Earn coins and unlock players via this gumball machine.

Generally, games of this genre has plenty of replayability but to make things more interesting, every time you win a match you earn yourself a gold or silver coin. You can then use these coins to unlock players you’ve defeated in World Tour mode using a gumball machine. And yes, you guessed it. Instead of using buttons, you use your stylus to drag the coins into the slot before turning the handle. If you manage to get a Japanese player then you also unlock emblems too.

Lastly, there’s the Network mode that allows you to play against another human via Wi-Fi or trade football players. Just like Mario Kart and other Wi-Fi enabled games, you can design your own emblem to use.

When you’re scouting for strangers to play with, you can choose to find someone who is at a similar skill level to you or just anyone. Your match stats are then all recorded on your DS and displayed to your opponent. Without the lag, the Wi-Fi matches play smoothly just like the single player games and allows you to pause the game up to three times, each time lasting for 15 seconds. When lag does happen, you’ll find yourself watching more countdown timers as the server waits for your opponent to get back up to speed which can be a little irritating.


You can scout for players of the same skill on Wi-Fi based on stats.
While you’re not greeted by the same selection of music Fifa 2007 has, you do get a fair selection of fun synthesised tracks while navigating the menus. Sometimes you’re greeted by complete silence oddly enough as if the composers don’t know what to put in. For sound effects, you have your standard affair of ball kicking, whistles and the crowds cheering in the background, picking up in excitement as players close in on the goal. Unfortunately, commentary is absent which is a little surprise considering how even one of its early Super Famicom games contained some. You still do hear a voice shouting out “Goal!” but without the commentary, it just feels like something’s missing.


Shhhh! Noise is forbidden here!
Menus have a cool blue theme going which is soothing to navigate but the 3D graphics are slightly lacking. In comparison to the Fifa 2007 game, player models look like they’re made of blocks which is especially true when you look at their heads. You also seem to be stuck with one stadium despite having a World Tour mode with no changes in pitch colour or environments. But at the very least, you can change the ball colour and teams do have their own football strips. Also, the replay control panel is a joy to use.