2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (video game)
Encyclopedia
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa is the official video game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, published by EA Sports
.
The game was announced on 26 January 2010 during a GameSpot
interview with Simon Humber, one of the producers of the game, and released April 27, 2010 in North America. 199 of the 204 teams that took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
are included in the game.
A playable demo was released for Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
on 8 April 2010. It includes Italy
and Spain
as the playable teams, and features the new two-button control method intended to make the game accessible to players who are new to the FIFA series, and the ability to upload video replays to EA Football World.
. All 10 official World Cup stadiums are available for play.
EA has announced that there will be gameplay improvements over FIFA 10
, such as a higher rate of player fatigue for matches at higher altitudes, with an advantage to a home team who plays at a higher altitude against an away team who does not. EA has also announced that players can get injured outside of international matches.
EA has also announced that the "Captain Your Country" mode will return, and that FIFA 10 owners can import their Virtual Pro for this purpose, and then earn CYC Accomplishments and attribute boosts. The game's penalty kick
s have been changed in order for their outcome to better reflect the player's own composure, and the game's online multiplayer lobby system has been limited to unranked head to head matches. As in 2006 FIFA World Cup
a "scenario" mode is included with 55 playable scenarios from past World Cup matches. In addition, scenarios from the 2010 World Cup are playable with an online update.
process. Electronic Arts stated that they have included every team that FIFA
have permitted them to use, with some others not being allowed for "various reasons". The five teams that were in the draw for World Cup qualifying but are not included in the game are African teams Central African Republic
, Eritrea
, and São Tomé and Príncipe
, and Asian teams Bhutan
and Guam
. All five withdrew from the qualifying stage before it began. Additionally, the game does not feature Brunei
, Laos
, Papua New Guinea
, and the Philippines
who did not participate in World Cup qualifying.
The game includes all 10 venues used at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as stadiums from each qualifying region and a range of "generic" stadiums.
.
praising the game's variety of teams, commentary, and realism. IGN
gave the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game a 8.3, but gave the Wii version a 9.5, making it the best version. Praising the game for its graphics and fluid gameplay, but gave the iOS version only a 4.5 rating. Game Rankings gave the Wii version the highest score with a 84.00%, with the Xbox 360 version getting a 53.75%.
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, published by EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
.
The game was announced on 26 January 2010 during a GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
interview with Simon Humber, one of the producers of the game, and released April 27, 2010 in North America. 199 of the 204 teams that took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
are included in the game.
A playable demo was released for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
on 8 April 2010. It includes Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
and Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
as the playable teams, and features the new two-button control method intended to make the game accessible to players who are new to the FIFA series, and the ability to upload video replays to EA Football World.
Gameplay
Players choose a team from the 199 nations available and compete against the computer or against other players through online gaming services PlayStation Network or Xbox LiveXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
. All 10 official World Cup stadiums are available for play.
EA has announced that there will be gameplay improvements over FIFA 10
FIFA 10
carlos leivaFIFA 10 is the 17th title in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it was published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released on 2 October 2009 in Europe, 30 September in Australia and 20 October 2009 in North America...
, such as a higher rate of player fatigue for matches at higher altitudes, with an advantage to a home team who plays at a higher altitude against an away team who does not. EA has also announced that players can get injured outside of international matches.
EA has also announced that the "Captain Your Country" mode will return, and that FIFA 10 owners can import their Virtual Pro for this purpose, and then earn CYC Accomplishments and attribute boosts. The game's penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
s have been changed in order for their outcome to better reflect the player's own composure, and the game's online multiplayer lobby system has been limited to unranked head to head matches. As in 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup (video game)
2006 FIFA World Cup is the official video game for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, published by EA Sports. 2006 FIFA World Cup was released simultaneously on the GameCube, PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360 on April 24, 2006. In Europe it was simultaneously released on April 28, 2006...
a "scenario" mode is included with 55 playable scenarios from past World Cup matches. In addition, scenarios from the 2010 World Cup are playable with an online update.
Teams and venues
The included teams were confirmed by Electronic Arts on 17 February 2010. The game contains 199 of the 204 national teams that took part in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
process. Electronic Arts stated that they have included every team that FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
have permitted them to use, with some others not being allowed for "various reasons". The five teams that were in the draw for World Cup qualifying but are not included in the game are African teams Central African Republic
Central African Republic national football team
The Central African Republic national football team, nicknamed Les Fauves, is the national team of the Central African Republic and is controlled by the Fédération Centrafricaine de Football. They are a member of CAF. Despite being traditionally one of the weakest teams in Africa and the world,...
, Eritrea
Eritrea national football team
The Eritrea national football team is controlled by the Eritrean National Football Federation . It is nicknamed the Red Sea Boys. It has not qualified for the finals of the FIFA World Cup or the African Nations Cup...
, and São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe national football team
The São Tomé and Príncipe national football team is the national team of São Tomé and Príncipe and is controlled by the Federação Santomense de Futebol. It is a member of CAF and FIFA.-History:...
, and Asian teams Bhutan
Bhutan national football team
The Bhutan national football team is the national team of Bhutan and is controlled by the Bhutan Football Federation.- History :While a Bhutanese National football team has existed since the 1970s, it was officially founded in 1983 and joined FIFA in 2000....
and Guam
Guam national football team
The Guam national football team is the national team of Guam, an overseas territory of the United States in the Pacific Ocean, and is controlled by the Guam Football Association. They are affiliated to the Asian Football Confederation's East Asian Football Federation region.The team was founded in...
. All five withdrew from the qualifying stage before it began. Additionally, the game does not feature Brunei
Brunei national football team
The Brunei national football team nicknamed Tebuan ,is the national team of the Brunei and is controlled by the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam.The team was founded in 1959 and joined FIFA in 1969.Their main regional rivalries are against Malaysia and Philippines.The...
, Laos
Laos national football team
The Laos national football team is the national team of Laos and is controlled by the Lao Football Federation. A member of the AFC, Laos has developed regional rivalries with Thailand and Burma.-History:...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national football team
The Papua New Guinea national football team is the national team of Papua New Guinea and is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association....
, and the Philippines
Philippines national football team
The Philippines national football team is the national football team of the Philippines and represents the country in international football. The team is controlled by the Philippine Football Federation , the governing body of football in the Philippines....
who did not participate in World Cup qualifying.
The game includes all 10 venues used at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as stadiums from each qualifying region and a range of "generic" stadiums.
Soundtrack
The 2010 FIFA World Cup soundtrack comprises 28 tracks by artists from 21 countries. According to Electronic Arts it is intended to be a soundtrack that "celebrates the cultural vibrancy of the first FIFA World Cup to be held in Africa". The headline track is "Wavin' Flag (Coca-Cola Celebration Mix)" by K'naanK'naan
K'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
.
- "International" – Baaba MaalBaaba MaalBaaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
(Senegal) - "Kiyakiya" – Babatunde OlatunjiBabatunde OlatunjiBabatunde Olatunji was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist and recording artist.- Biography :Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, a small town near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nigeria. A member of the Yoruba people, Olatunji was introduced to traditional African music at...
(Nigeria) - "Saga" – Basement JaxxBasement JaxxBasement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
feat. Santigold (England/United States) - "Restless" – Buraka Som SistemaBuraka Som SistemaBuraka Som Sistema is an electronic dance music project from Portugal, specializing in a fusion of techno beats with the African kuduro genre, and are generally credited with creating the "progressive kuduro" variant and have been awarded an MTV European Music Award.-Origins:Buraka Som Sistema was...
(Portugal) - "Dipso Calypso" – Buscemi feat. Lady Cath (Belgium/Canada)
- "Wild & Raw" – Fedde le GrandFedde le GrandFedde le Grand is a Dutch house DJ and producer whose single "Put Your Hands Up For Detroit" / "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" reached number one on the UK's singles and the top 5 in the Dutch singles chart, and spent five weeks in the Spanish dance chart...
feat. Stereo MCsStereo MCsStereo MCs are an English electronic dance group, which formed in Clapham, London in 1985. They are best known worldwide for their 1992 transatlantic Top 20 hit single, "Connected"...
(Netherlands/England) - "Drumming SongDrumming Song"Drumming Song" is the fourth single released from Lungs, the 2009 debut album by Florence and the Machine. The song was released on Island Records on 13 September 2009 in the UK. The song is also the band's second consecutive single to be A-listed on BBC Radio 1...
" – Florence and the MachineFlorence and the MachineFlorence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
(England) - "The World Is All There Is" – Fool's GoldFool's Gold (band)Fool's Gold is a Los Angeles collective that weaves together Western pop aesthetics with African rhythms and melodies. The group started as a side project of musicians Luke Top and Lewis Pesacov , who set out to explore their shared love of various forms of African music ,...
(United States) - "Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (song)"Papua New Guinea" is a 1991 song by the electronic music group Future Sound of London. It was the group's debut single and later appeared on their full-length album Accelerator. The single reached #22 on the UK singles chart...
" – The Future Sound of LondonThe Future Sound of LondonThe Future Sound of London is a prolific British electronic music band composed of Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans. The duo are often credited with pushing the boundaries of electronic music experimentation and of pioneering a new era of dance music...
(England) - "Oh Yeah" – Gang of Instrumentals (South Africa)
- "Your Side" – John FortéJohn FortéJohn Forté is a Grammy-nominated American recording artist, composer, music producer, educator and activist. He achieved fame while writing, producing and performing with the celebrated hip hop group The Fugees during the 1990’s, and has released four solo albums, including his most recent effort,...
(United States) - "Ones Who Fly Twos Who Die" – Jonathan BouletJonathan BouletJonathan Boulet is an Australian folk-pop musician. Boulet wrote, recorded, produced and played almost every instrument in his small garage studio for his debut self-titled album....
(Australia) - "Winner" – Kid BritishKid BritishKid British, often stylised as KiD BRiTiSH, are a British band from Manchester, United Kingdom. The band is composed of Adio Marchant, James Mayer, Sean Mbaya, Simeon McLean, Dominick Allen, Mykey Wilson and Matt Herod.-History:...
(England) - "Wavin' Flag (Coca-Cola Celebration Mix)" – K'naanK'naanK'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
(Somalia/Canada)
- "Last Rhythm" – Last Rhythm (Italy)
- "The Instrumento" – Latin Bitman (Chile)
- "Não é Proibido" – Marisa MonteMarisa MonteMarisa de Azevedo Monte is a Brazilian popular singer. As of 2011, she has sold 10 million albums worldwide.- Biography :...
(Brazil) - "Say Hey (I Love You)Say Hey (I Love You)"Say Hey " is a single by Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring Jamaica soulstress Cherine Anderson released in 2009 from their album All Rebel Rockers. The single is produced by Sly & Robbie. The music video peaked at number five on the VH1 Top 20 countdown and the single has peaked at number 18 on...
" – Michael Franti & Spearhead feat. Cherine AndersonCherine AndersonCherine Anderson is a Jamaican actress and dancehall/reggae vocalist.-Biography:Anderson's acting career began with a role in Dancehall Queen ; she is also known for playing the character Serena in the 2003 Jamaican film, One Love.Anderson has worked and performed with Sly and Robbie, Sting,...
(United States/Jamaica) - "Atomizer (Pathaan's Dhol Mix)" – MIDIval PunditzMIDIval PunditzMIDIval Punditz is an Indian fusion group consisting of two Delhi-based musicians, Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj. Their style revolves mostly around changer, jungle, electronica, and North Indian classical music...
(India) - "In Search of" – Miike SnowMiike SnowMiike Snow is a Swedish indie pop band formed in 2007. The band consists of producing team Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg and Andrew Wyatt.-Early years:Miike Snow was formed in 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden....
(Sweden) - "Strong Will Continue" – NasNasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
& Damian MarleyDamian MarleyDamian "Jr. Gong" Marley is a Jamaican reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards. Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley....
(United States/Jamaica) - "Africa Soccer Fever" – Rocky Dawuni (Ghana)
- "Rocksteady" – RoxRox (singer)Rox is the stage name of English soul singer-songwriter Roxanne Tataei.-Early life:Born in Norbury, Rox is half-Jamaican and half-Iranian...
(England) - "Emoriô" – Sérgio MendesSergio MendesSérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....
(Brazil) - "Bring Night" – SiaSia FurlerSia Kate Isobelle Furler or simply Sia, is an Australian pop, downtempo, and jazz singer and songwriter. In 2000, her single, "Taken for Granted" was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom. Her 2008 album, Some People Have Real Problems peaked in the top 30 on the Billboard 200...
(Australia) - "Fragment Eight" – The Kenneth Bager ExperienceKenneth BagerKenneth Bager is a Danish musician and record producer.- History :Kenneth started his musical career back in the mid 1980s as a DJ. In 1994, Bager released a compilation called "Music for Dreams" featuring, among others, Peter Gabriel and Michael Nyman...
(Denmark) - "Warm Heart of Africa" (So Shifty Remix) – The Very BestEsau MwamwayaEsau Mwamwaya is a singer from Lilongwe, Malawi. He is best known for his collaboration, The Very Best with London based DJ/production duo Radioclit. His music has been described as an Afro-Western mix of dance, hiphop, pop and the traditional music of Malawi.Esau Mwamwaya was born in Mzuzu,...
feat. Ezra KoenigEzra KoenigEzra Koenig is the lead singer and one of the guitarists of New York-based indie rock band Vampire Weekend.-Background:...
(Malawi/France/United States) - "Percussion Gun" – White RabbitsWhite Rabbits (band)White Rabbits is an American six-piece indie rock band based in Brooklyn, NY, originally from Columbia, Missouri. The band released its debut studio album, Fort Nightly, on May 22, 2007. They currently record for TBD Records.-History:...
(United States)
Reception
The game has received positive reviews, with GamespotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
praising the game's variety of teams, commentary, and realism. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game a 8.3, but gave the Wii version a 9.5, making it the best version. Praising the game for its graphics and fluid gameplay, but gave the iOS version only a 4.5 rating. Game Rankings gave the Wii version the highest score with a 84.00%, with the Xbox 360 version getting a 53.75%.