PES (Pro Evolution) 2011 Soccer 3D for the Nintendo 3DS – Review

PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) 2011 3D by Konami for the Nintendo 3DS handheld system has spectacular graphic and gameplay that make it one of the best handheld soccer games yet. And, this is from someone, myself, who in general never watches soccer, and has ever played it, except in gym class. I admittedly didn’t know much at all about soccer before playing PES 2011 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, and I really thought the game would be one I wouldn’t particularly care for. After playing it, though, I was pleasantly surprised, and discovered that even a person who has little experience with soccer can have a great, fun time playing this game by Konami.

The graphics you get with this game are comparable to the PS2. The screen is a bit low-res, but the 3D graphics pop out at you, and the players look surprisingly realistic despite the small screen (small in comparison with a T.V.’s screen, anyway). The depth-of-field quality makes the screen seem like it’s much bigger, the player models are accurate, and you get to play as some of your favorite star players, who look remarkably like their real-life counterparts.

There is also a running commentary that adds a sense of realism to the game that I liked, and the replay scenes after you score a goal are pretty cool looking. As I mentioned, I wouldn’t know from being a fan of soccer whether or not the players in the game play like their real-life counterparts, but from what I’ve read and heard from others, they do play in similar ways. The analog stick game control makes learning the game relatively easy, though it did take me a while to get used to figuring out all of the different moves the players can make.

Another plus, or Pro aspect to this game, is that there is a StreetPass option you can choose from on Master League mode. You can basically create your own Dream Team, and raise the team to the top of the world in Master League mode. Not always the case in real life, the team with better strategies/stats will win. Another way cool aspect of this is that you can unlock classic players and teams as you continue winning.

You can play the game on five levels of difficulty, ranging from Beginner to Top Player, which allows even children or hackers like myself enjoy the game and advance through the difficulty levels as you become more experienced.

On the Con side, the fast pace of the game can cause you to become distracted and miss a shot or get the ball stolen from you. Also, though you can choose from 60 National and 170 club sides, some reviewers have complained that Mexican teams are not included. You can play people 1-on-1 wirelessly, which is great, but it would have been nice to be able to play people around the country and the world, as well.

Here are two cheats that hopefully will add to your enjoyment as you play the game:

1.) Whenever is any penalty a “good” one? How about when getting a penalty also helps you score a goal? A way to do this is to run all the way to the opponent’s goalkeeper. When he comes to you, move the ball to the left or right. Then, when the referee gives you a penalty, aim as well as you can, and shoot it to score a goal.

2.) You can easily chip the ball over the Keeper first by running all the way to the opponent’s goalkeeper. Then you press L, and holding L down, press Y. Don’t use too much power, though, or you will throw it high instead of chipping it where you want it to go.

In conclusion, PES (Pro Evolution) 2011 Soccer 3D is a great, fun soccer game that should appeal to anyone who is a soccer and video game fan. There are some faults with it, but Konami has created an impressive 3DS version that even non-soccer fans will get into and want to play. I give the game two thumbs up!