Marrying EA Sports' trademark razzmatazz to the hype and glitter of the biggest sporting event on Earth, the PSone's 2002 FIFA World Cup is predictably a multimedia feast, with a passable game tacked on too. As with FIFA 2002 it's clear that the bulk of the development money has gone in the direction of the PC and next-generation consoles; that's not to say that the PSone version has been totally neglected, as the intro sequences and all-singing-and-dancing menu system testify. It's just that when you cut to the match action, things don't flow together as well, with jerky scrolling and under-impressive visuals. This does leave the player more able to concentrate on the game itself though, and the match engine is packed with neat little moves and touches that, with practice, will help send your selected team to World Cup glory. Replete with the full player rosters, official kits and the full tournament to play your way through, the game centres round the tournament at the expense of other league-based options--but then you can't argue that it doesn't give you what it says on the box. 2002 FIFA World Cup, despite its flaws, could be just the title for the undemanding, younger player who's not particularly experienced with games in this genre. For while the game does little to threaten the position of the PSone's current footie champion, ISS Pro Evolution 2, it's simple to get into and provides a decent enough challenge. --Simon Brew

Features:
Official and exclusive content - The only interactive soccer game licensed to use the official FIFA World Cup, insignia, mascots and the 20 new World Cup stadiums in Japan and Korea.
Star Players – Lifelike representation of all the star players participating in the World Cup Tournament, combined with the exceptional individual talents that characterize their style of play in real life.
Accessible and exciting new game play -‘Air Play,’ delivers intuitive one-button headers, volleys, scissor kicks, juggling, and more. Showboating and high-tempo, high-impact play is both exciting and accessible from the first touch of the ball.
New player-to-player animations – New player-to-player animations result in aggressive jostling for the ball both on the ground and in the air.
‘World Cup Moments’ - Key dramatic moments during the tournament including the beginning of a match, the end of a match and key goals are highlighted by epic cinematics. Using replays, player animations, original scores by the Vancouver Symphony and special effects, World Cup Moments underscore the emotional range of play with increasing intensity as games become more important.