2010 Fifa World Cup

Every four years EA Sports pull a World Cup title out of its hat and in the past they have been little more than tweaked versions of their FIFA games.

But this time it's a little different. They have thrown everything in but the kitchen sink to make this an authentic World Cup experience.

And EA have largely succeeded in creating the best footie tournament game ever.

One of the biggest improvements has to do with infusing the World Cup into all aspects of the game.

Everything from the main menu to picking teams for a friendly incorporates elements of this year's tournament.

When playing you'll get cut-aways to fans having a good time and managers looking on concerned/excited.

The crowds are loud and raucous and you even get different chants for whichever team you're playing as.

Topping off the presentation is the commentary. Usually asinine and repetitive, this game has really nailed it. Clive Tilsley and Andy Townsend (minus his tactics truck) do a brilliant job of generating excitement. But I'll get back to this later.

Gameplay is as you would expect from EA with only a few tweaks here and there to make it sufficiently different from FIFA.

One of the best changes is a new system for when you take a penalty kick which feels much more of a duel between striker and keeper. Expect this to make it into FIFA 2011.

Another changed feature is the Captain Your Country mode, which is a bit like FIFA's Virtual Pro, but a lot better. You take control of just one player on the journey to the final (or abject failure in the group stages, if you're me).

Now I do have to make an admission. I don't care too much for the over-paid, rotten-to-the-core characters that make up the England national team.

By accident of birth, I picked the USA and embarked on a campaign to introduce the Yanks to winning football matches.

After a narrow defeat to a Rooney-inspired England I managed to qualify for the knockout stages thanks to a 3-0 hammering of the luckless Algerians.

This heralded a glorious trek to the final and a rematch with the Three Lions. At this point the presentation ups another gear to make the final a real showpiece.

I won't tell you who won, but Fabio Capello's boys would do well to keep an eye on Yankie midfielder Michael Bradley. He's got a traction engine for a right foot.

Whoever you represent, winning is rewarding as the crowd goes wild and the commentators wax lyrical. The more patriotic might even shed a tear!

All in all, the gameplay in 2010 FIFA World Cup is strong, but could've used a little more flexibility maybe for the hardened gamer.

It presents a great setting for the World Cup and, if you win, you'll be treated to one of the greatest celebration scenes in all of sports videogames.

This finale itself will give the game longevity as you'll want to win with everyone (bar the Germans, of course!).