I saw the title of the press release (located after the jump) in my inbox this afternoon and instantly got excited. Unfortunately, that anticipation quickly abated once I clicked on the email and realized that (A) when they say “football,” they’re referring to what we in the States call soccer, and (B) it’s a DS game. I don’t really follow soccer at all (except for the World Cup) and I don’t own a DS, so … yeah.
But some of you — our European readers, perhaps — are probably reading this and thinking, “A game called EA SPORTS Football Academy sounds like it could be right up my alley!” Well, hold your horses, there; what does this game comprise, exactly?
…a collection of mini-games and challenges that improves football knowledge in a fun and entertaining way.
Still with me? Well, then … there are six screenshots of the game available below for your viewing pleasure. It doesn’t look like there’s going to be any actual soccer playing involved — the game seems to be about learning the nuances of the sport. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that; I just don’t know who EA is attempting to cater to here, since the people who would care about this have likely been indoctrinated with soccer since the day they started walking.
On the plus side, the game is being developed by EA Canada, the same people who put together last year’s acclaimed soccer title, FIFA 09. Look for EA SPORTS Football Manager on the DS this March.
BUILD AND PROVE YOUR FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE WITH EA SPORTS FOOTBALL ACADEMY
EA SPORTS Announces First Title Exclusively Developed For Nintendo DS Coming In March 2009
GUILDFORD, UK – January, 7th, 2009 – EA SPORTS™, a label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announces EA SPORTS™ Football Academy – a collection of mini-games and challenges that improves football knowledge in a fun and entertaining way. EA SPORTS™ Football Academy will launch exclusively for the Nintendo DS in March 2009.
EA SPORTS Football Academy offers an entertaining way to learn football strategy, positioning and technique. Players build their knowledge by completing tasks and take their improved skills onto the pitch to compete against their friends. Additionally EA SPORTS Football Academy offers a variety of mini-games that provide fun for fans of all ages.
“EA SPORTS Football Academy is a great new addition to the EA SPORTS football portfolio and a perfect way to enjoy football on the go,” says Andrew Wilson, Vice President and Executive Producer of EA SPORTS Football business. “The game offers fans a fun new way to improve football knowledge and learn more about the beautiful game.”
EA SPORTS Football Academy is developed by EA Canada in Vancouver. It has been rated 3+ by PEGI. Please visit www.pegi.info/ for rating information.
Published: Jan 7, 2009 05:00 pm