FIFA Football 2003 (GameCube)

For the first time it feels like a i am playing a premiership football match. The passing, one touches and especially the dribbling feel natural and allow you to build up pressure or attack swiftly. The defensive controls are neat too.

OK so it's difficult to header or volley and the central defenders have an alarming habit of going walkabout but its all forgiven when you dribble round two players and lay off a killer ball

A special mention for the graphics and animation.... gorgeous. It really looks like Darius Vassel spanking in a 25 yarder to complete his hat-trick against Manchester United (ho hum).

If you like a football game and are fed up with overplaying ISS2 on the cube, go get it, you won't regret it! Oh, and make sure you have a BIG memory card... 52 blocks! Arrrrgh

For starters, the stadia have been created to perfection, although Arsenal fans will be disgusted to know that the camera is on the wrong side of Highbury!

Then there's the gameplay - It is much easier to score from free-kicks on this game, which used to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. You set where you want the ball to hit, and where you want to hit the ball, then shoot! Scoring from headers, corners and crosses is much more of a possibility and dribbling and skillful play is much more realistic with the addition of EA Sports Freestyle Control (using the 'C' Stick). Individual player's skills have also been taken into account and the game makes use of the vibration function - when you hit the post, are fouled viciously or when you are under pressure during a penalty shootout (a very clever and effective addition).

But the first thing you really notice about this game is the facial detail - especially Ryan Giggs, Roberto Carlos, Edgar Davids, David Beckham and David Seaman. You'd be forgiven for coming into the room and thinking it was real football.

Away from the gameplay, there is a completely new (fictitious) tournament called The European Club Championship. Basically, you take your pick from the list of the 18 best clubs in Europe and play a league phase against every other club, home and away (34 matches). The top 8 teams then progress to Q/Finals, Semis and then the Final (5 matches). At least you're able to skip the remaining league matches if you've already guarenteed yourself a place in the Quarters.
Don't worry though because EA Sports haven't got rid of the other tournaments - the EFA Cup (UEFA Cup), ECC (Champions' League), Custom Cup, Ladder tournament (make your way up a ladder by winning matches. Lose and you'll drop down), Regional Cup (play local rivals first, then play against bigger and bigger clubs as you progress), International Cup (like the World Cup) and a World Series (play against the best team of every league). Then of course, there's a Season where you not only play in the league but also in a national cup and continental cups (if you qualify for them!).

Before every match, you're given a choice of kits for each team to wear, which is good because in previous FIFAs, kit clashing often occured even when set to 'NO' on the options menu. On the subject of that, there is now Amateur, Semi Pro, Proffesional and World Class difficulty. Semi Pro is an extremely helpful new difficulty level that bridges the gap nicely between Amateur & Proffesional.

EA Sports have also insisted on this game that Cheats Never Prosper because whenever you quit a tournament match against the computer, it counts as a 2-0 loss! Well done EA!

In conclusion, this is undoubtedly the best footie game on the GameCube and the best FIFA game yet. For FIFA 2004, EA should give a choice of commentators (Motty is really getting annoying now), fix the Highbury camera, edit Club Championship mode because it's a time consuming and pointless format and maybe make some use of the 'Z' button because it has no use in FIFA 2003.

Don't let that stop you buying this - it still gets the 5 stars!

The game has got changed controls comapared to the other Fifa games but dont let this put you off as to me they seem better with much more control over what your actually doing in the game.

It features pretty menus with well known chart music to boot. All your well known favourite players are in there too and it isnt far away from actually watching the real match with its TV style presentation. The only down side it has is its loading times before the match commences but apart from that you cant get a better Soccer game for the Cube at the minute and i think any soccer fan would be over the moon with this one.

Thsi should be in your shopping bag now :0)