FIFA 06 has new controls and gameplay thanks to its brand-new engine, which replaced the one that had been used in five previous titles since FIFA 2003. The most noticeable changes include the addition of more animations and better-detailed ball and player physics and animation, the removal of the unpopular Off the Ball controls that were implemented in their 2004 version, and the remaking of the free-kick interface so that it is no longer obvious whether the player decided for a shot on goal or a pass to a forward. Also novel is the idea of “team chemistry,” which refers to the factors that influence how well a group of players perform together.
The game includes 26 leagues from 19 nations, 29 genuine stadiums, over 10,000 players with statistics for the 2005-06 seasons, and foreign teams. Additionally, the “Create a player” function and the various managerial choices have been left untouched from earlier versions of the game. Career mode is a 15-year-long climb to the top of the game, and it features new options such as sponsorships (which will only accept good results), player contracts, and more weight on the player morale: a demoralized player (usually from not playing or possible influence from random events) is more likely to underperform, as well as pressuring the “Team Chemistry” values downward, and he might refuse attempts to renew his contract, leaving on a free transfer. Career mode is a new addition to the
The way that points are earned has also been modified, despite the fact that there are still a great number of unlockables in the game (most of which are third kits). The user does not get points for doing objectives (such as entering the EA Trax or creating a player, winning the Champions League, or completing a career), but rather has over one hundred scenarios to play through, each of which may be set to one of five different difficulty levels.
