Pro Evolution Soccer comes to iPhone

PES 2010 brings the magic of the Pro Evolution soccer sim to the iPhone. The game translates pretty well from the console and PC versions, thanks to some interesting control systems.

As soon as you launch PES 2010 you’ll notice how similar the game looks to the main version, in terms of the user interface and the game options you have available. PES 2010 offers a range of game types, including the Champions League and Europa League, quick match, exhibition, league, cup, and training. Notable absentees from the big-screen version of Pro Evolution are the Master League and the data editor.

Control options

There are four camera angles and three different control methods to choose from in PES 2010. You can opt for a virtual analog pad with two on-screen buttons; or just the analog pad without buttons, where player actions are performed based on the way you tap the screen.

If you’re feeling really adventurous you could try PES 2010’s liberating accelerometer mode where you move your players by tilting the screen. This isn’t as chaotic as it might sound and with a bit of practice it starts to feel quite comfortable and natural.

Looking good

The graphics in PES 2010 are very good, and the animation feels smoother than that of FIFA 10, and even X2 Football. Unfortunately, unlike these other two titles, there is no in-game commentary, which is a real shame because it leaves matches feeling a bit flat and unexciting at times.

Our other major criticism of PES 2010 is that there is no multiplayer mode. Considering Pro Evolution Soccer is so much fun to play with pals, it’s a real shame you can’t go head-to-head over WiFi or Bluetooth.

Overall though, PES 2010 is a very good football game for iPhone, and it’s a must-have for fans of the original console game.

Manual switch of defending player (button mode only): Press an empty part of the screen when you don’t have the ball to switch playersKick feint: Prepare a shot and once you see the power gauge, press B quickly (or anywhere on the screen on Touch controls)Improvement of ball control reactivity (less latency when a player controls the ball)Improvement of headersImprovement of performance on iPhone 3GYellow and red cards management in competitionsDisplay scorers’ names on Pause/Half-time menuImprovement of the simulation of the other match results in a competitionImprovement of the camera angle in Offside replayImprovement of the team random selection in Quick match and ExhibitionFix of miscellaneous minor bugs

Changes

• Manual switch of defending player (button mode only): Press an empty part of the screen when you don’t have the ball to switch playersKick feint: Prepare a shot and once you see the power gauge, press B quickly (or anywhere on the screen on Touch controls)Improvement of ball control reactivity (less latency when a player controls the ball)Improvement of headersImprovement of performance on iPhone 3GYellow and red cards management in competitionsDisplay scorers’ names on Pause/Half-time menuImprovement of the simulation of the other match results in a competitionImprovement of the camera angle in Offside replayImprovement of the team random selection in Quick match and ExhibitionFix of miscellaneous minor bugs