Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Winning Eleven DS delivers a surprisingly deep football experience on handheld hardware. The core mechanics—passing, shooting, and dribbling—are all faithfully adapted from the console versions, giving seasoned PES veterans a familiar feel. Touch-screen controls add an extra layer, letting you execute set pieces, switch players, and perform skill moves with stylus gestures. While the button-based shortcuts remain intact for purists, the option to mix and match input methods keeps every type of player comfortable.

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The new World Tour mode stands out as the game’s star feature. You begin with a generic squad and travel from country to country, facing off against all national teams featured. Success in each match earns you silver and gold medals, which you can then spend in a quirky touch-screen “gumball machine” to unlock real-world footballers. This progression loop taps into a collector’s drive, as you build your dream roster one capsule at a time.

Online play over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection extends the game’s replay value. Matches against human opponents feel more unpredictable and exciting than AI skirmishes, and the matchmaking system is surprisingly stable. Although you may encounter occasional connection hiccups, the overall performance holds up admirably and captures the tension of competitive football. The handheld format makes quick friendlies on the go a breeze.

Aside from modes, the AI behavior in regular matches is commendable. Opponents adapt their tactics based on your playstyle, forcing you to switch formations, tighten your defense, or exploit flanks. Difficulty settings cover beginners through hardened pros, ensuring that every level of player finds a suitable challenge. All told, the gameplay strikes a fine balance between accessibility and depth.

Graphics

On the graphical front, Winning Eleven DS achieves more than most would expect from a Nintendo DS title. The player sprites are clear and distinct, with team kits and badges faithfully reproduced. While you won’t mistake it for its console counterparts, the top-down field view retains enough detail to recognize star players by their haircuts or jersey numbers.

Stadium environments are rendered with tidy textures and appropriate crowd animations, creating a decent sense of atmosphere. Night matches feature glinting floodlights, and pitch surfaces change subtly based on weather conditions—rain causes gentle puddling effects, while sunny days bring brighter grass hues. Frame rates generally hover around a smooth 30 FPS, dipping only during very chaotic goalmouth scrambles.

The touch-screen menus are polished and intuitive. Player portraits, stat charts, and trophy cases appear crisply on the bottom display, making squad management a visual pleasure. The iconic gumball machine in World Tour mode is a playful highlight, complete with satisfying animations as capsules swirl and dispense new stars to your lineup.

Customizing formations and tactics visually updates the field diagram in real time, ensuring you know exactly where each player slot will fall. Though the DS’s resolution limits the size of on-screen text, font choices remain legible, and color coding helps differentiate teams at a glance. Overall, the graphics strike a strong balance between fidelity and performance.

Story

As a sports simulation, Winning Eleven DS doesn’t feature a traditional narrative, but the World Tour mode provides a compelling progression storyline. You start as an underdog squad with no star players, and each victory brings you closer to international acclaim. The sense of traveling from Tokyo to Rio and beyond adds a subtle story arc to your rise from unknown hopefuls to global contenders.

Between matches, brief cutscenes and text updates recap your achievements—silver and gold medals collected, key signings unlocked, and rankings improved. These narrative beats, though minimal, give context to your journey and reinforce your motivations. You’re not just playing random friendlies; you’re building a legacy that culminates in a climactic final showdown against the world’s best.

The game’s lack of a fully voiced or cinematic storyline might disappoint players seeking drama beyond the pitch, but its economy of presentation works in its favor. By focusing on core football progression, Winning Eleven DS avoids unnecessary filler and keeps the player engaged through gameplay milestones. In a handheld title, this streamlined approach feels appropriate and effective.

Overall Experience

Winning Eleven DS shines as a comprehensive portable football simulator. It packs in multiple modes—from quick exhibition matches and league play to the engaging World Tour campaign—while also delivering robust online multiplayer. The blend of touch-screen innovation and classic controller inputs offers versatile control schemes suited to all tastes.

Performance-wise, the game runs smoothly with only occasional slowdowns in the most action-packed sequences. The visual fidelity punches above its weight for a DS release, and the audio—crowd chants, referee whistles, and stadium announcers—adds necessary ambiance. Licensed teams and authentic kits further enrich the presentation.

Whether you’re a PES veteran looking for a handheld fix or a newcomer curious about portable football action, Winning Eleven DS provides hours of engrossing gameplay. The World Tour mode’s gumball-based player collection is uniquely addictive, while the Wi-Fi matches deliver genuine competitive heat. Despite minor limitations inherent to the DS, this is a standout entry in Konami’s long-running series.

In sum, Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 on Nintendo DS proves that depth, polish, and replay value can coexist on a small cartridge. It’s a must-have for fans of the genre and an impressive showcase of the DS’s capabilities. Whether you’re aiming to conquer the globe or just settle a quick match with friends, this portable powerhouse delivers a satisfying football experience.

Retro Replay Score

6.4/10