It sounds like a New Labour manifesto, in fact just Electronic Arts making the most of its market leading football game.

Last week we reported on EA’s latest drive to bring Wii-only sports titles to market. Well, it doesn’t stop there. For the first time in company history, EA has decided to create platform specific versions of FIFA football. Yes, we know EA already makes FIFA for every computerised gadget under the sun, but this is different honest. These new versions will take advantage of the hardware specifications of each available platform. No honestly, this really is different, bear with us here please.

For PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the new FIFA will boast over 250 ‘core gameplay enhancements’ to deliver the ‘most responsive, intelligent and realistic action ever’. We’re sure we’ve heard this one before, and it’s usually true – broadly speaking. Is this going to be like spot the difference, and we get achievements/trophies for ringing all 250? That’d make a good mini game.

Speaking of which, you’d expect the Wii version of FIFA 09 – dubbed FIFA 09 All-Play – to be rammed with mini-games. It isn’t, but the gameplay is nonetheless tailored to suit a wider audience that might even include mums, wives and girlfriends. But only if you let them. There’s an 8 versus 8 ‘arcade’ style mode, featuring Mii style characters of famous players. EA says the Wii version has point-and-play appeal, with simplified controls and AI assistance for those that need it.

FIFA 09 on PSP system and Nintendo DS, apart from being minor miracles in that they actually function as FIFA, will include a new “Be A Pro” camera – which we guess means an over-the-shoulder view of the action as you run at defenders.

PlayStation 2 gets 500 new animation sequences. Err, can’t wait to see ’em. There’s also a new shielding system though, which could be interesting tactically when combined with the new collision system. Together these could mean that some players will play for fouls, or could (could) be booked for obstruction. Just as well there’s more control over acceleration/deceleration to avoid clashes. EA is claiming around 32 tricks per player, including four new ones: scoop turns, rainbow flicks, heel-to-heel knocks and ball rolls.

Finally the PC version will boast spectacular graphics. We’d repeat EA’s claim of being photorealistic here, but we’ve been saying this since Barbarian on the ZX Spectrum. The point is, the PC version will have the best looking visuals of all the versions. Yes, even better than PlayStation 3. Good luck controlling everything with your mouse and keyboard, but probably you own a decent control pad by now. Oh, and the PC version has, it says here, “customizable widgets … integrated into the menu system”. Bring ’em on!

So there you have it, different versions of FIFA 09 for different consoles and computers in October.