Football Mogul 2003

Football Mogul 2003 for the Game Boy Advance is scheduled for release on March 17, 2003, and it will be the first soccer game released for the Game Boy Advance. The game will offer two-player play over LAN or Internet connectivity. Sports Mogul 2003 will also include 10 different stadiums and 21 different teams, including one soccer stadium in Brazil, four players in the Inter Milan stadium in the Kulu sector, and one stadium in Chile.

"Football Mogul 2002 will deliver the best soccer experience to the Game Boy Advance family of systems, and it will be an essential game for a lot of consumers," said Tony Khan, vice president of licensing for Crave Entertainment. "This marks the first time the Football Mogul series has made its way to a home console."

"This game is a significant addition to the very successful Game Boy Advance football titles, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to providing gamers with a truly superior soccer experience," said Jon Baker, vice president of marketing for Crave Entertainment. "With a huge variety of modes to choose from, and a high level of interaction with the GameCube controller, the Game Boy Advance can have an exhilarating soccer game that is both accessible and challenging."

According to Yuke's, one of the game's key selling points is the ability to compete against up to four other players. The developer hopes this will allow it to offer a different competitive experience to fans of the sport, though Yuke's is currently debating exactly which modes will be available.

The GameCube is scheduled for release on November 12, and in the meantime, GameSpot's hands-on impressions of the game are already available.

[UPDATE]: In this hands-on impressions, GameSpot's previously written interview has been edited to omit specific details about the game's multiplayer mode.

In the first match, you and your teammates are required to control several soccer players that are wearing a green-hued hoodie. You then switch to the quarterback, who can be chosen and assigned to the number of players on the field at once. The quarterback then instructs you to select the players on the field at the beginning of the match. The second match in this week's story focuses on the attacking players as they rush to get to the goal line and pass to the open man in possession. This is essentially the same mode found in last week's interview, which also includes a cameo from Naughty Dog cofounder and Uncharted franchise director Amy Hennig.

The second game in this week's story focuses on the opposing team, with you and your partner playing as a team to gain the possession of the ball. The opposition team has set up defense in the field, and the defenders have designated as defenders, which you use to fend off the attacking team. It's as simple as that. Once you've set up your defensive team, you're able to view a branching view of the field and choose your target team to control. Once the control grid is open, the offensive players make a beeline for the goal line, which you press the A button to pass to. If the ball hits the outer circle, the player with the ball will see a silhouette of the opposing team in its field. If the ball is thrown in the outside of the stadium, the play is over. The AI has come a long way since the first game's tutorial mode. Once again, the goal line takes a large number of shots to score, and the defensive player can set up defense as a set number of points, depending on how many balls are thrown at the goal line.

The graphics in the Xbox version of Madden NFL 2002 have been enhanced since our last look at the game. You'll see models for each of the players and environments that feature a healthy dose of detail and subtle touches that complement the overall look. All told, the game is shaping up to be one of the best football games on the Xbox and one of the best-looking football games to date.

The audio in the game has come a long way since we last saw it last. The voice acting is solid and sounds great, as are the music. As always, the action is complemented by ambient sound, which keeps you on your toes during the action. The audio in the game is solid, thanks to a number of additions to the audio package. You'll find a good assortment of tunes to choose from, as well as some reverb effects. The audio in the game has also seen some tweaks and refinements to its functionality. You'll now find positional audio, which is where the chatter will come into play. Finally, the game features a new camera angle that serves to give the game a bit of a cinematic feel. You'll now have to rely on the surrounding area for your shots. The visuals in the game have come a long way since we last saw it last, thanks to some slick effects. The latest builds of the game have provided a good look at how the various characters and assorted foes are coming together and are offering a good mix of high-level visual effects and solid performance.