PES 2008 Wii date, control details
Team of Miis, new shots, Crouchigol.
Konami has sent out a big old press release with diagrams and everything explaining how Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is going to work for the Wii when it comes out on 28th March.
As well as Match, League and Cup games and a Player Trade option, there's the Champions Road mode mentioned previously, which takes you around the globe earning XP, completing mini-tasks and building up a dream team.
You can even build a team out of Miis, with up to 16 in a squad, and then store the result on your Wiimote to transport it around. Sharing team data is also possible over WiiConnect24, there's random and Friends matches available over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and there's a tutorial mode to help you learn the ropes.
Controls are distributed across the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The former does all sorts of things like passing, sending people on runs and tackling, while the latter is used to move the currently selected player and fire off Crouchigols.
Dribbling works by holding A and pointing in the direction you want to go, with the speed of the run altered by extending or reducing the length of a guiding arrow. Konami reckons this allows for quick turns and bursts of speed.
A "simple click and drag system" will help send players on runs, with B completing the move, while shooting is a question of swinging the Nunchuk in time to strike, or meet an incoming pass or cross.
Like real football, the speed of the incoming ball, ability of the player, angle of trajectory, timing and whether it's Peter Crouch or not will have various effects on the resultant shot, separating the bobblers from the unstoppable downward headers and bicycle kicks that have become the trademarks of the People's Hero.
Konami reckons this level of control "elevates PES 2008 far beyond any other football game". It's certainly really ambitious. Join us closer to release to find out whether it's the genius it could be or a complicated mess.
Oh, and pop your eyes through the blue word gateway to visit our Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Wii screenshot gallery.