FIFA Soccer 2003

aka: FIFA 2003, FIFA Football 2003, FIFA Zuqiu 2003
Moby ID: 8352
Windows Specs
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Description official descriptions

FIFA 2003 continues the trend of improving each year's new release by keeping the formula that worked, while also adding new features to make the game more enjoyable.

Some of these new features including a "Freestyle" control, which is activated by the right thumbstick, causing you to do special moves, such as a deke, or kick the ball a fair length forwards to gain some speed.

New and improved "dead ball" control makes corner kicks, free kicks, etc. more controllable and gives you more options. The passing game has been improved to allow better passing by kicking directly to a teammate, passing to nowhere in particular, or open passing to allow anybody to take it.

FIFA 2003 includes all FIFA clubs, leagues, and players.

Spellings

  • FIFA足球2003 - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 피파 2003 - Korean spelling (Hangul)

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Credits (Windows version)

625 People (604 developers, 21 thanks) · View all

Executive Producer
Director of Product Development
Franchise Producer
Franchise Development Director
Line Producer
Technical Director
Art Directors
Assistant Art Director
Technical Art Directors
Audio Director
Development Directors
Associate Producers
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 82% (based on 42 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 34 ratings with 3 reviews)

Horrible gameplay ruins the game

The Good
Well, it's FIFA, so there are all the real teams, stadiums, players, kits and so on. The game looks decent and the sounds are top notch: real chants, great commentary and nice soundtrack.

And of course, EA have an eye for little details, like when playing league season and the commentary duo tells that "the clean sheet in last game has really boosted his confidence" or they comment some superstar player with a specific comments, such as how he played at last summers (2002) World Cup.

The Bad
Well, the gameplay itself is horrible. I have played this game with Microsoft Sidewinder Pad and mostly on keyboard and with no difference: passing and shooting is awkward and players move like they have some sort of springs attached to them making it hard to control them just the way you want them to be controlled.

Also, the way the player take control of the ball is just annoying: they always seem to be doing some tricks and turns, which makes it easy for an opponent to just take the ball with a single tackle. One way to prevent this is to play one-touch passing game, but as said, passing is hard and awkward.

And there are also the basic problems of FIFA series: lack of tactical choices, lack of realism and poor research on some of the teams.

Also, why the hell every other team in the game expect my beloved Finland seems to be having real kits, while the Finns run on to the pitch with plain white kit with Finland's flag on it? And where are the Netherlands, Serbia-Montenegro and Wales?!

The Bottom Line
Looks nice for its time, sounds great and has lots of great little details, but the horrible gameplay just ruins the whole game.

Windows · by naula (50) · 2008

Try to compare Fifa 2002 to this, you'll notice to many flaws in the previous edition.

The Good
Ok, this game is great, it may have something to do with me loving soccer, but I really think this game got over all the flaws of 2002, the slightly too clear graphics and the gameplay and the way the ball moved and the slowness of the playersin the 2002 edition just annoyed me with how completely unrealistic they were. Quite frankly Fifa 2003 is the perfect soccer gaming experience. It's just so realistic, the way the players move, the passing system, the new free kick/corner system, the graphics, the speed, in short this game has very few flaws.

The Bad
Ok, the AI is so bad its laugh-worthy, it's almost easy to beat Real madrid with Rapid Bucharest, you can toy with a player if his strength is 91 or 48, it really doesn't matter, and the loading time is ridiculous, it once took me 3 minutes to load a replay and 5 minutes to load a saved game.

The Bottom Line
Great, if you like soccer you'll like this game, and it doesn't hurt that it's the best soccer game ever created.

Windows · by Jim Fun (207) · 2003

Thanks God, it is Football. Thanks God it is FIFA.

The Good
All is enjoyable in this game, both for football fans and for non-fans alike. A definitely must have. Another hit of Electronic Arts that must not be missed. Well-shaped players, realistic and frenetic action, the spoken comment (I’m talking about the Italian version) nearly perfect and always appropriate. Could you ask for more?

The Bad
There are not cons in this game, it is worth the bucks you spent. Maybe the hierarchy of menus could be simplified. However, this is only a personal opinion, it must be pointed out that you have plenty of setting and options to choose from…

The Bottom Line
OLAAA… OLAAA… OLAAA… Thanks God, it is Football!

Xbox · by Super_Anima (4) · 2003

Trivia

Awards

  • 4Players
    • 2002– Best PC Sports Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
    • 2002– #3 Best PC Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
    • 2002 – #5 Best Xbox Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
    • 2002 – #7 Best GameCube Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
    • 2002 – #9 Best PS2 Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
  • GameStar (Germany)
    • February 13, 2003 - Best Sports Game in 2002

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Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 8352
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by JPaterson.

PlayStation 2, GameCube, Windows added by Kartanym.

Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, 80, mello emb, Patrick Bregger, Rik Hideto.

Game added February 6, 2003. Last modified May 9, 2023.