With a new instalment released every year, there have been plenty of FIFA titles to hit the shelves since FIFA 94—a whopping 41, to be exact.
While many players think that every new release is just a cash grab, true fans of the series know that each instalment brings something new to the table. The series has tended to get better over the years, with recent releases aside. If you’re looking to play the best that FIFA has to offer, here are five titles to load up.
FIFA 94 (FIFA International Soccer)
While it’s a drastic change from the graphics and gameplay you might be used to today, FIFA 94 holds a special place in fans’ hearts. Released in the final month of 1993, FIFA 94 was a massive commercial success. It was technically impressive compared to other games of its time. Some of those technical achievements would go on to guide future gaming endeavours. Whether it’s a new title for the PS5 or the best slot machine games according to online casino in UK that boast upgraded graphics, you’re bound to find a little bit of FIFA 94 everywhere.
If you’re a fan of retro games or just want to see what the first FIFA was like, you should give FIFA 94 a try. A copy of it might be hard to track down these days, but it was one of the best-selling FIFA titles, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.
FIFA 13
FIFA 13 helped shape the FIFA we have today, as it helped mould the Ultimate Team mode. Ultimate Team mode was the unofficial ‘franchise’ mode in FIFA 12. Without FIFA 13, players would undoubtedly have a worse FIFA experience without Ultimate Team mode.
When 13 was released in late 2012, consoles were pushing their movement-based controllers and devices. FIFA 13 took full advantage of it, offering players a new way to interact with their favourite game. Players could use the Xbox’s Kinect, PlayStation Move and the Wii/WiiU’s innovative control system. These control schemes have largely been laid to rest, but it was still an important milestone and feature for FIFA 13.
FIFA 22
Although there has been a ton of negativity in the news for FIFA and video games in general in recent years, FIFA 22 has come out standing strong and is without a doubt one of the best titles. Loot boxes aside, EA did a decent job balancing the gameplay in FIFA 22.
If you want to purchase a newer FIFA title but don’t feel like paying full price for the most recent one, you might want to pick up FIFA 22. The graphics are excellent, and the gameplay feels refreshing compared to recent EA Sports titles. Still, there are two more entries on this list that you might want to check out before 22.
FIFA 10
FIFA 10 features all the best aspects of recent FIFA titles with none of the loot boxes. The graphics may seem slightly outdated, but remember that this is from 2009. Graphics aside, the gameplay is solid and rewards players for improvising while on the field. FIFA 10 can also be very nostalgic, as the soundtrack is a time capsule from that period. This title is available on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, making it a cheap and easy pick-up for fans of the sport and series.
FIFA 14
Capping our list of the five best FIFA games is the ultimate FIFA 14. This was the first game in the series released on seventh-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One). While 13 took 12’s ‘franchise’ mode and improved upon it by creating Ultimate Team mode, 14 perfected it. Ultimate Team mode has been improved slightly since, but EA’s decision to add loot boxes means that FIFA 14 might just be the best title yet.
The loot boxes that plague the recent instalments are nowhere to be found, and they managed to take full advantage of the seventh-generation’s technological improvements over their sixth-generation counterparts. EA switched from the previous Impact Engine to the brand-new Ignite Engine, effectively overhauling the entire game as players knew it. The game is very popular to this day as many still play it thanks to PC mods.
Wrap Up
In short, you can’t go wrong with titles from the early teens. FIFA 14 and FIFA 10 are neck-and-neck when it comes to the best FIFA title, but it all comes down to personal preference at the end of the day. Some players like the older graphics and nostalgia factor of those early titles, while others think that FIFA 22 perfected the franchise despite its shortcomings with Ultimate Team mode. Regardless, you can’t go wrong with any of the titles on this list.
It’s a shame that the older titles tend to be the better instalments in the franchise, but we can only hope that EA eases up on the microtransactions in future titles. Unfortunately, until EA resolves its licensing disputes with FIFA, it seems that players can only expect FC titles at this point, as seen with FC 24, which was released this past September.