2011 Team Based Sports Game of the Year: FIFA 12

Feature Article

Submitted on: 01/02/2012 by Chris Sanner

The team based sports game of the year is always the most popular award here at Operation Sports -- mainly because the sports represented in this award are also the most popular. Games in contention for this award include Madden, NBA 2K, MLB: The Show, FIFA, NCAA Football and other similar titles.

2011's year for Team-based sports gaming was a bit disappointing on many fronts. Several games shipped with major bugs and one in particular (NBA 2K12) took a noticeable step backwards in terms of fan enthusiasm. This is all to be expected as we have yet to have a game win the Team-Based game of the year back-to-back.

This year's winner was the game which managed to avoid the bug-a-palooza this year and seemed to generally garner the most enthusiasm from the staff: FIFA Soccer 12.

FIFA is the best selling game in our genre, but a huge bulk of those sales always come from Europe and Asia. While sales in America increase every year, the game is only just now starting to really become a sales hit in this country.

While the game isn't perfect, you can read Kelvin Mak's impressive review evidence of as much, it has taken some big steps towards realism. The impact physics engine is a huge step forward for the franchise, and the gameplay is a noticeable leap from last year's edition.

FIFA Soccer 12's Manager Mode is deep and well done, not Football Manager deep -- but good enough for this type of console game. The increasingly popular 'Ultimate Team' mode is a hit amongst FIFA fans, with some spending hundreds to build their online squad.

All in all, FIFA Soccer 12 benefitted from a rare combination of everyone else fumbling a bit in the AAA Team Sports arena and with the FIFA team doing a solid job avoiding huge bugs and negative backlash.

The question now becomes what will the FIFA team do next year to try to be the first game to repeat as the Team Sports Game of the Year at OS in almost a decade?

Other Staff Opinions

Kelvin Mak - It was a great year for soccer fans, wasn't it? Both FIFA and PES stepped up their game, went toe to toe with each other, and in the end gamers were left with two hugely enjoyable titles. From a potential perspective, both games deserve honorable mentions as they've each revolutionized a part (well, in FIFA's case, two parts) of their games. Having said that, their immediately releases this year still had a good amount of kinks needing to be worked out, and therefore my vote went to neither of the two soccer titles, but to that other one: Football Manager 2012.

How a game manages to be so addictive is beyond me. Make no mistake, this game is not for anybody with poor time management skills, because it will just steal your hours blind. Football Manager 2012 added a slew of features (and eradicated quite a few of last year's annoying bugs), all of which culminated in the most immersive management experience yet. The game is still has some ways to go towards perfection, but of all the sports game I've played this year, it's the closest one.

Bo McCready - Every major sports title this year had more than its fair share of flaws. But to me, one game stood head and shoulders above the rest: FIFA 12. FIFA has always been a deep game, and this year, the gameplay was much-improved. Sure, your AI teammates are inept on defense under the new tactical defending model, but that's a relatively minor problem compared to the major issues we've seen in other titles. Let's hope for a leap forward from some other titles in 2012.

Readers Choice

Winner: MLB '11: The Show (31.42%)

Others: NBA 2K12 (24.13%), FIFA Soccer 12 (14.76%)

FIFA Soccer 12 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 ps3veron @ 01/02/12 01:58 PM

Wow! But I gotta agree, FIFA 12 is spectacular.

# 2 jb12780 @ 01/02/12 02:06 PM

The staff picked FIFA but we the people voted for the show.

# 3 rangerrick012 @ 01/02/12 02:25 PM

I agree. I picked up FIFA for Christmas and am having more fun with it than 2K12. And I'm a much bigger basketball fan than soccer fan. Dont own a PS3 so can't weigh in on The Show.

# 4 Ermolli @ 01/02/12 04:27 PM

Quote:


	Sure, your AI teammates are inept on defense under the new tactical defending model, but that's a relatively minor problem compared to the major issues we've seen in other titles.

I don't understand how this is a minor problem, this is what make not play this game. It's frustrating that you try to play good defense and your AI teamates aren't even trying to defend well. Sure FIFA is a great game but with the AI having issues I don't know how this game can be game of the year.

# 5 moylan1234 @ 01/02/12 07:53 PM

sad commentary on the state of sports gaming when a soccer game wins this award

# 6 lnin0 @ 01/02/12 08:37 PM

The readers got it right - FIFA should be 3rd on this list.

# 7 jyoung @ 01/02/12 09:06 PM

I prefer PES to FIFA this year, but soccer was the best video game sport by far.

Had to be one of those or Football Manager.

# 8 SDwinder @ 01/02/12 09:28 PM

People did not give enough attention to the Analog Pitch stick in The Show this year. It was revolutionary, compared to the crap 2K has. As a former pro pitcher, it really upped the fun/realism/challenge for me this year.

The Analog hit stick needs work though in The Show.

# 9 bomccready @ 01/02/12 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ermolli


	I don't understand how this is a minor problem, this is what make not play this game. It's frustrating that you try to play good defense and your AI teamates aren't even trying to defend well. Sure FIFA is a great game but with the AI having issues I don't know how this game can be game of the year.

I guess I described it as a minor problem because it can be overcome by the user taking greater control of their defenders - and, as peigone noted, it's not like they just stand there. It's frustrating at times, but it's not a game-breaker and slider adjustments can make it even less noticeable.

# 10 aloncho11 @ 01/02/12 10:49 PM

Football (Soccer) is the world's most popular sport. I figured this year the winner was obvious with all the other sports titles feeling "unpolished".

Many people have come to appreciate PES and Fifa more and more. I still prefer PES when it comes to gaming, but you have to give it to Fifa 12 and the "World of Football" immersion they have created in their game.

# 11 moylan1234 @ 01/03/12 12:48 AM

@ peigone not sure why any of you would take offense in no way am I insulting the sport of soccer. Only pointing out that if Football or Basketball, two sports much more popular in this country had as good video game representation this award would not likely even be a contest. My comment is about the shortcomings of other titles rather than any kind of knock on soccer or Fifa

# 12 Adzs K2 @ 01/03/12 12:25 PM

I think Fifa is most deserving overall; Haven't got a PS3 so can't comment on the show (don't think they sell it in my country anyway), but personally I found 2k to be kind of disappointing this year, especially with the seriously annoying glitches (When Blatche can chase down D.Rose you know theres a problem)..Finally I leave you with a prediction: Once football (soccer) has really caught on in the States Football Manager will be winning this award annually...5, 10, 15 years from now, it doesn't matter, it will happen

# 13 LingeringRegime @ 01/03/12 03:13 PM

Deserving game for sure. I voted for PES, but you can't go wrong. Online play for FIFA is stellar as usual, better this year because of Head to Head Season (Manual Settings)

# 14 PES3Paul @ 01/03/12 10:24 PM

FIFA 12: No fouls. Big minus. PES PC runs up the score on it with the yeoman work its mods do. FM 2012 gets my vote.

# 15 Araxen @ 01/04/12 07:40 PM

Wow, I can't believe The Show was snubbed. FIFA 12 has a lot of flaws in the single player game and is the reason why I cannot consider it game of the year.

# 16 ImTellinTim @ 01/05/12 12:58 PM

I'm a little surprised FIFA took the title over The Show. I just think The Show is a more complete representation of the sport it attempts to recreate.

It's nice to see FM getting some love. Nothing I've ever played immerses me so much in what I'm doing as that game. I've sunk hours into my own little worlds that are created with each save I've started. Most bang for your buck for sure.

Will you be releasing the full reader poll?

# 17 jr86 @ 01/07/12 11:58 AM

I must be missing something here.......!?

We 'the community' were asked to vote for our GOTY which 500 or so of us duly did.
The result of this was that 'The Show' was the clear winner but because the writers preferred Fifa they chose this instead.....?

Er what was the point of us voting........

# 18 Ermolli @ 01/07/12 02:47 PM

I believe that the point of voting is to know what the people think, I think that's the only reason of the voting.

# 19 jr86 @ 01/07/12 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ermolli


	I believe that the point of voting is to know what the people think, I think that's the only reason of the voting.

But honestly who cares 'what the people think' if it dosen't influence the result.....

# 20 Ermolli @ 01/09/12 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jr86


	But honestly who cares 'what the people think' if it dosen't influence the result.....

I don't know, I'm just saying

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