It, too, wanted a pop at multiple camera angles, of those polygon things everyone was raving about at the time. Thinking itself above the world of 16-bit, it struggled instead to keep up with the bigger boys and, in doing so, only showcased how far behind it was. The 32X version had no hope of matching this but, bless Probe, they tried anyway.Īs such, it exists as this odd hybrid trapped between two worlds.
The (full) 32-bit strain was a day-one release for both the Playstation and Saturn, featuring then unheard of additions like in-game commentary and noticeably different stadiums being used. The 32X version was released in Europe only where the quasi-console’s sales were the most disastrous. No one would have blamed them no one would have cared. If they were feeling adventurous, chuck in a few extra lower league outfits. Clean up the graphics, showcase the (slightly) higher pallette capability of the machine and add in some crisper sounds. It could be argued that perhaps the best thing they could have done was release a shinier version of the 16-bit Mega Drive strain - it would have been easy. But all efforts mostly fluctuated between prettier versions of two basic foundations the honest and stumbling first forays into poly-drafted 3D footballing, and the tried and tested pixel simplicity of earlier consoles.ĮA bought in then-independent developers Probe (pre-ruining via Acclaim) to run rule over the older consoles releases, so they also got stuck with the 32X port. It was everywhere on 16-bit consoles looking for a few last gasps of relevance, on handhelds people had forgotten existed and on the newer, shinier 32-bit systems chomping for a foothold. The year before, FIFA ‘95 was a shallow release, appearing on scant platforms, but that was never going to be the case with FIFA ‘96. A head-scratching oddity that was perhaps always doomed. Championed by few, ignored by many and point blank unknown by significantly more. Both were never really sure where they belonged, failing to eke out an existence in some shadowy middle ground that didn't really exist. Both game and console were sandwiched mercilessly between two generations that were each effortlessly more relevant. It could be argued that no game sums up the sorrowful saga that was the ill-fated 32X as well as FIFA ‘96 does.
"The most relevant review you'll read all year."
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