FIFA 09

Infobox VG


caption = The UK cover featuring Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney
developer = EA Canada
publisher = EA Sports
designer = David Rutter (PS3 and Xbox 360)
Kaz Makita (Wii)
Paul Hossack (PS2, PSP, DS, PC)Fact|date=September 2008
series = "FIFA series"
engine =
version =
released = vgrelease|AUS=October 2, 2008vgrelease|EU=October 3, 2008vgrelease|NA=October 14, 2008
genre = Sports
modes = Single-player, Multiplayer
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=Rating Pending|PEGI=3+
platforms = PC, Mobile, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
media = DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UMD, DS Card
requirements = Operating Systems: Windows XP SP2 / Windows Vista

- CPU: 2.4 GHz - RAM: 512 Megabytes of RAM (1 GB required for Windows Vista) - DirectX® 9.0c Compatible 3D accelerated 128 MB video card or equivalent (must support Shader Model 2.0 or above) - DirectX® 9.0c Compatible Sound Card

512Kbps or greater broadband connection for online gameplay

- 6.1 GB free hard disk space for DVD format and additional space required for DirectX® 9.0c installation

- 8x or faster DVD-ROM drive

input = Gamepad, Keyboard, Mouse
footnotes =
picture format =

"FIFA 09" is the latest installment of Electronic Arts' "FIFA Series" of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It has been given a release date of 14 October 2008 for North America and has been already released on 2 October 2008 in Australia and 3 October in Europe. [cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/sports/fifasoccer09/similar.html?mode=versions|title=FIFA 09 Release summary on Gamespot]

The demo was released on 10 September for PC [cite web|url=http://www.fifa09.ea.com/uk/readnews/entryid/25720|title=EA releases the PC demo version of FIFA 09|date=2008-09-11] and on 11 September for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. [cite web|url=http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-09-next-gen/331448-fifa-09-demo-release-date-updated.html|title=FIFA 09 NG demo details|date=2008-08-23] [cite web|url=http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-09-current-gen/331903-pc-demo-details-announced.html|title=FIFA 09 CG demo details|date=2008-08-23] The only difference between the PS3 and Xbox 360 demos is the stadium, PS3 features the FIWC Stadium while the Xbox 360 version features the new Wembley stadium.

Different versions of covers for "FIFA 09" have been unveiled. All covers features Ronaldinho with different players for each region: North America version features Guillermo Ochoa and Maurice Edu, German cover features Kevin Kurányi, Italian cover features Daniele De Rossi, Irish cover features Richard Dunne, French cover features Franck Ribéry, and Karim Benzema, Portuguese cover features Ricardo Quaresma, Spanish cover features Gonzalo Higuaín, Swiss cover features Tranquillo Barnetta and UK and Australian covers feature Wayne Rooney. After the North America cover was already presented, Maurice Edu signed for Scottish team Rangers F.C. and because of that the cover was changed to feature Maurice in a US National Team jersey and Ronaldinho is changed to wearing his Milan jersey, so that a club's jersey was featured. [cite web|url=http://www.fifasoccerblog.com/2008/09/two-new-gameplay-videos-and-new-north.html|title=New North America cover|date=2008-09-13]

Improvements

It has been stated in an interview with David Rutter that there are over 250 improvements on the game. [cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/fifasoccer09/news.html?sid=6193217&om_act=convert&om_clk=newsfeatures&tag=newsfeatures;title;2|title=FIFA 09 producer David Rutter on new gameplay additions|date=2008-06-30]

Among the improvements in the new FIFA are improved responsiveness that allows for quicker release of the ball, greater urgency in the off-the-ball running, a new jostle system that takes into account the strength of the players when going shoulder to shoulder and subtle animations that enable players to take first-time shots.

Another of the edition's biggest changes is a completely revamped collision system, which calculates speed, weight and power when the players collide, as each player will have their own individual strength and power statistics depending on their body characteristics.

New goalkeeper technology has also been added which allows for better positioning, better reactions to saves and faster recovery after a save has been made.

An improvement from "FIFA 08" is the weather and time. Rain and snow can be switched on and off before games, which affects whether players wear gloves. Games can be played during daytime, night and dusk, however in the latest installment the game eventually turns to night as the second half starts adding to the realistic feel of evening matches.

If a player is substituted during half time, the replacement player is seen warming up and running on to the pitch. However if a substitution is made during play, the players are seen approaching each other. The score of the game has an effect on this, if a player has scored then he waves to the fans and claps before being substituted, however some players react badly to being substituted for example, if they are having a good or disappointing game, or if they are a key player in the squad. Captains have more of an effect in the team. Choosing a squad member who has good captain qualities for example from the players stats under leadership will help the balance of the team.

"FIFA 09" will also include a '10 vs. 10' Be a Pro online game and the offline Be a Pro Mode will last for a maximum of 4 seasons.

"FIFA 09" will also feature user-controlled player celebrations, like in "UEFA Euro 2008", in the PS3 and XBox 360 versions of the game. [cite web|url=http://www.fifainformer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=1|title=EA Database Senior Editor Orlando Lewis talks about FIFA 09|date=2008-07-15]

Adidas Live Season

On 20 August 2008, EA unveiled the new Adidas Live Season feature that will dynamically update player form and attributes each week in-game based on the player's last game to reflect real-world ups and downs. Live Season is a premium service that will be available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC and covers six leagues - Barclay’s Premier League, La Liga BBVA, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and Mexican Primera Division. Gamers have access to one league of their choice as a free trial that runs from the moment they activate the service to the end of the 2008-2009 season, while purchasing extra leagues will cost £4.99 (PSN)/560Microsoft Points each, or all six leagues can be purchased for £12.99/1600 Microsoft Points.

"FIFA 09" Clubs

On 10 September, EA unveiled the new online game mode for consoles Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, called FIFA 09 Clubs. Through FIFA 09 Clubs, gamers can form or join clubs and field their strongest team when competing in Be a Pro: 10 vs 10 Online Team Play.

FIFA 09 Clubs will also determine the best virtual team in the world. Clubs will be ranked and placed in a division. They will be relegated and promoted to different divisions based on their performance during the season. FIFA 09 Clubs will also feature special Club Managers to scout rival players and then recruit them to join their club.

Leagues and Teams

There are over 500 teams and 30 Leagues in the game, as well as around 40 national teams, the same number as in "FIFA 08". The most complete list of leagues and teams was given in copies of the game which have already been delivered to some customers who made pre-orders.

Leagues

*flagicon|AUS A-League
*flagicon|AUT Austrian Bundesliga
*flagicon|BEL Belgium Pro League
*flagicon|BRA Liga do Brasil
*flagicon|CZE Česká Liga
*flagicon|DEN SAS Ligaen
*flagicon|ENG Barclays Premier League
*flagicon|ENG Football League Championship
*flagicon|ENG Football League One
*flagicon|ENG Football League Two
*flagicon|FRA Ligue 1
*flagicon|FRA Ligue 2
*flagicon|GER Bundesliga
*flagicon|GER 2. Bundesliga
*flagicon|IRL FAI Eircom League
*flagicon|ITA Serie A¹
*flagicon|ITA Serie B
*flagicon|KOR K-League
*flagicon|MEX Primera División Mex
*flagicon|NED Eredivisie
*flagicon|NOR Tippeligaen
*flagicon|POL Polska Liga
*flagicon|POR Liga Portuguesa
*flagicon|SCO SPL
*flagicon|ESP Liga BBVA
*flagicon|ESP Liga Adelante
*flagicon|SWE Allsvenskan ²
*flagicon|SUI Axpo Super League
*flagicon|TUR Turkcell Süper Lig
*flagicon|USA Major League Soccer

¹Bologna F.C. 1909, Catania Calcio, Cagliari Calcio, Genoa C.F.C., S.S.C. Napoli, U.S. Città di Palermo all feature unlicensed team names, kits and badges.

²AIK Fotboll, Djurgårdens IF Fotboll, Hammarby IF, IFK Göteborg all feature unlicensed team names, kits and badges.

Rest of World

flagicon|World Rest of World¹
*flagicon|GRE AEK Athens
*flagicon|ARG Boca Juniors
*flagicon|BRA Corinthians
*flagicon|SUI FC Lausanne
*flagicon|SUI FC St.Gallen
*flagicon|BRA Fortaleza
*flagicon|BRA Juventude
*flagicon|South Africa Kaizer Chiefs
*flagicon|GRE Olympiacos CFP
*flagicon|South Africa Orlando Pirates
*flagicon|GRE Panathinaikos
*flagicon|GRE PAOK
*flagicon|BRA Paraná
*flagicon|BRA Ponte Preta
*flagicon|ARG River Plate
*flagicon|BRA São Caetano
*flagicon|SUI Servette FC
*flagicon|POL Zagłębie Lubin
*flagicon|World Classic XI
*flagicon|World World XI

¹This section is for clubs whose leagues are not represented in the game. User created clubs can also be found here.

National Teams

*fb|Argentina
*fb|Australia
*fb|Austria
*fb|Belgium
*fb|Brazil
*fb|Bulgaria
*fb|Cameroon
*fb|China
*fb|Croatia
*fb|Czech Republic
*fb|Denmark
*fb|Ecuador
*fb|England
*fb|Finland³
*fb|France
*fb|Germany
*fb|Greece
*fb|Hungary³
*fb|Italy
*fb|Republic of Korea
*fb|Mexico
*fb|Netherlands^{2 3}
*fb|New Zealand
*fb|Northern Ireland
*fb|Norway
*fb|Paraguay
*fb|Poland³
*fb|Portugal
*fb|Republic of Ireland
*fb|Romania
*fb|Russia³
*fb|Scotland
*fb|Slovenia¹
*fb|South Africa³
*fb|Spain
*fb|Sweden
*fb|Switzerland³
*fb|Turkey
*fb|Ukraine³
*fb|USA
*fb|Uruguay³¹ - new in FIFA 09
² - contains fictitious players
³ - without national federation's crest included in game, and without branded kits

tadiums

Here is a complete list of the Stadiums which will feature in FIFA 09 on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. [cite web|url=http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=wyO69zMi0Ug|title=au.youtube.com/watch?v=wyO69zMi0Ug ] [cite web|url=http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-09-sony-playstation-3-microsoft-xbox-360/342436|title=forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-09-sony-playstation-3-microsoft-xbox-360/342436 ] There are also designated stadiums for clubs in England, Scotland and Australia. [cite web|url=http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-09-sony-playstation-3-microsoft-xbox-360/343253-club-home-ground-list-1.html|title=forums.electronicarts.co.uk/fifa-09-sony-playstation-3-microsoft-xbox-360/343253-club-home-ground-list-1.html ]

Licensed Stadiums

;flagicon|England England:
* Anfield (Liverpool F.C.)
* Emirates Stadium (Arsenal F.C.)
* St. James' Park (Newcastle United F.C.)
* Old Trafford (Manchester United F.C.)
* Stamford Bridge (Chelsea F.C.)
* Wembley Stadium

;flagicon|France France:
* Parc des Princes (PSG)
* Stade Gerland (Olympique Lyonnais)
* Stade Velodrome (Olympique de Marseille)

;flagicon|Italy Italy:
* Stadio delle Alpi (Juventus F.C., Torino F.C.)¹
* Stadio Olimpico (A.S. Roma, S.S. Lazio)
* Stadio San Siro (A.C. Milan, Inter Milan)

;flagicon|Germany Germany:
* Allianz Arena (Bayern München, 1860 München)
* Signal Iduna Park (Borussia Dortmund)
* HSH Nordbank Arena (Hamburger SV)
* Olympiastadion (Hertha BSC)
* BayArena (Leverkusen)
* Veltins Arena (Schalke 04)

;flagicon|Spain Spain:
* Estadio Mestalla (Valencia C.F.)
* Estadio Vicente Calderón (Atlético Madrid)
* Camp Nou (FC Barcelona)

;flagicon|Mexico Mexico:
* Estadio Azteca (Club América)

;flagicon|Wales Wales:
* Millennium Stadium

Generic Stadiums;flagicon|World Generic
*Aloha Park
*Crown Lane
*El Bombastico
*El Medio
*El Reducto
*Estadio de las Artes
*Estadio del Pueblo
*Estadio Latino
*Euro Arena
*Euro Park
*FIWC Stadium
*Football Ground
*Fussball Stadion
*Ivy Lane
*O Dromo
*Olimpico Generitico
*Square Ground
*Stade Kokoto
*Stade Municipal
*Stadio Classico
*Stadion 23. Maj
*Stadion Europa
*Stadion Hanguk
*Stadion Neder
*Stadion Olympik
*Town Park
*Div1 Euro Style²
*Div2 Euro Style²
*Div3 Euro Style²
*Div1 UK Style²
*Div2 UK Style²
*Div3 UK Style²
*Generic Modern²
*Modern Euro²
*Modern South America²
*Closed Square Style²
*Open Square Style²
*Oval Style²

¹Juventus F.C. & Torino F.C. have not occupied this stadium for the past two seasons, both play at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino which will not be featured in the game.
²Only included in PC Version
Stadiums in bold are national teams' stadiums

Platform Information

Wii version

The Wii version of the game is titled "FIFA 09 All-Play" and will be launched under EA Sports' new "All-Play" brand exclusive to the platform. [cite web|url=http://www.easports.com/read/20080627-allplayrelease.xml|title=EA SPORTS Unveils Wii-Specific "All-Play" Line of Games|date=2008-06-27] Even though the Wii will have the normal 11 vs 11 football match like the other consoles, a new feature will be introduced, called 'Footii Match', which is a 8 vs 8 football match. The object of this feature is to beat certain teams from around the world and unlock their 'superstar team captain'. This feature is only going to be on the Wii console. For the first time, on the Wii, "FIFA '09" will include the manager mode found in the earlier PC versions of the game.

DS and PSP

The PlayStation Portable and DS versions will include a Be a Pro mode for the first time.

PS3 Version

The PS3 exclusive game mode is a built-in FIFA Interactive World Cup. This will enable gamers to track their progress & play games through the game rather than be so website reliant. [cite web|url=http://www.fifasoccerblog.com/2008/08/fifa09-date-with-demo-confirmation-of.html|title=Fifa09 Date with a demo & Confirmation of the new feature & PS3 exclusive.|date=2008-08-20] It was also confirmed that FIFA 09 for the PS3 will be one of the upcoming games that supports rumble with the DualShock 3. In addition, like previous FIFA games, the PS3 version has support for 7-players on the same screen (which was demonstrated in a promo).

PC and PS2

The Computer and Playstation 2 versions will feature a special Tournament Mode, where there will be a total of 61 tournaments, including 42 officially licensed ones, and the player will be able to create their own tournaments. [cite web|url=http://www.fifa09.ea.com/page/dynpid/9538/|title=Key features of PC version of FIFA 09|date=2008-07-27]

oundtrack

The complete "FIFA 09" soundtrack was released by EA Sports on August 14, 2008. There will be 42 songs from 21 different countries. [http://www.fifa09.ea.com/us/readnews/entryid/25050 (August 14, 2008), EA Sports]

*flagicon|United States Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (The Twelves Remix)
*flagicon|Italy Caesar Palace - 1ne
*flagicon|Canada Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (Yuksek Remix)
*flagicon|Brazil Cansei de Ser Sexy - Jager Yoga
*flagicon|Brazil Curumin - Margrela
*flagicon|Australia Cut Copy - Lights and Music
*flagicon|Jamaica Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Something For You (Loaf Of bread)
*flagicon|Norway Datarock - True Stories
*flagicon|Chile DJ Bitman - Me Gustan
*flagicon|Wales Duffy - Mercy
*flagicon|England Foals - Olympic Airways
*flagicon|France Gonzales - Working Together (Boys Noize Remix)
*flagicon|England Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (Soulwax Remix)
*flagicon|Iceland Jakobínarína - I'm a Villain
*flagicon|Netherlands Junkie XL - Mad Pursuit
*flagicon|United States Jupiter One - Platform Moon
*flagicon|England Kasabian - Fast Fuse
*flagicon|England Ladytron - Runaway
*flagicon|Sweden Lykke Li - I'm Good I'm Gone
*flagicon|Spain Macaco - Movin'
*flagicon|United States MGMT - Kids
*flagicon|England My Federation - What Gods Are These

*flagicon|Spain Najwajean - Drive Me
*flagicon|Mexico Plastilina Mosh - Let U Know
*flagicon|Germany Radiopilot - Fahrrad
*flagicon|England Reverend and the Makers - Open Your Window
*flagicon|Australia Sam Sparro - Black And Gold
*flagicon|Argentina Señor Flavio - Lo Mejor Del Mundo
*flagicon|France Soprano - Victory
*flagicon|United States The Airborne Toxic Event - Gasoline
*flagicon|Italy The Bloody Beetroots - Butter
*flagicon|Scotland The Fratellis - Tell Me A Lie
*flagicon|England The Heavy - That Kind Of Man
*flagicon|Denmark The Kissaway Trail - 61
*flagicon|England The Kooks - Always Where I Need to Be
*flagicon|Spain The Pinker Tones - The Whistling Song
*flagicon|Ireland The Script - The End Where I Begin
*flagicon|England The Ting Tings - Keep Your Head
*flagicon|Australia The Veronicas - Untouched
*flagicon|England The Whip - Muzzle #1
*flagicon|Wales Tom Jones - Feels Like Music (Junkie XL Remix)
*flagicon|Norway Ungdomskulen - Modern Drummer

Reception

References

External links

* [http://fifa09.ea.com Official "FIFA 09" site]