Play FIFA International Soccer Online

FIFA International Soccer on the Sega Genesis was the first big step into what became a massive franchise. It ditched the top-down view most soccer games had back then for this cool isometric angle—kind of like looking at the pitch from a corner flag. Felt fresh at the time, even if the players moved a little like they were on ice skates sometimes.

You’ve got all the international teams here (with fake player names, obviously), and each one has stats broken down—passing, shooting, that sort of thing. Brazil’s always overpowered, obviously. The gameplay’s all about quick passes and ripping shots from outside the box, which somehow works way better than trying to walk it in. Free kicks and corners use this weird cursor system where you drag a target around before sending the ball in. Takes some getting used to, but it’s satisfying when you nail a curler into the top corner.

There’s a surprising amount of tactical tinkering too—formations, defensive coverage, even five different strategies (though half of them feel pointless). And yeah, the cheesy TV-style intro with the fake hosts is pure early ‘90s EA Sports charm. It’s janky by today’s standards, but you can see why this blew people’s minds back in ‘93.