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Posts with tag soccer

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 scores with fresh media, screens, trailer

Posted Oct 10th 2008 6:13PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News, Video, Screens


Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 makes its western debut next week on most consoles, but Wii owners will have to wait a little longer -- like last year, the Wii iteration of PES 2009 will be released next spring.

Better news: it'll be keeping the same point-and-drag system that proved such a hit, and adding a few frills. There'll be a "new defensive system" in place (or: holding "Z" now sends your nearest player towards the man in possession), a fully licensed UEFA Champions League tournament, and a co-op mode which supports the Classic Controller. Even betterer news: it's PES. If you care one iota about soccer, you should care about PES.

Hit up the gallery for the first Wii screens, including shots of cover star Lionel Messi, "savior" of U.S. soccer David Beckham, and lots of screens of Manchester United, a.k.a. the Greatest Soccer Team in the Woooorld.

Gallery: Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2009


[Via press release]

Level-5 releases first Inazuma Eleven Break screens, still refuses to reveal platform

Posted Sep 26th 2008 2:30PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: Imports, Screens


Professor Layton/Dragon Quest IX developers Level-5 held their "Level-5 Vision 2008" event this week, revealing new games for PSP, DS, and mobile phones, as well as the previously announced Inazuma Eleven Break, a spinoff of their DS soccer-RPG series. For some reason, they didn't specify what platform Inazuma Eleven Break was to be released on.

We find this odd -- and we're continuing to write here about this unknown-platform game -- because these screens look very Wii-like. It could be a very cheap 360/PS3 game, maybe, or a really nice-looking PS2 game. Maybe it is Wii, but they don't want to go into details yet, because they want to spring a "Surprise! It's WiiWare!" on us. In any case, we shouldn't expect news on Inazuma Eleven Break's platform until 2009, according to Level-5.

Supergrafx game leads Japanese Virtual Console lineup for October

Posted Sep 26th 2008 12:38PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: Virtual Console, Imports

Surprise! A new system is being added to the Japanese Virtual Console lineup -- the NEC SuperGrafx! Except Nintendo and Hudson aren't treating it like a new system, and are instead treating SuperGrafx games as 800-point PC Engine games, with no other indication of the system of origin. The lack of fanfare may be related to the fact that the whole released SuperGrafx library is seven games. In October, what may be the best-known SuperGrafx game, a quite good version of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, will be available for download.

Also good news: another Kunio sports game, known in the US as Nintendo World Cup; Castlevania II, a year after the US got it; and Enduro Racer (yay!). The full list is posted after the break!

Continue reading Supergrafx game leads Japanese Virtual Console lineup for October

Virtually Overlooked: Mega Man Soccer

Posted Sep 18th 2008 9:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: Virtually Overlooked


I'm in official PANIC MODE EXTREME over Mega Man 9. I basically freak out every time I see it or am otherwise reminded of its existence. A brand new 8-bit-style Mega Man game, that isn't a spinoff of any kind, is both far too good to be true and the weirdest thing Capcom's done in years. And it reminded me of other weird Mega Man games Capcom's put out over the years.

I can't decide what's weirder: an 8-bit game made in 2008 for all three of today's home game consoles, or a game in which robots built to shoot at each other face off in soccer matches.

Continue reading Virtually Overlooked: Mega Man Soccer

FIFA 09 taking inspiration from closest rival

Posted Sep 11th 2008 6:23PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: Video



The annual match-up between FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer is often a closely fought contest, though as last year's revelatory Wii version of PES ran away with the plaudits, EA has decided to play it safe: basically, it's copying the opposition.

Hence, FIFA 09 will ship with the same "point-and-pass" mechanics that received so much admiration in PES 2008, and we can't say we blame them. Combine this with EA's usual level of spit and polish, a Wii exclusive eight-on-eight mode, and a special casual-friendly mode with blobby, Mii-like players, and this year's winner may come from the EA camp. Hit the gallery for tubby versions of everybody's favorite soccer players, but sadly none of ENGLAND HERO Theo Walcott.

Gallery: FIFA 09

Another lengthy wait for next Pro Evolution Soccer

Posted Aug 1st 2008 1:49PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News


Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 on the Wii was released some five months after other versions enjoyed their worldwide debut, and that won't be changing for the 2009 update. While the Xbox 360, and PlayStation editions will launch this fall in Europe, "Spring 2009" is officially the launch window for the Wii game, making it that rarest of things: a sports title with the correct year on the front of the box. It'll also be fronted by Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi (above).

Even a five-month wait is worth the hassle, for PES 2008 on the Wii turned out to be an admirable and unique soccer experience all of its own, and the good news is that Konami will be keeping the same system for the 2009 game -- we're off to fight rival supporters and perhaps smash up a café to celebrate.

[Via press release]

Wii scores a Pro Evolution Soccer follow-up

Posted Jul 9th 2008 11:45AM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News


Against all of our expectations, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 for the Wii was a brilliant reinvention of an already brilliant series, so here's some brilliant news: we'll be getting a 2009 edition. Konami has the Wii version listed on its own site for a "Winter 2008" launch (as World Soccer Winning Eleven 2009, the Japanese name), which should come as a relief to those who caught an earlier press release that didn't mention the Wii at all.

Indeed, the news brought about an impromptu Mexican wave amongst the Wii Fanboy staff. Or it would have done, if we didn't all work in different rooms in different countries.

[Via Go Nintendo]

FIFA 09 screens are goal-eriffic

Posted Jul 2nd 2008 11:45AM by Phil Larsen
Filed under: News, Screens


Remember that whole thing about Mii versions of your favorite soccer stars? Lo and behold, we've come across the first images for FIFA 09, and it's looking pretty fast-kickingly good. Ronaldhino (the guy who clearly uses special effects and isn't really that good) and Wayne Rooney head up the cast of for Footii Match mode.

The graphics look great, to be completely honest. FIFA 09 on the Wii will never be the best-looking version, but it includes the full simulation of regular FIFA gameplay along with the arcade-style modes. Since Wii owners are very accustomed to Mii characters by now, there's every reason to add light-hearted gameplay into the mix. If it's as good as Mario Strikers: Charged, then we're looking at a winner.

Gallery: FIFA 09

FIFA 09 wants to score so badly

Posted Jul 1st 2008 12:30PM by Phil Larsen
Filed under: News


EA knows that football soccer is a somewhat popular sport. Maybe not as popular as curling, but it does its best to fit in. On account of the FIFA series being super popular, EA has revealed just how hard they worked to create each version of FIFA 09. Instead of just a simple Wii port with waggle additions, Andrew Wilson of EA says they "have innovated features, created new modes and designed controls that are tailored to each specific platform."

FIFA 09 is part of the recently revealed All-Play series, used to market EA's line of Wii sports games. It will feature a standard 11 vs. 11 simulation mode (with "refined motion and point-and-play controls"), and the 8 vs. 8 Footii Match mode. Footii Match is an arcade-style mode featuring Mii versions of various soccer stars (like Ariaga, Ariaga 2, Bariaga, Aruglia and Pizzoza) and the gameplay will be fast and furious -- similar to the recent Madden trailers.

The All-Play series has really put the Wii where it needs to be when it comes to sports games. After a little bit more research, we discovered soccer is a little more popular than originally thought (somewhere in the vicinity of Most. Popular. Game. Ever), so EA is on the right track by giving it the specialized attention it needs.

[Via press release]

Konami kicks off Japanese rental program with Pro Evolution Soccer

Posted Jun 21st 2008 2:00PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: News

Being able to rent games is something that most of us take for granted -- in Japan, it doesn't happen because of publisher blackballing. Konami has decided to give the whole rental thing a try, though, starting with the popular soccer game, Winning Eleven: Play Maker 2008 (aka Pro Evolution Soccer 2008).

Even so, Japanese gamers won't be able to test out the title in full. Instead, trial versions of the Wii game will be offered for free at Tsutaya stores. It's kind of like downloading a demo, only you have to go and pick it up instead.

We're interested to see if this has any impact on Japan's gaming industry, and if Konami will expand their "rental" service in the future.


[Via Game|Life]

Big Beach Sports looks more like big bore sports

Posted Jun 20th 2008 9:00PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: Screens

With all the multi-sport games on the market for the Wii, we haven't really kept tabs on THQ's rendition, Big Beach Sports. Since the software is releasing next week for the budget price of $29.99, though, it's time to give it a closer inspection.

Looking at these new screens, we have to say -- ignoring it seems like the right choice. Perhaps we're being a little harsh, but that's why we're paid the big bucks, after all. We can see that the developers were aiming for "cute," but might have gotten a bit closer to "ew ew ew."

We're not ones to nitpick about graphics if the gameplay is fun, yet performing things like "the bump" with the Wiimote seem too tedious to be a good time. Perhaps the oversaturated mini-sports market has made us too cynical, and hopefully we'll be proven wrong. Yet, for now, we'll file this game under "mehware."

Gallery: Big Beach Sports


[Via press release]

Inazuma Eleven headed to consoles, Wii likely

Posted May 14th 2008 1:15PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Imports


Level-5 is sinking big money into their DS soccer RPG Inazuma Eleven, seemingly expecting a massive return. The company held a press conference in Tokyo to outline the "Cross-Media Project," which is a somewhat nicer way of describing "milking the new franchise." In addition to the planned manga and anime series, Level-5 president Akihiro Hino revealed an upcoming Inazuma Eleven card game, to be released concurrently with the DS game on August 22.

Along with all this stuff, Level-5 announced a second game, Inazuma Eleven Break, for consoles. No specific console or date was announced, but it's not hard to guess which home console Level-5 would choose for a mass-market children's game. They'd choose the one with a mass market.

Free online PES magazine is a good way to kill some time

Posted Mar 27th 2008 7:00PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: Fan stuff

Do you eat, sleep, and breathe Pro Evolution Soccer 2008? Well then, not only do you have an amazing digestive system, but also you'd probably be interested to know that Konami wants to further feed your addiction.

Why else would the company team up with GamerZines to make an online magazine completely dedicated to PES Wii? Oh right, promotional reasons. At its core, this mag is just an attempt to hype up people for PES 2008. Even so, if you're a fan of the game or are thinking about buying it, you might find a few interesting things in this free zine.

Aside from pictures of happy people who are supposedly playing the game, the magazine offers gameplay videos, as well as an interview with PES 2008's Wii producer, Akiyoshi "Greyhound" Chosogabe. There's also an entertaining little game-like quiz/competition where you have to identify five soccer players (which this blogger failed at miserably).

All in all, there's not that much to it, but current and potential PES lovers might find reading it to be a nice distraction.


[Thanks, Dave]

Metareview: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

Posted Mar 20th 2008 7:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: Metareview



Thanks to its point-and-pass mechanics and Mii integration, the Wii version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 can safely be described as the biggest upheaval of the series in years. But have such sweeping changes to one of the most finely balanced franchises in gaming been for the better? Well, the critics certainly seem to think so ...

Official Nintendo Magazine UK -- 90%: First out of the tunnel with its views is the UK edition of Official Nintendo Magazine, which suggests that persevering with the new Wii controls will pay dividends: "Easily the best football game on a Nintendo system. It takes a while to get used to the new controls but once you get your head round them, they become second nature." [March 2008, p.58 -- excerpt found at Metacritic]

IGN -- 86%: IGN's Matt Bozon argues that the Wii controls play a crucial role in creating the "most strategic" soccer experience ever: "The integration of IR into a sports game has been extremely minimal so far, but is absolutely ideal in this situation, allowing players to not only play the ball specifically, but direct traffic and precisely move every player on the field in tandem, making for the most realistic, strategic, and intuitive soccer experiences we've ever seen."

1UP -- 75%: And it's more of the same from 1UP's Andrew Pfister, who expresses surprise that the Wii version is so superior to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions: "It's always refreshing to see a unique application of the Wii's motion controls, and it's even more encouraging to see a new idea that's not only functional, but something that really can't be done any other way. We're not sure what's going on over at Konami's PES team: on one hand, there seem to be some major issues in regards to PS3/360 development, yet the less-technically apt Wii version ends up being the game to move the franchise forward."

Gallery: Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

Sacre bleu! French soccer team banned from Wii

Posted Mar 10th 2008 8:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: Fan stuff

French national football soccer team coach Raymond Domenech is a strange one. A keen astrologer who shies from picking Scorpios for his squad (apparently, he "doesn't trust them"), Domenech has now banned his players from playing on the Wii. We like to think that Raymond is a regular Wii Fanboy reader, and has read up on previous Wii-related injuries! We're probably being overly hopeful.

Anyway, the French side is due to take part in the European Championships this summer (read: a big deal), so clearly Domenech wants to give his team every possible edge. Rubbish old England failed to qualify, of course, so they're welcome to play all the Wii they want. Silver linings and all that, eh chaps?

[Via Go Nintendo]

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