EA Sports Ultimate Team Modes are Nostalgic

Want to trade your P.K. Subban for my Jonathan Toews? Want to buy my Sidney Crosby card? No, these are not the interactions of kids on the playground, but the online interaction in EA Sports popular game mode. EA Sports introduce the Ultimate Team mode to their line-up of sports titles a number of years ago already, and have been improving the formula with each subsequent release. FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT), Hockey Ultimate Team (FUT) and Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) have scratched the nostalgic itch of those who fondly remember swapping sports cards on the school playground during recess.

Another reviewer on our team here at Games Reviews, Danny Petsis, has been doing our review and post launch coverage of Madden. I have had the privilege of diving into FIFA 16 and NHL 16 and have played but FUT and HUT extensively – admittedly, almost exclusively. When reviewing a game, it is important to play every mode available. I did that, and since my review went live, I have legitimately not played anything but these two ultimate team modes. Both games function the same with a slightly different coin payout mode. You are given hockey and soccer cards to collect, and out of your collection you will attempt to create the best possible team. Sometimes, to enter certain tiered seasons you will have to manage your team roster to fit the requirements. In FIFA for example, you might be required to have 6 of your 11 starters be English born players, and in hockey, you might be required to have a team chemistry rating no higher than 75%. 

The collection of cards and playing both online and offline seasons keeps the game fresh and exciting. You cannot just build a powerhouse team and power through. Each separate tier will require it’s own unique set of entry requirements. These modes are not just about winning games and collecting coins to buy packs. There is also a fair amount of off-ice organization that is required. Players require contracts, will get injured and need healing cards, and can be given stat boosts if a particularly difficult game is next on the schedule. For all your unwanted or duplicate cards, EA has established a pretty simple-to-use online marketplace, where you can either trade your cards or sell them for in-game currency.,

The mode isn’t perfect, and often I felt cheated out of coins on certain matches. For example, I played what should have been a fairly thrilling 3-2 overtime game yet only received 21 coins for fan value. Regardless, there are few modes in sports games that bring back pleasant child hood memories like Ultimate Team. It definitely deserves some of your time if card collecting interested you back in the day!