FIFA 07

PS2 (version tested), Xbox, PC, GameCube, PSP, Nintendo DS, GameBoy Advance. Available now, £29.99-£39.99

The FIFA series may sell by the truckload, but it has long been chasing Pro Evolution Soccer as the critics’ football game of choice. This year, EA Sports is genuinely approaching Konami’s masterpiece, with a superb new first-touch control system that makes the game more realistic without ruining the fun. If you’re online, real-world football updates are delivered in-game, and you can mirror the season by playing weekly fixtures against people from all over the world. Add in the option to manage your favourite team and transfer your season to a PSP, and this is without doubt the best FIFA to date.

Originally appeared in The Telegraph, 11th November 2006.