2014 FIFA World Cup Doesn’t Disappoint

The entire globe has had World Cup fever for months now. With the tournament now well underway and shaping up to be the most exciting Cup in decades, soccer is perhaps more prevalent in the media than ever before. It’s been a blast, even for people who aren’t normally fans of the game, to tune in and watch the phenomenal talent that’s been on display in Brazil. But the action this summer hasn’t been limited to just watching, because the World Cup has also inspired a major spike in soccer-related gaming options.

Take a look at the iOS app market’s “Best New Games” and you’ll get the idea pretty quickly. New Star Games‘ New Star Soccer, an addictive career simulator RPG game called “the best football game on mobile and tablets” by Eurogamer, is the first one you’ll come across. Football Touch 2014 Arcade, from Ooblada, offers more of a gameplay experience and even simulates a sort of simplified World Cup via a 16-team tournament in Brazil.

Elsewhere in mobile and online gaming markets, soccer is popping up more frequently as well. In particular, a bulk of casino sites and online slot machines are utilizing soccer themes to draw crowds this summer. In particular, Inter Casino gives you the chance to try out one or two of these games, including the fairly popular Goooal!, without actually risking real money through a “just for fun” gaming option. But then of course, those who want to risk a little cash on their soccer gaming can find Goooal! and similar games available in real-money markets as well.

Any of these titles can be fun and they certainly fit in with the World Cup experience we’re all enjoying this summer. But the truth is that the real treat among all of the 2014 soccer games available is 2014 FIFA World Cup, from EA Sports. Essentially an internationally focused expansion on the already wildly popular FIFA 14, this game distinguishes itself with features that are invaluable to any soccer fan and/or gamer enjoying the tournament.

To begin with, the gameplay on FIFA World Cup is a real improvement on FIFA 14. While FIFA 14 offered the biggest and best soccer gaming experience to date, it was criticized for slow, stunted action at times. FIFA World Cup offers a more fluid, often faster game and provides brilliant AI player responses, quick dribbling, and crisp passing, all without sacrificing the realistic feeling EA Sports was going for with FIFA 14. What Culture gets into a few more specifics of improved gameplay (better goalkeepers, better heading, set piece tactics, etc.) in its own piece on 10 superior aspects of FIFA World Cup, but we’d simply incapsulate it all with the assurance that gameplay is noticeably improved.

Beyond the style in which the game plays out, the game modes are what mark the clearest difference between FIFA 14 and the World Cup edition. Naturally, there’s a heavy international focus in the new game. The most popular options are the following: playing the World Cup with the actual teams and groups of 2014 and “Road To The World Cup.” The latter is a game mode that allows players to choose teams, fight through qualifying, and compete in a World Cup that may have different teams and groups than the actual 2014 Cup. Both offer access to a huge variety of international teams and full rosters of players.

And finally, there’s the atmosphere and it’s what truly separates 2014 FIFA World Cup. Everything from team uniforms (they’ve used the authentic kits 2014 Cup teams are wearing) to commentary (famed commentators Ian Darke and Co. recorded what seems like hours of original, World Cup-centered chatter) is designed to perfectly resemble the World Cup. The game even shows off Brazil’s 12 World Cup venues and stadiums! Anyone playing the game who’s also been watching the World Cup will find that the designers did a pretty impressive job of capturing the general mood and atmosphere, seemingly knowing just what this World Cup would look like before it even began.

All in all, this is a game that’s well worth your time if you’re caught up in the soccer craze. 2014 FIFA World Cup has received some semi-justifiable criticism for being a whole new game, rather than FIFA 14 DLC. However, the changes are significant enough to warrant the new title, and the game does not disappoint.