In the world of retro sports video games, FIFA Street stands out as the premier soccer series. It was a game that had all soccer fans in a chokehold. With an edgy approach, FIFA Street captured the raw energy of street-styled soccer, letting players recreate crazy skill moves and score screamers.
Although the series initially thrived, EA eventually abandoned it to focus entirely on its authentic soccer simulation games, leaving a loyal fan base stranded. And almost a decade later, we saw something like FIFA Street bolted onto FIFA 20 as Volta, which failed to fill the void. To this day, fans still beg EA for a new FIFA Street game, but it seems like it’s never gonna happen.
FIFA Street Captured Pure Street Soccer Energy
FIFA Street was popular because it was raw compared to other FIFA games, which focused on simulating the real thing. Here, you didn’t follow typical soccer rules. Instead, you could go crazy on the field without worrying too much about penalties and other boundaries, similar to an actual street soccer match.
Each match was a unique experience thanks to cool nutmegs, flashy stepovers, and skillful tricks you must perform to fuel the combos. Apart from this unique gameplay experience, the overall atmosphere also screamed street. From NYC basketball courts to Rio’s favelas, the street culture showcased in the game was so authentic that it quickly became a go-to series for all soccer fans.
Volta And Rush Never Matched FIFA Street’s Swagger
Nothing came close to recreating the real thing. While Volta and Rush attempted to revive the street vibes as separate modes in FIFA/EA FC games, they failed to capture the essence of FIFA Street. These modes were fun for different reasons. Featuring realistic ball control, physics, and impressive visuals, they definitely were a step ahead of the original FIFA Street games.
However, they lacked something precious: the soul of FIFA Street. The over-the-top freestyle tricks and authentic street ball swagger were completely missing. For die-hard fans, both Volta and Rush felt like watered-down versions of the actual thing, trying to be someone they’re not.
Fans Still Want EA To Revive FIFA Street
Although Volta was a separate entity from FIFA Street, it was the closest we got to the real deal. Unfortunately, EA decided to cancel it and go for the more realistic Rush mode. This was the final straw for most of the fans, including me, and we can’t help but want a true FIFA Street revival.
The bar set by the previous FIFA Street games is so high that adding a couple of modes to the EA FC games isn’t going to fill the void. To this day, people enjoy FIFA Street through emulation or on retro consoles. There’s an entire community that has been keeping the series alive. Instead of asking them to keep dusting off their PlayStation 2, this is the perfect time to bring back the franchise.
It’s not like EA doesn’t care at all. They attempted to revive the series in 2012 by releasing FIFA Street on the PS3 and Xbox 360. While the game did well, it lacked a true arcade-like structure. This is because it was developed using the FIFA 12 engine, which is more realistic in nature. However, since then, EA has been silent.
Perhaps in the near future, we might get a FIFA Street revival. EA has begun experimenting with its older franchises, reviving College Football and even College Basketball. Maybe they’ll listen to the fans and bring back the beloved street-style soccer as well.
