Play FIFA on the Wii

While it may not be as flashy as its Xbox 360 and PS3 cousins, FIFA on the Wii is still a rock-solid experience and full of depth. Like all FIFA games, its best played with friends. And what better way to play with friends than to beat the snot out of them! Follow this guide to master the FIFA fundamentals.

Steps

Starting a Game

  1. Choose your mode. Once you boot up FIFA on the Wii, you will be presented with several options to pick from. If you just want to start a quick game, select “Hit the Pitch”. This will set up a quick standard game which will allow you to choose your team and your opponent. Other options include:
    • Intercity Cup – This allows you to pick a team and run through a tournament, earning rewards.
    • Hit the Streets – This starts a 5 v 5 street game.
    • Streets to Stadium – Allows you to create a player and follow his career, building stats.
    • Be a Manager – This allows you to manage a team, performing trades and training your players.
    • Tournament – Gives you a variety of tournaments to test your skills in.
  2. Decide between Pro and Classic. Before you begin a Hit the Pitch match, you will be given the option between Pro or Classic play. Selecting “Be a Pro” will give you control over a single player for the entire game, while selecting Classic gives you control over the entire team, allowing you to switch players and control whoever has possession of the ball.
  3. Select your control type. Once you’ve picked your game mode, you can switch between All-Play or Advanced controls. All-Play uses simplified controls and computer assistance to help novice players enjoy the game without having to learn all the ins and outs of the control scheme. Advanced controls give you full control over your player’s movements and actions.
    • Press “1” or “L” to switch control schemes on the Select Sides screen.
  4. Pick your team. Once you’ve chosen your mode and controls, you will be shown the teams you can choose from. Use the arrow icons to switch between categories such as Recent and Most Popular. Each team has ratings that show how effective they are at particular aspects of the game. These ratings are on a 100-point scale.
  5. Set your match settings. Before the game starts, you can adjust some basic match settings, such as length, match type, difficulty, and venue.
  6. Select your Quick Tactics. If you are using Advanced Controls, you can issue commands to your team via Quick Tactics. You can assign four different quick tactics to your controller. Use the Quick Tactics menu to choose which tactics you’d like to use.
    • Watch the preview window to see how the tactic will generally play out on the field.
    • Quick tactics are not available for All-Play controls.

Playing Offense

  1. Move around. When you have the ball, moving the thumbstick on your nunchuck will move your player around the field. You will always control the player that has possession of the ball. If you need a little extra speed, you can use the Z button to sprint. Sprinting will wear you out after a few moments.
  2. Pass the ball. Turn your player towards your intended receiver using the thumbstick and tap the A button to make a ground pass, where the ball stays low to the pitch. If you press and hold the A button, you will perform a lob pass, lifting the ball above players’ heads and travelling much farther.
    • Holding the C button while you pass will perform a through ball, which a pass where you lead your target. This is especially useful for breakaways, as you can increase your speed and get away from opponents.
    • For All-Play controls, there is only one pass command (A), and the computer takes care of the rest.
  3. Pass often. If you’re player keeps the ball for too long, you’re increasing your chances of having it stolen. Passing the ball keeps defenders trying to catch up, and puts the flow of the game in your favor.[1]
    • The triangle formations is one of the most potent in soccer. Passing the ball between three different players as you move down the field is very difficult to defend against and gives you control over the field.
  4. Shoot the ball. Shooting works almost exactly the same as passing. Aim your player towards the opposing goal and either tap or press the B button. This will affect the power of your shot.
    • Hold the C button while shooting for a chip shot that you can lob over defenders’ heads.
    • For All-Play controls, there is only one shoot command (B), and the computer takes care of the rest.
  5. Bust some moves. Pressing different directions on the D-Pad on the Wiimote will cause your player to perform different ball tricks. Not only are these great for showing off, but they can be useful to trick your opponent into thinking you’re doing something that you’re not.
  6. Change tactics on the fly. Press the C button and a direction on the Wiimote D-Pad to call a quick tactic for your team. The players will attempt to follow the tactic that was assigned to that button. You can use tactics to rush a goal, fall back for defense, or a variety of other situational moves.[2]

Playing Defense

  1. Switch players. While you’re on defense, you can switch to any character on the field to best defend your goal. Pressing the A button or the D-Pad on the Wiimote will switch control to the nearest player to the ball. This will let you constantly be in on the action. Make sure to switch players as soon as the opposing player leaves your area of the field!
  2. Tackle your opponent. One of the most satisfying ways to wrest control away from your opponent is to tackle them and steal the ball. Holding the B button will perform an auto-tackle, while shaking the Wiimote will perform a slide tackle in the direction you are running.
    • To tackle successfully, always try to tackle towards the ball, not the player. If you tackle the player, you may find yourself with a yellow card.
  3. Get physical. Use the Jockey function to get close to an opposing player and get an advantageous position. Jockeying is best-suited for headers and incoming passes, and can lead to a lot of steals. Jockey by holding the C button.
    • There is no Jockey command for All-Play
  4. Call in help. The Second Man Press function will bring the closest AI player on your team to you to help you overwhelm your opponent. Press and hold the A button to call in a second man press. One way to take advantage of this feature is to bring in the second player to pressure the opponent, and then use the player you control to intercept any pass the opponent may make.

Tips

  • These instructions are valid for all Wii FIFA games with a few minor differences between versions.

Related Articles

  • Play FIFA 09 on the Nintendo Wii

Sources and Citations