2010 FIFA World Cup is a slick, solid package offering more content than one would expect for a spin-off title.

Formats: Xbox 360 (version tested), PS3, Wii, PSP
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Released: 30 April 2010
Score: 8/10

Next to the Olympic Games, there is no other global sporting tournament that commands the attention of the football World Cup. The event has a catch-all appeal; ardent fans prepare to cheer on players they've booed all season at club level, and even people, who usually have no interest in football, line up in droves to support their country's side as the flame of national pride is ignited. The massive attention the World Cup garners means, naturally, that it's also big business. The cost of advertising and sponsorship is through the roof, and tons of spin-off merchandise is produced to prise open the wallets of the millions watching. So as the opening game of the forthcoming World Cup tournament in South Africa draws ever nearer, the arrival of an EA video game tie-in should surprise no one.

What is surprising is how good 2010 FIFA World Cup has turned out to be. While some spin-off titles from major sporting events in the past have felt lacklustre and lightweight, EA's latest football sim seems to have been created to outlast the tournament it's tied to. 2010 FIFA World Cup has been designed to satisfy a large spectrum of players (and potential players) ranging from fans of the recent FIFA football video games, right the way through to non-gamers who'd like to join in the fun.

Above all, it quashes any questions about its legitimacy as a separate release in its own right. There are many gamers who have argued that this game could have – and should have – been offered as DLC for FIFA 10. The reason it hasn't is because it's just too big. When one looks at the size of its content, the idea that 2010 FIFA World Cup could ever have been a download is quite frankly ludicrous. There's also no way DLC could have replicated the experience that this game provides. Aside from the stadiums – both from the friendlies, qualifying stages and tournament in South Africa – the region specific audience soundtracks, the multitude of commentators, there are 199 teams available to choose from.

Certain gameplay elements have also been tweaked to allow more casual gamers to take part, and also to ensure hard-core fans find the game more of a challenge. For non-gamers, there's the new 'Dad-Pad' two-button control system. Player use one of the sticks to steer their players one button to pass and one button to shoot. The control system does most of the hard work, with players' responses governed by the scenario they find themselves in. Depending on which player is being controlled and depending the length of time the button is held down for, the game will respond with an appropriate shot. If a star player is being controlled, it factors that in too. For the hard-core, most of the tweaks affect the players on the pitch rather than the control system itself. Goalkeepers no longer charge off the line towards lone, incoming strikers and chip shots are far harder to slot home. Referees tend to wave on play for shoulder barges – unless they're quite blatant – and the overall pace of the matches is far faster. Taking penalties is now a far more complex activity. In FIFA 10, players just pointed the stick in the direction they wanted the ball to go in, and then hit shoot. In this game, the have to consider several more factors including who is taking the penalty, whether they're in form, how nervous they are and – in the case of a penalty shoot-out – how many players have taken a penalty ahead of them.

Like the most recent FIFA titles, 2010 FIFA World Cup offers a quick 'Kick-Off' match mode, which can be played locally or online. The online mode features head to head matches and the Battle Of Nations' competition, which rates players' performances with certain nations, and then adds them to an overall score for that nation on a leaderboard. The World Cup mode replaces the manager mode; players select their team of choice, and then can compete for World Cup glory. If they wish they can proceed straight to the tournament in South Africa, but those who wish to extend the mode's longevity can start at the qualifying stage and include the friendlies. It's in this mode where budding managers are encouraged to keep an eye on the form and fitness of their team's players. An injury in training or at club level can sideline a talented – or indeed a star – player, forcing them to use their second-string players. It's at this stage, 'form' comes into play. At the end of every match, each player who took part receives a form rating and this can go up or down depending on their performance. Form adds an extra dynamic because the more a player's form improves, the better they play on the pitch. This can lead to a tough decisions in the later stages of the tournament; does the manager field their second-string striker who is in form or should they put their star player returning from injury into the side, who isn't up to speed? It feels like there's a lot more riding on the selection process than before, and this aspect really helps to make the player feel like they're actually managing the side.

Aside from World Cup, the game boast two brand new modes: The Story Of Qualifying and Captain Your Country. The first of these allows players to rewrite the history of key matches that have been played so far in the 2010 World Cup qualifying stages. The mode challenges the player by putting them into scenarios such as taking control of Ireland after Thierry Henry's handball put France up in Paris, or playing for Argentina when they found themselves 5-1 down to Bolivia with only 23 minutes to play. EA has announced DLC plans to extend the longevity of this mode; every game played in the World Cup tournament in South Africa will be available for players to download as a scenario.

While the Story Of Qualifying mode is undeniable fun, it's the Captain Your Country mode that rounds out the robustness of 2010 FIFA World Cup. In this mode, players can create a player, import their player from FIFA 10's Be A Pro mode or take control of a pre-existing player and the begin the hunt for World Cup glory. This can be played solo, or with up to three other players, and the objective of the mode is to catch the manager's attention and, secure a spot in his starting 11 and, in the case of the best performer, secure bragging rights as the national side's captain. The mode is aimed more at hard-core players and fans of football, as a degree of skilful control is certainly required, as is a working knowledge of the roles of each position on the field. Players who reach the level of captain are given more on-field options such as the ability to change tactics or set-pieces during a game. The mode certainly has its flaws; ratings and feedback are often inconsistent, the captain's armband is passed around like a hot potato and there are going to be many times when the AI controlled teammates become erratic and frustrating. However, when it all comes together on the pitch, Captain Your Country offers an immensely satisfying experience. Using teamwork with your mates to win a tense battle in the midfield or slot home a goal in injury time is guaranteed to produce cheers and fist-pumping euphoria.

The presentation in EA's football games has seen some improvements in recent years and 2010 FIFA World Cup is no exception. The menus are easy to navigate, and the teams themselves are mapped to a virtual spinning globe so finding the nation one wishes to select is a snap. The player models have been polished - Peter Crouch and Frank Lampard now look more like their real-world counterparts - and managers now make an appearance on the touchline (and they celebrate or throw their arms up in despair depending on how the game is going). There's also the addition of fans decked out in full World Cup regalia, and the camera cuts to them at key points in the game. The stadiums are picture perfect and each tournament game opens with fireworks exploding and streamers wafting down to the pitch. The soundtrack of the crowds reproduces the atmosphere at games in each region faithfully; games at the tournament in South Africa, for example, feature the sonic blasts of the Vuvuzela - a large plastic trumpet. Martin Tyler and Andy Gray are swapped out for Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, but the commentary still feels like an organic, real-time event rather than a series of pre-recorded soundbytes.

A lot of work has gone into 2010 FIFA World Cup; it's a slick, solid video game which offers more content than one would expect for a spin-off. However, whether or not it will hold any appeal beyond the end of the tournament in South Africa is debatable - especially when one considers that FIFA 11 is less than six months away. It's by no means a cynical cash-in and casual gamers and rabid FIFA fans alike will probably find it decent value for money. For the rest, it's a worthwhile stop-gap between FIFA titles, provided you have the funds.