Play FIFA - Emulator Online
A Special Selection of Free FIFA Video Games
Long before they struck gold with franchises like Battlefield and The Sims (talk about different genres!)Electronic Arts survived off of two key pillars: Madden NFL and FIFA. It may surprise American players in particular to know that while Madden is an unmitigated success with over 130 million copies and counting, FIFA has surpassed 325 million! That’s the international appeal of what some would say is “real” football. (MyEmulator isn’t taking sides, for the record!)
FIFA Soccer ‘96 for the Sega Genesis and SNES stars Ioan Ovidiu Sabau and James McAteer in what is commonly considered the zenith of both incredible careers. The first FIFA title to feature 3D graphics, EA likened it to a “Virtual Stadium.” Nowadays, this goes without saying. But at the time, the visuals of a three-dimensional playing field were jaw-dropping to say the least.
At first glance, FIFA Soccer 64 might not seem like anything too special. It’s an enhanced version of FIFA Soccer ‘96, after all — what’s the big deal? It’s a huge part of industry history, in fact, as the monumental number of pre-orders for the game at major outlets like Babbage’s and GAME prompted Electronic Arts to reverse their nascent decision to stop publishing FIFA games on Nintendo systems. Overnight, the potential for a bright future was broadcast to the whole world.
Motion capture is a standard practice for huge game series now, but in the mid-1990s, it was practically unheard of. To be sure, what you’ll see in FIFA ‘97 is a far cry from what Call of Duty and even Mass Effect have achieved since. But there’s something to be said for the sheer gumption of attempting it at all with earlier technology, and FIFA ‘97 should not only be commended for it, but played for free here at MyEmulator.
Still, for all the bravery it took EA to add motion capture to that game, it was the next one that really made waves. FIFA ‘98 marks the beginning of an upward hike in quality that lasted for years thanks to enhanced artificial intelligence, a full-fledged story mode, a slew of customization options, and more. For the first time, players truly felt like they were not just controlling NPCs kicking digital balls around a soccer field. They felt like they were there.
And FIFA ‘99 didn’t disappoint. Building on the major blocks of its direct predecessors, fluidity and responsiveness was improved across the board. The number of leagues increased by over 50%, giving fans from far more countries the agency to support their patriotic all-stars. ‘99 even touts something called European Dream League, pitting the 20 greatest teams of the time against each other in a no-holds-barred football showdown.
In today’s world, FIFA fever is stronger than ever. Even countries like the United States, whose big organizations once scoffed soccer, are increasingly involved in its proliferation. If you want to see the roots of EA’s massively successful series, totally for free and straight through your browser, you’re in the right place at the right time.