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Football Manager 2009 (PC)

Sega
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PC)

Konami
FIFA 09 (PC DVD)

Electronic Arts

Step onto the pitch and play professional football your way in FIFA 09. Experience the most authentic football simulation EA Sports has delivered as you live the fantasy of playing as a professional player and customise the game to suit your style and ability.
Powered by the third generation of the EA Sports football engine, FIFA 09 features more than 250 core gameplay additions and enhancements that deliver the most responsive, intelligent and realistic action ever for the series. Enjoy turning defenders with more controlled dribbling and ball control, snapping off precision shots with improved first-time shooting mechanics and firing beautifully timed passes with greater accuracy, placing the ball exactly where you want it.
With new player momentum physics the speed and weight of the player determines everything from the distance of a slide tackle and the power of a header to the severity of player collisions and the height of a player's jump. Plus, players now behave according to their physical attributes with larger, stronger players dominating collisions, battles for control of the ball, and position in challenges for two player headers.
Football Manager 2008 (PC/Mac)

Sega
Football Manager 2007 (PC CD)

Sega

In a nutshell:
Ron Managers of the world rejoice - the best football management game in the world just got better. From the original creators of Championship Manager comes the most in-depth and realistic strategy simulation ever seen.
The lowdown:
Having already got the balance between complexity and accessibility pretty much spot on, most of the improvements in this latest sequel are designed to make the game feel more organic and believable. A lot of it is simple stuff like being able to conduct team talks and see how players are responding to your dressing room dress downs, but it really makes a difference. It's also possible for major clubs to sign up smaller ones as feeder clubs, while players themselves have a greater level of personality and new signings can be asked to recommend other players. None of the new changes have a massive impact on the way you play the game, but they all serve to create an even more immersive reality.
Most exciting moment:
The scouting engine has also received a major revamp and makes searching for new stars a lot easier. The scouts you send out can now learn from their experiences and a new scout report card makes it easier to get a quick overview while you do your superstar shopping.
Since you ask:
This version of the game still doesn't have anything approaching moving graphics and its unlikely that's ever going to change. The interface has been greatly improved though so that it's not only easier to use but also faster and smoother.
The bottom line:
The best football management game ever made.-HARRISON DENT
FIFA 08 (PC DVD)

Electronic Arts

The greatest battle of the new football season is not between any real world club but between the virtual giants of FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer. Konami's game has always been the favourite but last year FIFA closed the gap to such a degree that the title race has never been closer. This year's FIFA uses a completely new game engine, for the first time built specifically for the next gen consoles. But improved graphics and animation are only the half of it, with just as much focus going on the artificial intelligence thanks to the new "35 point decision engine". What this basically means is that every player on the pitch is fully aware of those around him and constantly thinking about tactics and position when not under your control.

Other changes include better modelled physics for taking a shot on goal, which take into account everything from air pressure to the angle of your foot. You're also able to create your own special moves to replicate every possible trick from real life. There are also new game modes including Be A Pro which challenges you to play the role of a single player through a whole season or career. On top of this there are revamped online leagues to play a virtual season in the Premier League, Bundesliga, French League or Mexican 1st Division against real opponents. With 620 licensed teams, 30 offline leagues and 15,000 players as well FIFA might just have made enough new signings this year to put it over the top.

Harrison Dent
Championship Manager: Season 01-02 (PC CD)

Eidos

And so the final update of Championship Manager in its current guise arrives, instantly taking its place as the best football management simulation on any format.
As well as the tightening up of the game engine, which allows the game to run slightly faster, numerous diverting new features have been added. For instance, you can choose not to know lots of information about a player until you've scouted them, you can compare players, the new transfer system has been implemented and heck, you can even issue an ultimatum to the board.
As with most Championship Manager improvements, none of these change the game dramatically, but they do add to the depth and realism that has won the franchise the widespread support it enjoys today. It's still as utterly engrossing as ever, and liable to keep you addicted to your PC for hours at a time. Those who like the football management games devoid of mountains of stats as ever are advised to steer clear.
But for the hundreds of thousands of fans of the series, this is yet another polished, enjoyable new edition of the game, which, after all these years, is still without a quality competitor. Roll on Championship Manager 4. --Simon Brew
Championship Manager: Season 03-04 (PC CD)

Eidos

It's perhaps unsurprising to kick off a review of Championship Manager Season 03/04 by instantly declaring it to be the finest football-management game on the planet. But, frankly, it is, and this latest seasonal update improves the game still further.
The objective is still the same. Taking charge of your team of choice, you're charged with meeting the expectations of the team's supporters and directors, while balancing the books, the highs and lows of your playing staff and hopefully winning a few games into the bargain. Plus trying to hang on to your job, of course.
What's always lifted the Championship Manager games well ahead of their rivals, many of whom deliver the same basic setup as above, are two factors. The first is depth. The sheer weight of statistics and complications you need to consider are both staggering and engrossing in equal measure. But that's when the second key factor kicks in: accessibility. With a finely tuned user interface, this is a desperately easy game to get into, albeit packed with an immense and highly addictive long term challenge. It's a real achievement that the player is rarely left stuck and bewildered by the wealth of information they're presented with.
This new version brings a few extra goodies into play as well, alongside a much-needed polish and tidy-up. Goal of the month and season competitions are incorporated for instance, along with live cup draws and expanded international sides. More importantly, factors such as the training and media segments of the game have been clearly tightened up, and the various statistics have been brought up-to-date.
A predictable conclusion, then: Championship Manager Season 03/04 is a superb game, and without question the best in its field by some way. It does, however, come with one caveat. Once you get into it, there's a real possibly that your social life will come to a crashing end. Don't say we didn't warn you. --Simon Brew
Premier Manager 09 (PC) (EFIGSP PEGI)

Zoo Digital
FIFA Manager 08 (PC DVD)

Electronic Arts
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (PC DVD)

Konami
Championship Manager Season 99/00 (PC)

Eidos
Football Manager 2005 (Mac/PC CD)

Sega

There's little point beating about the bush, Football Manager 2005 is a staggering achievement and the finest football management game ever to appear on any format. Its success, ultimately, is down to the fact that it pulls off a spectacularly tricky balancing act. On one hand, there's a gigantic database of teams, players and statistics with staggering depths of detail; and on the other is an extremely user-friendly interface that always puts you at the heart of the game, and allows you to easily and succinctly use the vast reservoirs of tools and options at your disposal. It might be putting things simply, but the two have been married up to create a standout game.
But then all this is hardly a surprise. Football Manager 2005 has been created by the team behind the Championship Manager series, and whilst they no longer have the rights to use the brand name, the actual game's origins are never in question. Frankly, there are so many improvements, it's impossible to scratch the surface of them.
So we'll focus on two. The media section really hangs together properly for arguably the first time, with intriguing options that allow you to play mind games with other managers for instance. And the match day segment has come on at speed, with a smooth and useful highlights option that feels far more natural and integrated than previously.
Does it have flaws? The odd one or two, which are minor niggles caused more as a result of extreme ambition on the part of the developers rather than sloppy work. Yet the real worry is the amount of time the game will sap. Make no mistake, for any armchair football fan who has ever dreamed of taking their team to glory, Football Manager 2005 will rob them of months of their life. In short, its easy-to-use, it's desperately challenging, incredibly addictive and downright unmissable. Accept no imitations.--Simon Brew
FIFA 07 (PC DVD)

Electronic Arts

In a nutshell:
It's the game football fans wait all year for and to usher in the next generation EA Sports have given FIFA its biggest revamp in years, changing not just the way it looks but the way it plays in what aims to be the ultimate marriage of realism and fun.
The lowdown:
Every new FIFA game gets its expected improvements in graphics and presentation but this year the success of Pro Evolution Soccer seems to have driven EA to concentrate just as much on the gameplay. As such the game features better passing, crossing and free kicks as well as greatly improved goalkeepers. There's also a new "finesse" shot if you get the time and space to use it, while every kick is calculated in terms of space, composure and technique so that it's accuracy is determined by exactly what's happening on the pitch and not just some random factor. Add in completely new ball physics, more than 510 teams, 27 leagues, 4,000 licensed players and all new international crowd reactions and you've got EA's most concerted attempt yet to make the definitive football game.
Most exciting moment:
As well as all the individual improvements to ball and player control many of the game's best strikers have their own signatures moves and free kicks, such as Ronaldinho, Frank Lampard and Roberto Carlos. This includes the ability to, quite literally, bend it like Beckham.
Since you ask:
As befits its global reach FIFA 07 has perhaps the most multinational soundtrack ever in video games, with everything from Argentinean rock band Bersuit Vergarabat to Spain's The Pinker Tones and German group d.o.c.h.! (As well as Britbands such as Muse and The Young Punx.)
The bottom line:
FIFA gets serious in its attempt to out-football Pro Evolution Soccer
.HARRISON DENT
Lego Football Mania (PC CD)

Focus Multimedia Ltd
Championship Manager 3 (DVD Packaging)

Sold Out Software
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (PC DVD)

Konami

In a nutshell:
The world’s most popular football sim returns with numerous tweaks and additions to make it even more realistic in both gameplay and graphics. If England don’t win the World Cup you can always take solace in the latest Pro Evo.

The lowdown:
This latest sequel sees one of the biggest overhauls in the game’s history with the new improvements to the already impressive animation directly affecting the way you play. Dribbling with the ball is now easier but the quality of your passing and shooting now depends on the position of a player’s body in terms of both accuracy and power. Make a shot straight after a sharp turn, for example, and your chances of hitting the target are slim. Opponent and team artificial intelligence has also been greatly increased, to the point where every man on the pitch is thinking independently. Apart from the animation, the graphics in general have also been upgraded with much better player likenesses.

Most exciting moment:
Thanks to the new changes Pro Evo 6 plays a much more attacking game than previously, with counter attacks after a fluffed shot on goal made much easier than previously.

Since you ask:
Although the game doesn’t have the official FIFA World Cup license it does simulate an unofficial international tournament, including both qualifying rounds and the finals.

The bottom line:
The best just keeps getting better with the most beautiful virtual game ever.
HARRISON DENT
Championship Manager 4

Eidos

Championship Manager 4 is the latest in the long line of football sims to come out of the Eidos/Sports Interactive Games doors, and followers of the ever popular series will not be disappointed. With over 200,000 players and staff across 39 national leagues, footy fans will delight in the level of detail once again realised--in fact to some it might be slightly mind boggling.
New to the game are a number of features including a 2-D match mode that allows you to watch the game unfold, giving you the chance to manage and change positions accordingly when it comes to passing and shooting tactics. Greater emphasis has been placed on training, and the game gives you the chance to assign specific schedules. This of course gives you even more responsibility in making your players "match fit" for the season ahead, and towards the end of the season your decisions become crucial if you plan to get your boys promoted.
Other new additions include an enhanced contract negotiation system, a more efficient easier-to-use network play arena and, for those who want it, a skinable interface.
In short, this is the most in-depth football sim you'll find on the market. If you are a footy fan then this game will make you loose plenty of sleep. The new features add much-needed elements for the fan base that want more, though they may just be a distraction to the hard-core stat fanatics that rush to buy this title every time it's updated. If you're a football fan this is a must, and if your not, give it a go, you might just love the nation's favourite game after all. --Jason Denwood
FIFA Manager 06 (PC CD)

Electronic Arts
Total Club Manager 2004 Classic (PC)

Electronic Arts