Game options include Friendly, Exhibition, Playoff, Tournament, and League, and play modes include Simulation, Arcade, and Action.[2] There are five control set-ups, Novice, Simple, Semi-Pro, Pro, and Complex.[3] Passes and special moves are automatic on Novice, while there is no help from the computer on Pro and Complex.[3][4] There are 160 international teams to choose from, such as those representing Argentina and Zambia, as well as teams of leagues local to the United States, France, Germany, England, and Italy.[5][6][3] Matches in FIFA Soccer 64 are customizable in terms of time (maximum 90 minutes), weather, clock, display of time, auto replay, and whether fouls, injuries, and offside rule will be in play.[3]
Matches are announced by John Motson, Desmond Lynam, and Andy Gray.[7] Although gameplay is similar to previous FIFA entries, there are a few introductions, including elements to the controls. In addition to being able to perform more tackles,[2] the analog sticks allows players to be flexible with the moving speed (walk, jog, run, sprint), and the length a button is held determines the velocity of a pass or shot.[5] Moves include trapping, rainbow kicks, bicycle kicks, butterfly kicks, tackles, slide tackles, lobs, fakes, and headers.[6][4] "Passback mode" can also be activated when free kicks and goalie possession occur; the player controls the passer's movements, then commands the ball carrier to either shoot the ball into the net or kick it back to the passer.[5] There are eight camera angles. They can be viewed with the Picture-in-Picture feature (new to the series), where the separate view can be switched between all the angles and a radar display.[b] FIFA Soccer 64 offers the ability to manage a team, such as positions of individual players on a field, as well as choosing from six formations and five strategies.[3]