Is FIFA Street Really an Arcade Title?

[MMChrisS]

What is this, a trick question?

That was my first thought when I was assigned this article. But the more I thought about it, the more interesting the trick question (because it really is one) became. So thankfully I didn’t send a tersely worded email to my dear editors … for this particular reason, anyway.

At first glance, of course it is an arcade game. Just look at the title, it’s FIFA Street-- street football. I mean, how much more arcade can you going to get? It’s 5-on-5, in a cage, with smaller nets, and in some venues, you play balls off the wall. And besides, if EA’s past Street titles were anything to go by, you can bet the farm that it’s going to be an over the top arcade game.

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[Jazzman1522]

Honestly, I think the arcade label is completely unfair to FIFA Street. A few years ago, I spent six weeks on a mission trip in Senegal (Which is in West Africa). Prior to that trip, I hadn't cared about soccer since I stopped playing in the sixth grade. But what I experienced there got me interested in the game again. People were playing in the streets all the time. And not just kids either. I was in college at the time and, one night, we joined up with some guys about our age playing in a small parking lot. It was 2 on 2 and the goals consisted of rocks spaced just a little more than a balls' width apart. To score, you had to put it through on the ground. Somebody was timing the games and if nobody scored in 10 minutes, they took penalty kicks from the other side of the "field." I think FIFA Street captures this culture very well, and its one that we aren't as familiar with in the U.S. But because it exists in a very real way, I find it hard to label the game as an "arcade" game in the usual sense of the word.

[jyoung]

I think it was a bad idea for EA to release this game as part of the "Street" brand, because people expect "Street" games to be wild and over-the-top, which this game totally isn't.

I think more people would have got into this game if it was just offered as a DLC expansion to FIFA 12.

[ps3veron]

Definitely not an arcade title in my opinion. I may sound ignorant when I say this but when I picture arcade titles, I am seeing power ups, over the top presentation, "flexible" physics etc..

FIFA street on the other hand is street soccer and it depicts the style very well.