A history of FIFA Soccer: Ranking the best games from FIFA 94 to FIFA 17
20. FIFA 98 Road to the World Cup
FIFA 98 will always be a fan favorite, especially as it was the first in the franchise to incorporate one of soccer’s major tournaments. EA Sports also nailed the game’s trailer by setting the impressive visuals to Blur’s “Song 2.” The game also holds a special place in my heart as it was the very first FIFA game I had the privilege of owning.
Gameplay
The graphics in Road to the World Cup are one of the most impressive differences between this game and the previous releases. Although today we would struggle to see the images on screen this was the best FIFA Soccer had ever looked. Even the indoor soccer got a revamp. Looking at side-by-sides with FIFA 97, the two games were almost unrecognisable.
New Features
FIFA 98 was a big year for new additions to the game. Trick and skill moves became a bigger part of the game, as players had the ability to skip over tackles and play trick passes. 98 was also the first game to have a licensed soundtrack which showed how popular FIFA soccer had become. The game also became more aesthetically pleasing with the in-game menus much easier on the eye and graphics during games adding to the overall realism. This game also brought in a training mode in which gamers could really develop their FIFA skills. Another fun addition was the Penalty Shootout mode, which could be played instead of a full 90 minutes.
Special Features
While FIFA 98 was a fantastic game there were no novelty aspects, which hadn’t already featured in other games.