FIFA 12

How do you improve one of the best-selling and highest-rated FIFA football games ever?

It’s a challenge that may seem tougher than beating Barcelona in a Champion’s League final, but EA?is confident it’s nailed it with a number of additions for FIFA?12.

We all know this one is a must stock, and it’s on course to be the best-selling and most acclaimed title in the series to date. FIFA 11 was the second-best selling game of 2010 only behind Call of Duty: Black Ops.

The beautiful game

FIFA 12 retains all the qualities that made FIFA 09, 10 and 11 hits but fine-tunes them with a hat-trick of core new features to ensure football fans pick up this year’s instalment.

The new Player Impact Engine recreates the movement of players as they jostle for the ball and collide with one another. Instead of set animations playing out, falls and knocks happen in real time, creating realistic injuries and tumbles.

Then there’s Precision Dribbling which lets players take the ball around their opponents more easily. Dribbling is no longer static or one-dimensional – players will be able to stick out a foot or move at the last second to lose their markers. Combine this with the challenging Tactical Defending system, where footballers intercept passes and tackle more realistically, and you’re onto a winner gameplay-wise.

There have been a lot of changes off the pitch, too. The Career mode has been refined – if footballers don’t play often they’ll get unhappy which could make them want to leave. Other clubs will approach the gamer with transfer bids and a new scouting system will let players find up-and-coming stars easier.

With all these new additions, FIFA 12 is shaping up to be the best and most realistic football title yet.

Join our club

EA Sports Football Club lets players compare progress with friends for free, while Season Ticket lets them download the game for three days before its retail release for an annual fee (around £17).

Golden balls

The FIFA 12 Special Edition includes 24 gold packs for the in-game Ultimate Team mode. Those who pre-order it will receive four packs each month for six months in order to build a strong squad.

Premier League TV ad

EA?debuted its first TV advertisement for FIFA 12 during the Arsenal vs Manchester United football match on Sunday, August 28th. The video starred Wayne Rooney, Kaka and more.

Playing to win

There are 15,000 footballers in the game, from the quick feet of Theo Walcott to the skillful Christiano Ronaldo, as well as 500 clubs. There’s also the option to create custom players.