Many of you that keep up with soccer games may be wondering, "Why is EA putting so many out?" You may also think that 6 months between releases isn't that much time to improve a game. Well, somehow, EA has made this game much better. They have made the game better in every possible aspect.  In fact, I think this is the best soccer game for any system. But don't take that at face value.  Please allow me to explain.

Graphically, FIFA '99 is far superior to any soccer game out there. The players now move very fluidly. EA has added a few more polygons to all of the players. The players also now have many more moves and celebrations. Ever felt like doing a bicycle kick over a defensemen's head? You do that now. Or, after you score a goal off of the goalie's hand, the players might do an airplane celebration around the goalie. Another addition to the quality in this game are the stadiums. You can play in 19 real life stadiums around the world. Each is beautifully modeled to what I believe is almost exact realism.  There are over 250 teams from all around the globe and over 1500 players to play with. The weather effects in FIFA '99 are pretty cheesy, but they are no worse than any other game. And yet another added effect of FIFA '99 is the ability to play at night. The light effects are so good that you can even see all of the players' shadows. 

The gameplay in FIFA '99 is also great. The buttons are easy to learn, but it's hard to master the techniques of each command. You can perform everything from passing and tackling to 360° spin moves and bicycle kicks. 

When you come into the start menu, you can choose between 5 modes of gameplay- quick start, friendly match, European Dream League, season, or golden goal. In quick start, you can choose between two computer picked teams and all gameplay options are set to default. In friendly match, you first select your teams and then select your gameplay options. In European Dream, you can choose one of the best European teams and test it against all of the other European teams. Many of you are probably familiar with the season mode. You choose your teams and play out a customizable official FIFA season. Golden Goal is just like friendly match except that you get to choose the number of goals a team wins by. While you're playing a game, you have many options for changing the gameplay. You can turn the fouls on or off and many things like that. You can also choose your teams'  formations. For instance, is you are winning by 5, you might want to bring a few people back to defense to secure the victory. To take the realism to another depth, EA has added many real strategies. You can perform an off-sides trap or even a wing back run. But do not think that the extra realism takes anything away from the fun in the game. The gameplay is very fast paced-unlike some of EA's basketball games. 

The sound in FIFA '99 is great. If you happen to have the luxury of Dolby Surround sound, then you will be in heaven.  It still sounds great on a regular TV. The announcers are much better than in previous games. In the older games, the sayings used to get very repetitive.  In this game, they almost always have something new to say. And another great quality of the sound is that the announcers are always right on time and conveying the perfect mood.  If you listen carefully during the game, you can hear some of the mass chants that you would here in a regular game on TV.

Overall, I think that FIFA '99 is far superior to all soccer games in every category and I can find no major or even minor problems. If you are the least bit interested in soccer, then this game is well worth your money.