Epic Gaming Memories - FIFA 99

Nintendo 64 – FIFA 99

Even though I have spent an insane amount of time with Goldeneye 64 and Maricart 64 this game is probably the game that I have played the most on that consol.

If I would start the game today, the graphics would probably feel like Minecraft. But back then it was the most realistic football game I had ever seen. The game was easy to play to win in some ways. If you for example played a pass sideways and then shot directly it was a goal. But here is the beautiful thing about playing video games. I can play the game how I want to play it. Which meant that to make it more exciting, more fun I would perhaps not use the easiest way to win the games. And the challenge to score in new ways made the game last much longer. It was really the only FIFA-game I would purchase and play a lot.

When I started to play more on a PC I found games that allowed me to see the bigger picture and build the teams rather than playing them. The manager games. But there will be other posts that will go deeper into those games later on.

However I played this particular game over several years. That meant that the squads were outdated and many world class players were barely even talents in my FIFA -99. My imagination fixed all of that though in some weird way. And Roberto Baggio were still playing for Inter Milan. That was one of the best things about the game being a bit old.

I did not challenge the game for the hardest possible challenges when it comes to difficulty level in the game. Much due to the fact that I would not want to try and use the same ways to score and win games over and over again. I do not really remember if the UEFA CUP and the Champions League were put into the game or if I just simply created the cups myself.

That was however a great way to play the game. And the one big thing I knew was in the new FIFA that I missed in this one. The possibility to play a season with the league AND the cups with the same squad.

Afterwards, looking back on it, it may have been a waste of a good holiday in the sunny parts of Europe. I was literally passing through all of Europe in a caravan with the curtains covering the window so that I could see the monitor better when I played FIFA.

”Hey buddy, how was Europe?”

”It was great, scored a fantastic goal with Dennis Bergkamp from the right flank halfway through Spain.”

But hey, I had the time of my life. In between sessions of gaming I could enjoy the sunny weather and warm oceans.