Official Website

Platform: PSP

Genre: Sports

Number of Players: 1, 2 - 4 via Ad-Hoc or Infrastructure

World Cup fever has struck across the globe . . . for the most part at least. America isn’t quite as hip to soccer as other parts of the world are, though there are still some very loyal fans. But, even when the World Cup is over, soccer fans, or football depending on where you are in the world, don’t have to be without their previous game. World Tour Soccer 06 will put all the thrills and excitement of the game right into the palm of your hand.

Sports games still aren’t necessarily a huge part of our site, but there are those here and there that we will certainly take an interest in, and with all the hype around this years World Cup, taking a look at a soccer game for the PSP really seemed to in the cards. I wouldn’t say that any of us here are experts by any means, but depending on the game, we can get as much enjoyment, if not more, from titles like these as we can from other games.

World Tour Soccer 06 offers a number of different modes of play and features teams from everywhere in the world, including the All Star teams. You want to play as Japan or Jamaica? That’s not a problem, and tackling the game as the United States, Canada, or anywhere else for that matter is no stretch of the imagination. From there, what you chose to play is up to you, though the game doesn’t feature any sort of season mode like you might find in baseball, American football, or any other sport seen here in the United States.

Medal Mode has a number of different challenges starting with the Classic Challenge. In this mode, you will need to earn points to pass, and these aren’t just based on scoring goals but your passing ability. Good passes will earn you points, though having the ball stolen will cost you, as will goals made by your opponent. There are a total of eight challenges, each harder than the last, but this is merely the beginning of Medal Mode. Though the rules still always apply as far as scoring points, there are different styles. All Rounder requires you to pass the ball to every team player before taking the shot. Miss a player and take the shot and you’ll get nothing. Shot Clock on the other hand is faster paced in some ways and you must take your shot before the clock runs out.

These are just the beginnings of this mode however and there are more challenges and modes to unlock. Fancy a game of tag? Well, Player Tag will having you doing just that before you can score a goal. The Zone on the other hand will have you increasing your points as you reach various colored stages on the playing field, but of course, some of these will be detrimental to your overall score. Pass Clock eliminates the ball hog and has you playing like what you are supposed to be, a team. Challenge Plus is almost like the Classic Challenge Mode, though there will be special rules that apply, and they will change with each match. Totally Outnumber definitely stacks the odds against you while Time Attack will have you scoring points as quickly as you can.

The World Tour Mode features matches on every continent, but the rules of Medal Mode apply as well and vary with each match. In order to progress through this portion of the game, you do need to complete each challenge and while one match might have you using the Classic Challenge Mode rules, the next might have you using the All Rounder mode or perhaps a time attack. This can drastically alter the way players will go about their matches and it means that you will have to do more than just passing the ball and attempting to score goals in most cases. World Tour Soccer 06 also features the classic exhibition mode where the emphasis is simply on playing the game without other rules attached, but the action is still fast. The game also features a trophy room and these will be awarded when certain conditions are met. You will be able to see what all of these are, but actually obtaining them isn’t necessarily something that is easy. The only thing these will earn you are bragging rights, but there really isn’t anything wrong with that.

The controls are fairly easy to get the hang of and you’ll have both offensive and defensive modes of course. You can even do some nice things like take an intentional dive with hopes of getting the opposing player carded, but the ref isn’t always going to fall for it. Having possession of the ball will let you do some nice things like quick return shots, chip shots, and even use some fancy footwork while you can attempt to tackle (not in the way of American football) the player with possession, though this can also be a good way to get yourself carded. Penalty shots, throw in’s, and everything else that is a part of the game is all found right here.

Like many sports games, World Tour Soccer 06 does feature play-by-play commentary, but I found this to be far more repetitive than other sports titles that I’ve played, and luckily you can turn the voice down, or off completely, to rid yourself of the annoyance. Much of what is said is simply the names of the players who are in possession of the ball with a few minor statements that really could be done without. Much of the game is seen in an overheard mode, though scoring a goal will usually result in some rather glorious showboating, and the graphics overall are done very well. There are also a number of different stadiums to play in, so that helps to enhance the experience.

I’m not much of a sports fan, but I’ve actually been playing World Tour Soccer 06 . . . a lot. The Medal Mode has been one of the best parts, though there is something to be said for the World Tour, and add in the fact that you have both AD-HOC and Infrastructure gaming available for a great multi-player experience and you certainly have a soccer title that is worthy of fans in North America, Europe, and everywhere else in the world. You’ll kick yourself for not getting this title and with the World Cup coming to an end, this is the best replacement for the real thing.

-mike-