FIFA 12: Five Advanced Techniques

FIFA 12: Five Advanced Techniques

Flick-flacks, rainbows, scissors, Marseille turns... these are the FIFA showboater's box of tricks. The thing is, these fancy tricks and skills on the right thumbstick are great in theory but unreliable in practice. At one time or another, we've all messed around in FIFA's Arena Mode trying to master them only to find that their success rates in an actual game tend to be fairly low. But there are plenty of other advanced FIFA techniques that will actually help you out in open play more than they squander your chances, and we've compiled five of our favourites below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments and, if you like them, we'll post more...

The Driven Long Ball

Any FIFA player worth their salt knows that pressing the right bumper button while shooting results in a placed shot rather than a driven one, but it's less commonly known that doing the same thing with a long ball has the opposite effect. Instead of getting the standard, looping long ball as you would normally, pressing the right bumper in conjunction with the long pass button results in a driven long ball with more pace and a lower trajectory. Using it requires a bit of skill but, once you've mastered the technique, opposing defences can be split in two through the middle and run-ragged down the wings much more effectively.

Pro Tip: You'll get the most flight and pace from a driven long ball by striking it on the half-volley.

Trick Shots

Using the left trigger in conjunction with the shoot button can result in some of the most stunning goals you'll ever score in a game of FIFA. The technique opens up flashy shots such as the overhead or bicycle kick, diving header, and scissor kick. To pull-off one of these master-strokes you'll have the most luck with a skilful forward, while the ball will also need to be in an opportunistic position relative to your player and the goal. Execute it successfully, though, and you'll be rewarded with an Achievement/Trophy.

Pro Tip: Skill Shots often have the best results from a cross or corner. If the ball is coming in just behind your forward then they're ideally positioned for overhead acrobatics.

Trick Passes

These are similar to Trick Shots but a lot easier to get right. You'll need a player with a 'Skill Moves' rating of three stars or more otherwise your attempt to make the highlight reels will end up as little more than a bland, side-footed trickler. Using the right bumper button as the Trick Pass modifier, you can then combine it with either the through ball or regular pass buttons to perform a range of trickster passes from back-heels to blind flick-ons (depending on the direction you're holding while making the pass).

Pro Tip: Players with the 'Flair' trait can initiate a unique Roulette Trick Pass. Simply make sure you're holding forward on the left analogue stick while pressing the right bumper and pass buttons.

The 'Super Cancel'

The term 'Super Cancel' actually comes from Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer, where this control method originated. By pulling the right and left trigger buttons together, you can pull your attacking player away from the tethered sprinting pathway that they're automatically set to. Doing so effectively gives you full manual control of the player until you let go of one of the triggers and return to normal play. The technique is also pretty handy for stopping wayward shots from ending up in row Z or misplaced passes going straight to the opposition. As long as you press the two trigger buttons simultaneously before a pass/shot is made, then you can effectively cancel it and carry on dribbling undeterred.

Pro Tip: If it looks like a cross-field long ball will be just out of your winger's reach, try using Super Cancel to take a wider angle along the sidelines that'll give you a better chance of reaching the ball before it goes out of play.

First Touch

Many of you will already be familiar with the technique of flicking the right thumbstick when sprinting in possession to knock the ball further forward and gain a boost of speed. What you might not know, however, is that you can use this technique in combination with your player's first touch.  When receiving a pass, try using the right thumbstick to flick the ball on into a pocket of open space and leave surrounding defenders flat-footed – it'll give you that extra bit of time and space that's crucial for unlocking tough oppositions.

Pro Tip: The same goes for chesting the ball down. If you flick the right thumbstick, then your player will chest the ball forwards  rather than bringing it under close control as he normally would.