FIFA Soccer Manager
| FIFA Soccer Manager | |
|---|---|
| File:Fifa soccer manager pc cover.jpg | |
| Developer(s) | EA Sports |
| Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
| Designer(s) | Dave Colclough Jon Law |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | 1997 |
| Genre(s) | Football management |
| Mode(s) | 1P only |
FIFA Soccer Manager (or simply FSM) is a 1997 football managing computer game developed and published by Electronic Arts by their EA Sports label. It was followed by the Premier League Manager and the Total Club Manager series. A 97-98 update for the game is freely available from Electronic Arts' FTP.
One of the first games in the genre developed for the Windows platform, FSM included five playable leagues (England, Scotland, Italy, Germany and France) and all UEFA competitions, including around 7500 players.
Other than the accurate match engine (similar to the 16-bit FIFA games, while much more detailed) which allowed games to be saved and reviewed later, FSM was also known for a complete stadium builder, where combining 300 different pieces (stands and roofs) allowed the creation of stadiums with over 300,000 seats. While the overall presentation (which included short FMV clips for some events, such as cup/league wins and being sacked) was praised, the interface relied too much on submenus that could not only be reached outside the main section, slowing down gameplay. Also, when the better players retired, they were replaced only by average younger players (rated between 75 and 80), which harmed the possibilities of games over 15 years long, combined with the impossibility of joining a different club.
Bobby Robson was on the cover, and was featured a second time in Total Club Manager 2003.
Jose Mourinho made his first cover appearance, seen on the left of Bobby Robson in a picture on the back of the box. Being on the front cover of TCM 2005, he has also appeared twice.