If you're at conflict every time a game debuts on multiple platforms, this column is for you. The Head-to-Head series of articles cuts through all the different takes the editors have on the games, compares the facts, and presents you with one uniform opinion on all the versions.
2002 FIFA World Cup (PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox)
With two hot "2002" soccer titles out at the same, EA is using its exclusive FIFA license to the fullest this year. After releasing FIFA 2002 for both PS2 and GameCube in late 2001, the publishing juggernaut recently released the official game of the 2002 World Cup to stores across the US, with European and Japanese releases following shortly after. While the game does a great job at bringing the excitement of the World Cup home, the lack of features and low number of teams has us longing for the depth of FIFA 2002. But if it's pure soccer World Cup action you seek, 2002 FIFA World Cup delivers the goods.
2002 FIFA World Soccer was developed simultaneously for all three consoles and all debuted on the same day. If you're a proud owner of an Xbox, PS2, and a GameCube, here are some of the differences you should consider.
Control
The control scheme for the three versions is very similar -- and for once, there are actually enough buttons on all three controllers to make things work almost equally well. The face buttons are used for turbo, passing, lobbing, airplay, and shooting while on the offense, and tackling on the defense. Additionally, holding a shoulder button allows you to juggle the ball and pull off all sorts of fancy footwork and dummy moves. The longer you hold down a button when shooting or passing, the more powerful the shot. You can also apply ballspin to a shot or pass in all three versions by pressing L and R while powering up (L2 and R2 are used in the PS2 version). One-two passes are executed via the right analog stick, whereas through runs and keeper chargers (as well as dropping the ball when playing as the keeper) are controlled by pressing Z, L1, or the white button, respectively. Depending on which controller you're most used to, the basic functions and gameplay controls are pulled off equally well on all three versions, but if you want to get deeper into the game, the GameCube one lags behind a bit. You see, both the PS2 and Xbox controllers feature analog buttons. Push a button hard and produce a low shot while softer contact results in a shot with a higher trajectory. The nuances may be too small for some gamers to keep track of (especially since you also determine shot strength by the length of the button presses), but anyone who is planning to get down and dirty with their soccer game of choice will notice the difference. On GameCube, the level of control over the shot height is directly tied to the strength of the shot, so expert players won't be able to target their shots as well as in the PS2 and Xbox versions. Similarly, the ability to add backspin and topspin to your lob pass is missing from the GameCube version. And if there ever was any doubt that the Dual Shock remains the best controller for most sports games, the mapping of the juggle moves to the four shoulder buttons makes breaking out of juggle easier on PS2 than on the other systems, which use the face buttons for juggling.
Overall, all three versions offer excellent control over the players. The lack of analog buttons hurts the GameCube version slightly, but most players will probably never notice the omission. It would have been a good idea to include the option for those who care (how about holding the turbo button for low shots and releasing it for high ones)... I'll have to give the PS2 pad the nod over the Xbox version thanks to the better juggling control.
Winner: PS2
Features
If you've read any of our three 2002 FIFA World Cup console reviews, you already know that the game isn't exactly endowed with features. Unlike other soccer games, you won't find such things as player creation, league play, challenge modes, or even training in the game. It's all about the World Cup, which is why EA included a few video extras a la SSX Tricky. Although both games ship on DVDs, the PS2 version of the game actually features more special content: four "Everyone's Game" featurettes about the real-life World Cup, a Behind the Scenes making-of video, a piece on commentators John Motson, and an incredibly lame Spheriks cartoon starring the tournament's official mascots. The Xbox version curiously omits the Spheriks clip and only has three Everyone's Game featurettes, whereas the GameCube version lacks both the fourth featurette, the making-of documentary, the John Motson clip and the Spheriks cartoon. All three games also include a Season Preview showcasing some of EA's other sports titles for the respective platforms. Nothing exciting here, though, so don't get your hopes up. The featurettes, all in all, are well produced and definitely worth a look. I don't think I'd ever watch them twice -- but they do add that "official" feel to the game. The Spheriks cartoon is god-awful, so Xbox and GameCube owners don't have to feel bad about not being able to watch it.
Outside the DVD content, all three versions offer the same amount of gameplay modes: two (World Cup and Friendly). There are also 42 international teams (plus at least 4 secret teams), 20 stadiums, four difficulty settings, and two different times of day (no weather conditions, though). There is, however, one key difference between the three versions, but whether you care about it nor not depends on your gaming habits. The PS2 version actually enables eight players to play at the same time using two multi-taps, while both the GameCube and Xbox versions "only" support four players -- out of the box, of course. So if you're planning to throw a World Cup party and you've got enough cash and friends to invest in multi-taps, the PS2 version is the one to get. Just keep in mind that there are some performance issues when playing with lots of players at the same time. So once again, a narrow win for the PS2.
Winner: PS2
Graphics
All three versions feature detailed stadiums and great player animations, but the PS2 and Xbox versions also come with a slightly unstable framerate during gameplay. While the GameCube version chops up when the camera zooms in during cutscenes that show lots of players on screen, the actual gameplay is mostly smooth, even with four players and optional radar and player names displayed on screen. Strangely, the Xbox version actually suffers from a tad more slowdown during gameplay than the other two -- but it depends on the stadium. The cutscenes in the Xbox version are all silky smooth, while the PS2 version stutters and flickers here and there. The GameCube version, on the other hand, has really nice lighting but suffers from a weird mip-mapping related display problem when the camera zooms in close to the field. You can see the line on the field where the grass texture changes and the shadows "pop" when the camera zooms out. When compared directly to the Xbox and GameCube versions, the PS2 version comes across as drab and dithered and there are some small level-of-detail differences. For example, during night games, the player shadows in the PS2 version are round blobs instead of defined real-time shadows, while the Xbox sports nicely defused but realistic looking shadows at all times. Overall, the game looks best on Xbox and runs smoothest on GameCube.
Oddly enough, the PS2 and GameCube versions both offer a 16x9 widescreen mode for HD sets, but only the Xbox version runs in progressive scan (480p). Since it takes a decent programmer a whopping hour to implement progressive scan on GameCube I'm scratching my head why I have to repeat this sentence every time we do a head-to-head feature. At the same time, the omission of 16x9 support for the one version that does run in 480p is even more puzzling. So, if you're a videophile with a progressive scan compatible 4:3 TV, the choice is clear: Xbox. If you like to play your games in widescreen mode, then the GameCube version should be your prime choice. For everyone else, it's a toss-up between GameCube and Xbox, with PS2 coming in as a distant third.
Winner: Xbox
Sound
Since soccer games are played from a zoomed out perspective, there really isn't a lot you can do with directional sound. All three versions of 2002 FIFA World Cup run in Dolby Pro-Logic (the Xbox one in Dolby Digital), with crowd chants and much cheering mapped to the rear channel. The Xbox sound is once again the clearest, even if the audio separation isn't doing anything its analog brethren can't do. As a matter of fact, the audio commentary is more appropriately centered in the PS2 and GameCube versions -- but sadly, the whole soundtrack is a tiny bit overblown when compared to the clean and precise audio of the Xbox version. It'd be nice if EA experimented more with surround sound in its upcoming games. How cool would it be if you could hear the supporters of one team cheer from the right, and the supporters of the other team from the left, for example? But there is certainly no denying that all three versions of World Cup do a great job at making your living room sound like the real deal. Switch off the commentators, add some "stadium" past-processing (is there really any other use for these filters than sports games?) and you're there. If you only have a two-channel stereo setup or play your game audio through your TV, disregard this rating and move on. All three sound great.
Winner: Xbox
Feature | PlayStation 2 | Xbox | GameCube |
Media/Size | 1 DVD | 1 DVD | 1 GCD |
Stadiums | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Teams | 42 | 42 | 42 |
Players | 8 (2) | 4 | 4 |
Resolution | 640x480 | 640x480 | 640x480 |
Progressive scan | No | Yes | No |
Widescreen | Yes | No | Yes |
Sound | Dolby Pro-Logic | Dolby Digital (DPL) | Dolby Pro-Logic |
Modes | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Match load time | 16 sec | 23 sec | 14 sec |
Volume control | 4 sliders | 4 sliders | 4 sliders |
Vibration | Yes (on/off) | Yes (on/off) | Yes (on/off) |
Difficulty settings | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Cameras | 8 + custom | 8 + custom | 8 + custom |
Analog shooting | Yes | Yes | No |
WC Featurettes | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Making-of clips | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Spheriks cartoon | Yes | No | No |
Season Preview | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Final Verdict
Picking a winner in this battle is tough. On the one hand, the GameCube version looks way, way better than the PS2 one, has the fastest load times, and supports four-player gameplay right off the bat. On the other hand, the PS2 version has analog passing and shooting, eight-player multi-tap support, as well as more bonus material. The Xbox version arrives with the prettiest visuals, albeit also slightly erratic framerates depending on your choice of stadium and display settings, and superior sound. Let's be honest, though -- you didn't buy this game for the extra movie content right? The Spheriks cartoon is horrible. Even my daughter (who is one year old) runs away when I play it and chooses to try and eat my shoes instead.
In the end, the control of the Xbox and PS2 versions is close enough for me to recommend the Xbox World Cup over the PS2 one based mostly on visuals and sound. I've got a 480p-capable TV and a powerful surround system at home, so the Xbox version definitely puts my equipment to best use. But the PS2 controller remains the best choice for playing this game (or any other soccer game, for that matter). The GameCube version, although much prettier than the PS2 game, ties for second in my book mainly due to the more limited control configuration. It's apparent that a lot of work went into all three games, so whichever one you pick will no doubt make you a happy man. However, if you want a soccer game that lasts longer than a few days, go with the superior FIFA 2002 for GameCube or PS2 which came out late last year.