I wanted to write a bit of a FIFA timeline, on what we saw was the 'big new feature/'s' of every version, and get everyone else's feedback on some of the versions...

So let's start:

FIFA International Soccer (ie. "94")
-International Teams Only
-Fake player names
-First game with 'isometric' viewpoint.
-Unbelievable graphics for it's time

FIFA '95
-International + 8 Club Leagues from 'the best' Leagues in the world
-Still fake player names

FIFA '96
-Real play names!
-11 club leagues
-Custom Players/Teams (ie. Editor!)
-On all versions except the 16 BIT consoles (SNES and Mega Drive), '3D' Engine + Commentary! (3D was a 3D stadium with Sprites still used for the players and ball)

FIFA '97
-True 3D (ie. Polygon) players and ball etc!
-Indoor Football included (which only last til 98 :( )
-Improved commentary

FIFA '98 RTWC)
-Every international side involved in World Cup qualification included!! (FIFA 10, FIFA 06 and FIFA 02 really seem to have missed out here, as they've just been 'another FIFA', with a seperate World Cup game released around the time of the World Cup, it seems again in 10 we're just getting the one World Cup title :( )
-The first game with what is still very close to the current controls (keyboard).
-Real stadiums from major nations

World Cup 98
-Not technically a FIFA, but still in the same 'series'.
-Featured 40 sides, the 32 World Cup sides plus 8 sides 'unlucky not to be there' (Read as + 8 countries EA thought would help sales!)
-Real World Cup stadiums, draw etc from France 98.

FIFA 99
-Indoor mode dropped
-Facial animations, player heights etc

FIFA 2000
-Increased gameplay speed and responsiveness (led to very arcadey feel)

FIFA 2001
-New graphics engine
-Some individual player faces, licensed kits with real badges etc
-Power up bar for shooting

FIFA 2002
-Power bars for passing as well as shooting.
-Dribbling (esp skill moves) much harder (people had complained 00 and 01 were too arcadey!)
-RTWC not included in World Cup year (previously when EA Sports had World Cup rights, in 98, they had released that years FIFA as the Road to the World Cup game)

World Cup 2002
-Road to the World Cup included in the World Cup game-unlike previous World Cup game, which only featured 40 sides (with RTWC included in the FIFA title)

FIFA 2003
-Gameplay 'completely redone' chasing more realism (the same basic keys are used from 98 tho)
-More detailed Graphics

FIFA 2004
-Second divisions from some major leagues
-Online play
-No custom players or teams

FIFA 2005
-'First touch' gameplay added (trick stick etc)
-Career Mode a focus for the first time
-Custom player returns

FIFA 2006
-Further enhanced career mode (15 year career!)
-John Motson replaced for Clive Tyldesley, and Ally McCoist for Andy Gray
-Gameplay rewritten separating player and the ball to seperate objects for the player on the ball.

FIFA 2007
-xbox360 is completely seperate game (first of the 'nextgen' FIFAs) with improved graphics, but less teams and leagues
-Return of Custom teams

FIFA 2008
-Be a Pro introduced (i still HATE the be a pro camera tho, it's awful and makes me dizzy)
-Wii includes motion control (stolen from PES :p )
-PS3 gets next gen version like 360

FIFA 2009
-Adidas live season (updates stats, but they charge you!)
-Martin Tyler replaces Clive Tyldesley as main commentator in 360 and PS3 versions (on xbox live Clive Tyldesley's commentary can be purchased along with Andy Townsend replacing Andy Gray)

FIFA 2010
-360 degree movement on PS3 and 360 versions (about 16 degree on PC which is better than it was!)

Hy Alex! A very good and intersting review my friend! Bravo

After all, Fifa game made some steps forward..:)

Hy Alex! A very good and intersting review my friend! Bravo

After all, Fifa game made some steps forward..:)


ya it made some steps forward in console versions...bt in pc after 2006 it hardly made any step forward until 2009 and after 2009 now they have made some big steps backwards!!

Great post :)

We still need a totally NEW next-gen graphic engine to start with. :)

ya it made some steps forward in console versions...bt in pc after 2006 it hardly made any step forward until 2009 and after 2009 now they have made some big steps backwards!!

Yeah I was going to mention on the timeline, that since the xbox version was made in 07, the advances in the PC version have just about stopped.

I think that the economic crisis right now is the reason why FIFA 10 hasn't been so much improved from FIFA 09, a good reason for thinking so is NHL 10, they didn't do it for PC because of the economic crisis and that they couldn't improve the game, they focused mostly on XBOX 360 and PS3, anyway, as for the timeline, it's very well done and you can also see that FIFA has done much more improvements when it comes to the game itself then at PES, in the end, FIFA will be the ultimate game and beat PES hugely

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN_RHOqAymI

quite fun to see the earlier fifa's in action

still think there were a special mood over fifa 98 RTWC but it was the first one for me soo....

but why do they always make sutch terrible ugly kit's?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN_RHOqAymI
very nice video!

No mention of a liscenced Netherlands in FIFA 10? xD!

No mention of a liscenced Netherlands in FIFA 10? xD!

I understand what are you saying Robbie! EA fooled us several times, and now we tend to consider normal things as they are some special just for us or improvements, or steps forward as i said before.Since years ago, Netherlands for example, had unliscenced team, so this year they've solved that(which was natural,necessary and normal), and was presented as a great add-on.See ya

No mention of a liscenced Netherlands in FIFA 10? xD!

Yeah I also didn't mention every licensed (or unofficial) league that came and went over the years! Or when the Japanese NT signed with Konami and PES, which are much bigger moves than an official Dutch team!

That video is good. I would have liked it if they used all PC versions of the game though (atleast until 2006). Woulda given a better comparison. They used Genesis for 94/95 then 32X (i think) in 96...It made things a bit confusing as to the changes.

Just noticed also, that they go back to Mega Drive/Genesis for FIFA 97...Then they show World Cup 2002, instead of FIFA 2002...Its a great idea for a Vid, and well put together, but not very consistent unfortunately. Which means it doesnt great a pain picture of the timeline.

Fifa 98 and fifa 99!!!!!!!! how many good memories come to my mind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN_RHOqAymI

quite fun to see the earlier fifa's in action

still think there were a special mood over fifa 98 RTWC but it was the first one for me soo....

but why do they always make sutch terrible ugly kit's?

I love the video. Up to Euro 2008, I wonder if fifa10 is actually base on euro 2008. Look at the goal prompt celebration, at 8:52. Well, just a theory.:biggrinx:

its amazing how ea managed to make fifa year after year...amazing gameplay...though i prefer PES......Total Sports madness (http://www.totalsportsmadness.com)

You forgot one thing by the way, the Team Styles are new to FIFA as well