Fifa Street 3

I feel I should start this review with a confession; we here at Ready Up are not exactly big sports fans. In fact, I strongly suspect the reason that most of us got into playing video games was to avoid playing football or other sporting activities in the first place. So, it was to my surprise that I was asked to review Fifa Street 3, as after a quick straw poll it turned out that I knew the most about football. (note to American readers: I’m talking about soccer here)

As it turns out, as a less-than-committed football fan, this game was pretty much perfect for me. There was a bread advert on TV years ago that used to say “Bread with nowt taken owt”. This game is the opposite, this is “Football with owt taken owt” but luckily, what they’ve taken out is all the crap.

Poncey referee making bad decisions? He’s out. Offside rule that most casual fans don’t understand? Out. Fouls? Out. Throw ins? Out. Corners? Out. Free kicks? Out. Six too many players per team? Out. Half time? Out. Half time oranges? Definitely out. And these are all good things. I’m sure many hardcore football fans and even hardcore football game fans are gasping in shock at my blasphemy, but from my point of view this leaves us with the essence of football, which is a load of blokes booting a ball around a field in the vague direction of a goal.

And it’s fun. I was expecting to struggle to play this game long enough to write this review, but it actually really hooked me. At first I thought my players were all a bit lethargic until I found the “Sprint” button, which livened things up no end. It also has something which is becoming rarer and rarer in this online-centric age, which is multiplayer ON THE SAME CONSOLE! Yes, close your gaping mouth, this is a game that actually allows you to play with your friends… when they are in the same room! Astonishing.

This game has the Devil May Cry factor counted in, too. That is to say, if you’re actually quite rubbish, your players still perform these amazing moves that make you feel like a footballing god, even as you get drubbed seventeen nil. This is important for someone like me.

I liked this game. I didn’t expect to, but I did. Even my fiancee had a go and she enjoyed it too, although less so when I beat her 4-1 (the one in her favour was when I tried to score a goal with my keeper and he lost possession). It’s fun, stylish, and to my amazement even the music (“EA Trax”) wasn’t complete and utter shite.

Consider me surprised.