FIFA 13 was released on Xbox 360 and PS3 last month but according to Matthew Prior, producer of the Wii U version of the game, FIFA 13 Wii U has enough new features and has made improvements that means that this will be the football game that's worth waiting for in 2012.

More realistic and better looking, Prior told ONM that the world's biggest football game will reach more football fans than ever before thanks to its new GamePad modes that will appeal to both hardcore gamers and hardcore football fans.

ONM: FIFA 13 Wii U is great for Nintendo fans as it's the first time we've been able to play a football game like this on our console...

Matthew Prior: It kind of levels the playing field. Nintendo fans haven't been able to have that next generation, award-winning experience that's available on PS3 and 360. They've just had the Wii version which due to technical limitations has never been able to catch up. Now, for the first time, we have the next gen AI, the graphics, so it really does level the playing field.

On top of that you've got the uniqueness that the Wii U brings so you've got an experience you just can't get anywhere else.

Matthew Prior: FIFA 13 [Xbox 360 and PS3] had the new first-touch system. We weren't able to get that in simply because when you're building something you need solid foundations and FIFA 13 on Xbox 360 and PS3 have been built on this. But it's got all the major stuff in it - the core gameplay, the physics engine, precision dribbling, tactical defending - all that stuff is in there. The only thing it that FIFA 13 has a new first-touch control system so we weren't able to get that in because that was in development up until we shipped so technically it was just impossible, but the bulk of it is there.

ONM: Presumably you can't hold it back and release a football game in the Spring because no one will buy it as it will be out of date...

Matthew Prior: There's a definite window that you need to hit and that's where we are right now. From a Nintendo perspective, this is great because this is the first time you can play in HD. Visually it's as good.

ONM: Let's talk about the improvements. We noticed that the crowd and kits have improved for the Wii U version

Matthew Prior: Yeah, there are certain areas that we are able to improve. There are pros and cons with each one. But the Wii U has got more memory so that allows us to improve visually on a couple of areas. You've noticed the crowd is double the resolution that it is on PS3 and Xbox 360 and also the pitch has a lot more detail. The crowd was something we knew we could have improved so we took that opportunity.

http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/43121/fifa-13-is-more-realistic-on-wii-u/

ONM: We already know about the touchscreen modes but what do you feel they add to the experience?

Matthew Prior: The touchscreen is one of the big innovations. Such is the wide demographic for the Wii U - five to 95 is how they pitch it - we had to add features for the casual and the hardcore.

So for the hardcore we added some new control systems - all of which are complimentary. We didn't want to make people coming from 360 and PS3 learn how to use the Wii U. But we introduced a couple of new features that you can use if you want.

So, for example, touchscreen shooting. So if you're in a shooting position you can shake the GamePad or press the R button and you'll get a representation of the net to come up on screen. And then you can direct your shot simply by tapping on the net. So now you can shoot with precision like never before. You can't do that on 360 or PS3. Also, it's makes it that much more rewarding. Rather than just pressing the button and holding it down, it feels much more rewarding as a game.

Now we have touchscreen passing and now you can pass to anyone on the pitch by tapping it. Again, it unshackles you from the AI to make that decision. So if you watch someone play FIFA they'll often shout: 'No, not that man when they've made a pass.' Now you no longer have to do that as you can tap anywhere you want to pass on the pitch. So you have no excuse now!

Then another area of improvement is the set-pieces - free kicks and penalty kicks. Now you can pick up the Wii U controller and look through it to get the player's on-pitch perspective and aim using that. So that's how the single-player has improved.

On top of that - and geared towards the more casual gamer - we've also added manager mode. So we know that a lot of people out there love football but don't really play FIFA because they're not gamers. There's a barrier to entry of enjoyment and that's the controller.

So with the touchscreen, we can bridge that barrier in manager mode. So you sit back and you're not in direct control but you can influence the game.

You can tap on the touchscreen and send players on runs. There's a system where you can look at various bits of information so you can tap on the radar and can tap on players to see their stats, see the man of the match ratings, see where all the shots are coming from, where all the passes are coming from.

You can even analyse the opposition. So if you playing against Man United, you can tap on Van Persie and say Van Persie is tearing us apart - let's change our formation to accommodate that.

You can do things on the fly as well, so you can make subs without pausing the game, you can change tactics without pausing the game. There are literally millions of variations of tactics which as a football fan but non-gamer you can actually effect and change.

Matthew Prior: It is. That's just one of the definitions of gamers. Really, it's geared to everyone - hardcore gamers will love it because purely from a gameplay experience you don't need to break up the game by going to the pause menu to change things.

It's a much more realistic experience. If you watch the football on a Saturday - rarely will the same players who start the game end up in the same position and the same formation.

The manager will change tactics continually throughout the game so it's a much more fluid experience. Previously we didn't have that in FIFA because no one wanted to go into the pause menu to change formation. Now you can do that without interrupting the game.

I say casual in that casual gamers can now play FIFA but you're right that it's also hardcore. Football fans will love it.

http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/43121/fifa-13-is-more-realistic-on-wii-u/?page=2