I'm not a big fan of sports, let alone sports games. The amount of numbers in each series perpetuates a stereotype of "same game, different cover" which most critics scream till the end of the universe.  But not in this case.

Despite there being 3 games under the franchised belt of FIFA Street, EA Games have decided to reboot the upcoming franchise under a new guise with EA Canada developing at the helm. I got to check out three EA Sports titles, one of them I'll be previewing here and another two elsewhere on the site. So the first was FIFA Street, the new 2012 street football game and it was presented by Sid Misra producer, and Gary Paterson, the creative director on the upcoming title.

In a forty-five minute presentation the game it's controls, new features, menus and modes were all shown off for me and a few other press reps from different countries. The games were incredibly detailed and questions were answered about the upcoming release and a re-cap of the series as well as promotional trailers were shown off.

FIFA Street is currently under development with EA Sports Football being in mind and using the FIFA 12 engine, they were going in a very authentic street football direction. A more realistic than cartoony look into the street game played around the world. The producers have looked into a new dribbling system and using the four walls and the environment as apart of the gameplay. The environment of parks, factories, courts from all over the world including London, Amsterdam and Rio, which the producers and developers all visited and took shots for research. 

A welcome addition to the game is the amount of tricks you can do to psyche out your opponents in several different modes. Including 1 vs. 1 football or with varied sized teams (5 vs. 5, 6 vs. 6) playing in different teams from across the globe. This also is the first game to ever have Futsal as apart of the main game, which is apparently recognised as an official sport.  There is also five a side football and Last Man Standing which was thought up by the dev team and sounds like a lot of fun.

Both teams start with four players a side and then with each goal they lose a player slowly winding it down. This can be played both on and offline with up to four different players. The game also has the feature of custom matches which can be played over sixteen areas across the globe including Russia, Venice, Amsterdam, Brazil and all in different venues such as a playground, loading bay, indoor fields, Olympic Park, courts and all with their own niche environment work. For example there will be holes in walls or oddly shaped courts which you can use to your advantage in the World Tour or Online modes.

There is also a create a player mode as well as create a team which you can make with online friends and show off online. You can play in different styles such as Freestylin' all across the globe. Different styles of play and locations which you can adjust to be Easy, Medium or Difficult depending on your gaming presence. The game also has a great feature of using trick shots and earning XP to level up and go onto next sections in tournaments both on and offline. The games Online Season, borrowed from the original FIFA games showing off the Football Club and the adjustments you can make to your player with different skills and brand new tricks you can do.

Also on the box art and in the game's feature trailer is sporting star Lionel Messey, who's grinning mug will be a large part of the game's campaign. The use of Messi is a bit weird considering the game is about the street players and that integrated feel of community, but here we have a big British sport celeb representing a world of fun and communalised gameplay. It's a bit weird but I can see where their marketing team's head is at.  Anyway, the game sports strong looking controls which are easy to pick up and play (moving, gliding down the court) but hard to master (trick shots and fake outs are incredible).

The points per trick system was initially confusing but when questioned, I was told it was based on performance, showmanship and difficulty.  Hearing and then seeing tricks like the Rainbow and Nutmeg (which is apparently the sign of ultimate humiliation in Amsterdam) made it easy to see. Also the levelling of skill sets increases the score as well as the greater the flamboyant nature of the skill and how hard it is to trigger helps it along too. I also asked about why the online mode only goes up to 5 a side, rather than the offline 6.  Apparently in playtesting this was considered not that important. 

The game is also limited to National Teams within the game.  For example there are no New Zealand players or Scottish players for that matter. There are plenty of licensed tracks from around the world and more street music with a lead designer making sure they chose up and coming artists and songs that fit that street football style.The game is designed for FIFA gamers and for as wide an audience as possible even with fans of the pure simulation of FIFA.  FIFA street is for more of a fun and creative fashion but with a stronger levelling up system and with smoother, grounded footwork.

A final wrap up showed off theWorld Tour tour mode which has hundreds of challenges per different match to gain XP and ranking points to get to the final tournament and be skillfull and stylish. Spending points on growing different attributes and different styles in both form and function. You can also download teams and check teams to be a part of your games that will progress and with new players and work your way to unlock that final tournament.

Global game modes showing that the game is accessible to play and that with a pre-order offer for FIFA Street where you will be able to get the ADIDAS All-Star team. The game will also need Online Pass to play. One of the best and brightest additions is the menu system which looks a lot easier to use than previous EA titles. The inspiration behind menus: exploring styles but going with skateboard and snowboard magazine style. The menu's were more intuitive and look better than in the past. 

I asked about the possibility of a create-a-trick mode which at the moment they are unable to do, but the tricks can be  chained together smooth enough with your style of gameplay that it looks easy. They have made plans for it though and are looking into it. The FIFA Street series falls into that category of sports games which don't necessarily have the stamp of  "Oh why don't I just go and do that." Like the Tony Hawk's and Skate series, FIFA street is a video game mix of both culture and design that shows off the aesthetic's of a sport's history and cultural heritage but also pays homage to it.

The game works and looks fantastic with how well the animations and gameplay blends seemlessly together. I think it's a definite pick up from the sound and look of it. Playing with mates on and offline and having a look at some of the levels I think that the game could be a winner and must-have for sports fans in 2012. 

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