While the success of this year’s FIFA 10 on PS3 and 360 is built upon the technical bells and whistles of a still-sparkly next-gen engine, its PSP counterpart is still based on the same pile of code as the old PS2 games. Which, it turns out, is just fine for a satisfying, if pared down, game of handheld football.

So yes, it feels more robotic and shots and passes are heavily assisted (meaning you can score some outrageous screamers), and the lack of a second analogue stick is weird if you’re used to the touch controls on the DualShock. But the football is clean and fast, cutting past defenders is satisfying, and your AI teammates make plenty of smart support runs.

By far the most impressive aspect of the game is the range of features on offer – a full Manager mode, a season-long Be A Pro mode (complete with third-person camera) and a Practice mode along with all the usual cups and exhibitions. It’s exhaustive.

Oct 15, 2009