Fifa: The Next Step (Part-Il)

This is the second eddition of the series. After the release of the FIFA 99, this franchise had already gained a certain reputation in the gaming world and moreover a fanbase of it. Now all there was to do was to take the next step, which they did and defined a legacy to last for decades.

Games in this series (2000-04):-

1. FIFA 2000

2. FIFA 2001

3. FIFA Football 2002

4. FIFA Football 2003

5. FIFA Football 2004

FIFA 2000

Cover athlete: Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan); Sol Campbell (UK); Vincenzo Montella (Italy); Pep Guardiola (Spain); Emmanuel Petit (France);

Title song: "It's Only Us" by Robbie Williams
Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Game Boy Color
Release date: October 26, 1999

This FIFA version contained over 40 "classic" teams, so that gamers could play as retired football legends. FIFA 2000 marked the introduction of Major League Soccer, replacing the fictitious "American" league previously included, as well as national leagues from Denmark, Greece, Israel, Norway and Turkey (though Galatasaray is not present in the game).Also featuring over 40 national sides, fully integrated seasons, set piece selections, increased physical contact, new facial animations, defending ability and tougher tackling.

The game received mixed reviews due to its cartoonish graphic engine and shallow gameplay.

The opening video for FIFA 2000 features Sol Campbell performing motion capture duties for the game, then having his likeness computer-generated to play against a retro side from 1904, the year of the inauguration of FIFA. The game also included Port Vale, the club supported by Williams, in the "Rest of the World" section (they were in the Football League First Division at the time, and while the concept of post-season promotion and relegation was introduced in this edition, teams from lower league tiers were only selectable starting with FIFA 2004).

International recording star Robbie Williams also was cyber-scanned into the game – so you can see him when he sings in the introduction to the game.

FIFA Football 2001

Cover athlete: Edgar Davids (Netherlands); Paul Scholes (UK); Gheorghe Hagi (Romania);Ricardo Sá Pinto (Portugal); Gaizka Mendieta (Spain); Filippo Inzaghi (Italy); Lothar Matthäus (Germany); Thierry Henry (France); Leonardo (Brazil);

Title song: "Bodyrock" by Moby
Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation
Release date: November 8, 2000

FIFA 2001 was the first version (for the PC) that could be played online, which was revolutionary, and the first game in the franchise on a 6th generation video game console in USA and Europe.

This title had a new graphics engine from FIFA Soccer World Championship which allows each team to have its own detailed kit, and for some players, their own unique faces. It included official club emblems for the first time, although certain leagues, like the Dutch league, are unlicensed.The game also includes the entire Austrian Bundesliga as a playable league for the first time, albeit removing the Portuguese Liga and the Turkish Premier League.This title was the first game of the series with a power bar for shooting.

At least 200,000 copies were sold in the United Kingdom.

FIFA Football 2002

Cover athlete: Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan); Thierry Henry (France, UK, USA); Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden); Nuno Gomes (Portugal); Francesco Totti (Italy); Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands); Sibusiso Zuma (South Africa & Denmark); Tomasz Radzinski (US); Roberto Carlos (Brazil); Iker Casillas (Spain); Tomasz Frankowski (Poland);

Title song: "19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)" by Gorillaz
Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PlayStation
Release date: November 1, 2001

Power bars for passes were introduced in FIFA Football 2002, and dribbling reduced in order to attain a higher challenge level.

It was also the last iteration of the game to include theJapanNational Team until FIFA 17, due to the side selling exclusive team rights to Konami in 2002.

FIFA Football 2003

Cover athlete: Roberto Carlos, Ryan Giggs, and Edgar Davids (in the United States, only Landon Donovan appeared)

Title song: "To Get Down (Fatboy Slim remix)" by Timo Maas
Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, Mobile phone

Release date: November 5, 2002

EA removed the outdated DirectX 7 graphics used in FIFA 2001 and 2002, and introduced new graphics featuring more detailed stadia, players, and kits.A TV-style broadcast package gave highlights at half-time and full-time, as well as comprehensive analysis.

FIFA Football 2003 added greater player likeness to the likes of Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho and also featured improved and completely new gameplay from previous editions."Freestyle Control" was introduced, allowing the user to flick the ball on and lay it off to team-mates.

FIFA Football 2003 was also the first game in the series to use the EA Trax, which has been used ever since then

FIFA Football 2004

Cover athlete: Thierry Henry, Alessandro Del Piero and Ronaldinho

Title song: "Red Morning Light" by Kings of Leon
Released for: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, Nokia N-Gage, Mobile phone

Release date: October 18, 2003

The biggest new inclusion inFIFA Football 2004was secondary divisions, allowing the player to take lower ranked teams into the top leagues and competitions.

A new gameplay feature dubbed "off the ball" was introduced – which is the ability to simultaneously control two players to move a second player into the box in anticipation of a pass.Another key feature is "Football Fusion", which allows owners of both FIFA 2004 and Total Club Manager 2004 to play games from TCM in FIFA 2004.

The title sequence, featuring Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Alessandro Del Piero, was filmed at St James' Park, the home ground of Newcastle United.

As we can see there are key improvements being made in the graphics and the gameplay, than it was in the last few years and in these years the fanbase of football games grew even stronger. But the best part is yet to come, stay tuned for more !

Thank you.