FIFA 97

EA Sports' FIFA 97 (1996) marked the series' first large-scale use of motion capture technology, delivering a significant leap forward in player animation. It introduced a six-a-side Indoor Soccer mode alongside standard outdoor matches and licensed hundreds of clubs, national teams, and more than a dozen leagues worldwide. The soundtrack blends pop electronic music with live crowd audio, and the hot-seat multiplayer mode was wildly popular, driven by fast-paced, arcade-leaning offensive gameplay. Bridging FIFA 96 and its successors, FIFA 97 remains one of the defining PC soccer titles of the mid-1990s and a landmark in the franchise's transition to motion-captured authenticity.