993 on arcade and console, to boast polygonal characters in a 3D environment, and features a sidestep maneuver which is credited for taking the genre into "true 3D."

<i>Primal Rage</i> 1994 arcade video game

Primal Rage is a fighting game developed and released by Atari Games to arcades in 1994. The game takes place on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth called "Urth". Players control one of seven large beasts that battle each other to determine the planet's fate. Matches feature many of the conventions of fighting games from the era, including special moves and gory finishing maneuvers. Ports were released for home consoles and personal computers. Efforts to perfectly emulate the arcade original have been unsuccessful due to the use of an unusual copy protection method. Toys, comics, a novel and other merchandise tie-ins were produced. More than 1.5 million copies of the game were sold.

<i>Alone in the Dark 2</i> (video game) 1993 video game

Alone in the Dark 2 is a 1993 survival horror video game developed and published by Infogrames. It is the second installment in the Alone in the Dark series. It was ported to the PC-98 and FM Towns in 1994 and to the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer in 1995 under the same name, and to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1996 as Alone in the Dark: Jack Is Back in Europe, and renamed as Alone in the Dark: One-Eyed Jack's Revenge in North America.

<i>FIFA International Soccer</i> 1993 video game

FIFA International Soccer is a 1993 association football video game developed by EA Canada's Extended Play Productions team and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis console in December 1993 and ported to numerous other systems in 1994. It is the first game in the FIFA series.

<i>FIFA 97</i> 1996 video game

FIFA 97 is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PC on 24 June 1996 and versions for PlayStation, SNES, Mega Drive and Sega Saturn followed.

<i>WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game</i> 1995 video game

WWF WrestleMania is a professional wrestling arcade game released by Midway Manufacturing Co. in 1995. It is based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion.

<i>Shining Wisdom</i> 1995 video game

Shining Wisdom is an action-adventure game developed by Sonic! Software Planning and Camelot Software Planning and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. It was the last game in the Shining series to be developed for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive but was reworked for the Saturn late in development. Because of this, it is more typical of the Genesis library than the Saturn library in its basic approach, rendering characters and backgrounds exclusively in 2D and utilizing mechanics which mostly follow the rules of a two-dimensional world. This approach was seen as dated by critics, and it was met with mixed reviews, with some seeing it as a decent holdover title due to its massive length.

<i>The Need for Speed</i> 1994 video game

The Need for Speed is a 1994 racing game developed by EA Canada, originally known as Pioneer Productions, and published by Electronic Arts for 3DO in 1994. It allows driving eight licensed sports cars in three point-to-point tracks either with or without a computer opponent. Checkpoints, traffic vehicles, and police pursuits appear in the races.

<i>NHL 97</i> 1996 video game

NHL 97 is an ice hockey video game by EA Sports. It was released in 1996 and was the successor to NHL 96. It is the sixth installment of the NHL series and the first to be released on both PlayStation and Saturn. A Panasonic M2 version was in development and slated to be one of the launch titles for it, but never happened due to the cancellation of the system.

<i>Madden NFL 97</i> 1996 American football video game

Madden NFL 97 is a football video game released in 1996. It was the first multiplatform Madden game released for the 32-bit consoles, being released on both the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. 16-bit versions were also made for the established Super NES and Genesis platforms, as well as a portable version for the Game Boy.

<i>Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball</i> 1995 baseball video game

Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball is a multiplatform baseball simulation game that was licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association, featuring the likeness, motion captured movements, and "Big Hurt" branding of player Frank Thomas.

<i>PGA Tour 96</i> 1995 video game

PGA Tour 96 is a sports video game developed by Hitmen Productions for the PlayStation, MS-DOS, and Windows versions, Unexpected Development for the Game Boy version, NuFX for the Sega Genesis and 3DO versions, Ceris Software for the Game Gear version, and Polygames for the SNES version and published by EA Sports for PlayStation, MS-DOS, Windows, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, 3DO, Game Gear and SNES.

<i>Williams Arcades Greatest Hits</i> 1995 video game

Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits is a video game anthology for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, Sega Genesis, Saturn, Game.com, Dreamcast, MS-DOS, and Microsoft Windows. The IBM PC compatible and game.com versions are titled Williams Arcade Classics, while the Saturn version was titled Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits. The 2000 release Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Vol. 1 contains much of the same content.

<i>NBA Live 96</i> 1995 basketball video game

NBA Live 96 is the second installment of the NBA Live video game series published by EA Sports and released on November 30, 1995. The PC and PlayStation covers feature Shaquille O'Neal of the Orlando Magic, while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis and European PlayStation box covers feature a photo of the tip-off to Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. PlayStation and PC versions are the first games in the series to feature 3D-rendered courts, allowing for multiple camera angles using EA's "Virtual Stadium" technology, which is also used for FIFA Soccer 96. On-court player graphics remain 2D sprites. It is also the first NBA Live game released for the PlayStation and the only game for the Game Boy. NBA Live 96 is followed by NBA Live 97.

<i>NFL Quarterback Club 96</i> 1995 video game

NFL Quarterback Club 96 is an American football video game released in December 1995. The game was released on the Sega Saturn, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, DOS, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game's cover features San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young passing while being tackled by Chicago Bears defensive linemen Chris Zorich and Albert Fontenot. The Saturn, Genesis, SNES and DOS versions were developed by Iguana Entertainment, while the Game Boy and Game Gear edition was developed by Condor Inc.

<i>Goal Storm</i> 1995 video game

Goal Storm, known as World Soccer: Winning Eleven in Japan, is a football sports video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and published by Konami. It was released in late 1995 in North America and in early 1996 elsewhere for the PlayStation. It is the first installment of the Winning Eleven franchise, later known as Pro Evolution Soccer internationally. Gameplay-wise, the player controls one of thirty six national teams over two different game modes, which both simulate association football matches and/or tournaments.

References

  1. ↑ "Electronic Arts Announces FIFA Soccer 96 to Ship on Five Platforms for Holiday Season; Best-Selling Soccer Videogame Available for PC CD-ROM, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System". Business Wire . 29 November 1995. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2021– via The Free Dictionary.
  2. ↑ "Sony PlayStation Available Software sorted by Release Date @ www.vidgames.com". 11 June 1998. Archived from the original on 11 June 1998. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  3. ↑ Schofield, Jack (7 December 1995). "Soccer set to top the Christmas league". The Guardian . p. 54. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Yarwood, Jack (26 February 2024). "FIFA Road To World Cup 98, The "Greatest FIFA Of All Time"". Time Extension . Hookshot Media . Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Box Score: FIFA Soccer '96". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 79. Sendai Publishing. February 1996. p. 135.
  6. 1 2 "FIFA '96". Next Generation . No. 12. Imagine Media. December 1995. p. 195.
  7. 1 2 "FIFA '96 Virtual Stadium Soccer[ sic ]". Next Generation . No. 13. Imagine Media. January 1996. p. 163.
  8. 1 2 "Every PlayStation Game Played, Reviewed, and Rated". Next Generation . No. 25. Imagine Media. January 1997. p. 58.
  9. 1 2 "Kick Start". Next Generation . No. 16. Imagine Media. April 1996. p. 86.
  10. ↑ "FIFA Soccer '96". Play . No. 3. January 1996. pp. 60–61.
  11. 1 2 "Maximum Reviews: FIFA '96". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. No. 2. Emap International Limited. November 1995. p. 152.
  12. 1 2 "Maximum Reviews: FIFA Soccer '96". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. No. 4. Emap International Limited. 1996. p. 145.
  13. 1 2 Snyder, Frank; Chapman, Ted; Kaiafas, Tasos (December 1995). "Bikes and Pitch". Computer Game Review . Archived from the original on 21 December 1996.
  14. 1 2 Allsetter, Rob (February 1996). "Review: Fifa '96". Sega Saturn Magazine . No. 4. Emap International Limited. pp. 70–71.
  15. ↑ Gallup UK Playstation sales chart, February 1996, published in Official UK PlayStation Magazine issue 3
  16. ↑ "FIFA '96 Soccer Scores Big on the PlayStation". GamePro . No. 89. IDG. February 1996. p. 84.
  17. ↑ "FIFA Soccer '96". GamePro . No. 91. IDG. April 1996. p. 92.
  18. ↑ "FIFA '96 Schools the SNES Competition". GamePro . No. 87. IDG. December 1995. p. 118.
  19. ↑ "FIFA '96 Rocks the Stadium on the Genesis". GamePro . No. 87. IDG. December 1995. p. 118.
  20. ↑ "ProReview: FIFA '96". GamePro . No. 91. IDG. April 1996. p. 86.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.