Posted On August 24, 2014 By In Buzzworthy, The Scene

A Non-Gamer’s Guide To Playing FIFA

 
 

What are some of the most popular video games of all time? I can think of a few…. there’s that game with space soldiers dressed in full body armor, then there’s the one with army people called to duty, and of course there’s the one with the hedgehog.

But one that may not come to mind right away? A sports game.

And the sport isn’t even popular in this country.

 

100 Million Copies Sold Worldwide

The soccer game franchise FIFA has made a ton of money for EA Sports. To put it in perspective, the Madden NFL franchise has sold 99 million copies. Pretty successful by most standards. But FIFA has reached 100 million.

It has become a worldwide phenomenon. Even people in the states who don’t watch soccer play FIFA. And I am one of them.

 

Non-Gamer’s Game

The thing I like about FIFA is that it doesn’t feel so much like a video game. Rather, it’s a tactical experiment. And an exact science to boot.
If you push too hard on a button or point the joystick in the wrong direction, you will guarantee yourself a mistake. I’m not declaring it rocket science or anything, but precision is just an important aspect to remember.

But I didn’t discover FIFA overnight. For me, it began with this year’s World Cup. Watching Team USA’s run into the knockout round made me a bandwagon fan (ashamed to admit it). But it wasn’t solely to support the red, white, and blue. It was because I was truly understanding the nuances of the game that I used to dismiss.

Having spent most of my life as a soccer skeptic, I am surprised at how quickly I latched onto the World Cup and subsequently FIFA. There many fun, positive aspects to the game that I truly love. Among them?

 

It’s Challenging

I love me a good challenge, and FIFA delivers. I only play at the hardest difficulty level because I like to beat the best, or at least try. And a lot of times I fail. But it is still fun.

It’s Comradery

There’s no better way to play FIFA than amongst friends. Especially if you choose to be teammates. Then you will see one another in a different light.

The game is challenging enough when you are the single player, but when you factor in friends it demands unparalleled communication skills. Knowing when to pass the ball, when to find teammates for crosses, and when to shoot, is not intuitive. It becomes an exercise in patience and in some cases futility. Either way, you are learning.

 

The Future

The next version of FIFA promises to be even more exciting, with realistic stadiums and environments to make the whole experience even better.
Although I’m not a gamer, sometimes it feels good to throw on my nerd hat, grab a controller, and have at it.

Bring on FIFA 15!

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Brian Wray is a writer for Writtalin. A self-proclaimed hipster who makes his home in San Diego, he recently escaped LA after working in production and casting for the past 2 years. His interests are tennis, recording music, and more tennis. Follow his various works at BrianWrayMedia.com. And Twitter him @BrianWrayMedia