Best Soccer Video Games

From the most basic, low quality graphics, 3-move-option games of the 80s and 90s, to the high-tech, realistic, and deeply complex releases of today, the world of soccer video games has long been a popular and exciting one. When watching the World Cup on the television just isn't enough for you and you don't have enough people (or talent) to go play yourself, you can always take a trip down memory lane or buckle in for the newest options with any of these games available. Some classics have withstood the test of time, others are simply some great games with the latest in graphics technology, functionality, and complexity, but all of them are sure to entertain.

Given how many installments and versions of FIFA there are out there, it seems almost unfair to only give one slot to FIFA. No soccer video game can hold a candle to this series of soccer games in terms of overall popularity and longevity. And really, it's for good reason. The EA Games Sports classic has been around since the 90s, with graphics and gameplay staying always on the cutting edge of advancement. There is, of course, room to argue which installment is the best, but 11 through 13 will certainly always be fan favorites, despite FIFA 18: Ultimate Team having a strong showing. Even going all the way back to its earliest installments though, graphics quality aside, FIFA truly revolutionized the world of soccer video games, even creating subsets of people who play the game.

So, you may remember the Football Manager games of the 80s, which were quite popular in their day, but the more recent releases of the same name (no other relation) are a modern wonder in terms of realism and immersion. The graphics and range of possibility alone make this a must-play for any soccer fan. You pick your country, control your team, deal with players, media, and an entire range of decisions related to the game. It's not just your standard get-the-ball-in-the-goal soccer game: You really do take on the role of manager, in great detail and complexity.

Not everybody loved David Beckham Soccer when it came out in 2002 (or, ever after that, for that matter), but for the early 2000s, it was really quite a complex game; and during the height of Beckham's soccer career, playing it was quite an exciting option. It may not appeal to every fan of soccer video games, but it's certainly worth the nostalgia trip for those of us who played these games when they first came out and felt all the excitement of their original release. With over 200 teams and a pretty impressive range of game modes to play, it really is an exciting game.

Sensible World of Soccer was a revolutionary step in soccer video games in its heyday following during its 1994 release. Sure, graphics and complexity in sports-based video games have improved in major ways since the 90s, but SWOS was certainly a pioneer of the genre, and in fact boasted a depth and complexity that many modern soccer games often fail to live up to. With over 1,500 clubs and 27,000 players, it wasn't just an impressive release for its time—it's an impressive feat for any video game. Complete with rich background and single or multi-player game options, this is far more than just a nostalgia trip for 90s gamers—it truly is, in its own right, one of the greatest soccer video games ever created.

NASL Soccer is one of the best two-player soccer video games out there, even now. Part of its charm lies in its simplicity, with a straight team-to-team matchup that replicates the feeling of playing a real game of soccer. It's also noteworthy simply for being one of the oldest PC games, period: After all, it was first released in 1980. Its value is not just "for it's time" though—the arcade-style game genuinely holds up in its own right. Of course, its nothing to write home about in terms of graphics; but hey, in 1980, it was cutting edge.

Championship Manager 3 and 4 were revolutionary for being the first in the industry to bring the real-world excitement of the game into video game adaptations. It was the first to make use of real players, and not just their names: You could actually update your gameplay to reflect changes in the players, team, and Premier League with update disks. This game was a precursor to the later Football Manager series, and has many similarities in its level of complexity and options. Even in the earliest installments, it gave a genuine experience of managing a team, trading players, and making use of real-world player stats over time.

International Superstar Soccer and International Superstar Soccer Deluxe are timeless classics in the soccer game genre. The late-90s releases offered impressive graphics (for the time), including recognizable players. These graphics and gameplay options did improve over the years, with later releases coming out regularly between 98 and 03, but many fans agree that the earlier ones are nearly as good as the later versions in terms of graphics and sensitivity, and surpass them for the nostalgia aspect. Regardless, there's no doubt that the ISS series was revolutionary in soccer video games.

Though decidedly less serious than most of the realistic (or trying-to-be-realistic) soccer game releases, Super Mario Strikers was simply a hoot to play. In fact, despite the obvious lack of realism involved in playing as Super Mario Bros. characters, the graphics are surprisingly good. Plus, even in the best EA Games FIFA installments, you never get to use wild Power-Ups or utilize your player's "Super Strike" powers, all of which make for a video game experience beloved by soccer fans and fans of the best Super Mario Bros. games ever created—and most especially by those who love both.

Real Madrid the Game is unique in that it is neither a game of simple kick-it-in-the-goal soccer play, nor the managerial style of Football and Championship Manager. Instead, it combines aspects of both of these with realistic RPG elements, so that you follow the life and career of your player from the beginning to the championship. There are elements of the arcade-style game in matches, but you also develop your character in life as well, making decisions both on and off the field that effect their growth and evolution, and give this game a uniquely emotional edge.

If any game can compare to FIFA (which is arguable), it's Pro Evolution Soccer. Its commercial success means that this is another franchise over which there can be plenty of debate regarding which installments are the best, but there's no denying that they all engage players with complexity and realism, including strengths and weaknesses of real-life players. PES takes great pains to provide a realistic experience based within one of the more popular soccer video games available to gamers, including players who tire out and succeed or fail on the basis of their real-life counterparts' strengths and weaknesses.