FIFA 13 Nintendo 3DS Nintendo Review

Fair play to the development team behind the Nintendo 3DS version of FIFA 13. Whilst the Wii iteration was a shameless player and kit update only, this portable edition takes strides in the right direction when compared to the series' debut on 3DS. However, saying that, despite efforts to include a fair amount of the home console versions' content, FIFA 13 for 3DS still comes up lacking when compared to the fantastic Pro Evolution Soccer titles from Konami. For one thing, there is no online multiplayer, despite Nintendo Network features being included to update the shockingly out-dated roster and kit information included in the release build. Another issue is how the modes available are stripped back to their bare bones, meaning that Training is an empty experience now and Cup matches are soulless encounters.

What is there makes for a moderately fun portable experience overall, though, and the Career Mode certainly helps pass the time whilst on long journeys. Choosing from a selection of club sponsors at the start of a season incurs fresh challenges. For instance, selecting those that pay higher amounts per individual victory will not dish out the goods when finishing high up the table come the season end, and vice versa. It certainly adds more incentive to proceedings, as does the tick sheet objective list -- going under the guise of a manager's resumé -- where achievements are ticked off (win a league, win a domestic cup, win 200 career matches, transfer in a star player, and so on). This is all reminiscent of FIFA Manager and Football Manager, albeit 'lite' versions, with budding managers able to hire coaches, scouts, medics, as well as delve into the transfer market to bolster the team and get the players to train hard to reach their full potential.

Control-wise, FIFA 13 plays a lot better than its Wii counterpart, with simplified moves being the order of the day, yet keeping everything more 'true' to what fans normally expect rather than having tacky 'casual' controls mixed in. However, there is also the inclusion of some touch-screen features, like tapping on the net that appears on the lower screen when in range of the goal, or swiping in various directions when taking free-kicks and corners. Suffice to say, despite being an interesting aspect, the novelty of these additions wears off extremely quickly and on-the-fly tactical changes would have been preferred (something featured in the past) or even a modification on the Pro Evolution Soccer Wii theme, allowing for touch-screen control of off-the-ball players to make them do well-timed runs, instead of milling around like they normally do when the heat is on.

Be a Pro returns, with the aim being to guide a nobody along the road to superstardom, and there is also the chance to sample FIFA Street-style matches, with five-on-five short games that can be played regularly or with 'extras' turned on to add an element of amusement, such as making players miniature, including crazy curve shots, or even throwing in super shoulders and speed for good measure. FIFA 13 is a marked improvement over the first entry on 3DS, but still has a fair way to go before impressing as much as some of Exient's later DS creations.