With an annualized title like FIFA, it’s hard to keep gamers coming back year after year. For FIFA 19, EA Sports has made some bold moves to ensure the masses keep a vested interest: the studio has added plenty of new Kickoff-based game modes.

The first mode is called Survival, and it adds some arcade-style rules that really shake up the typical match. In this mode, every time someone scores a goal one of their players is ejected. Players don’t get to pick who is sent off (although goalkeepers are safe), and there’s even commentary from Martin Tyler and Allen Smith regarding the player ejections.

Ultimately, this means that the further someone is ahead, the more in danger they’ll be of conceding as they lose players on the pitch. Since it’s randomized, players who put 3 past their opposition could go down 3 defenders by chance, resulting in a defensive standoff that promises drama. It’s a fun game mode, and the rules really shake up the typical Kick Off match.

Players can also use house rules kickoff modes like Long Range, where goals from outside of the box are worth 2 points to encourage bangers from 30 yards out.  There’s another mode where only headers and volleys count for any goals (aside of penalties and freekicks). First To # sets games to run forever until one of the teams reaches a certain number of goals. For friends who want a longer form of kickoff, Home and Away allow for 2 matches to be played with the aggregate score determining the winner. For those who love sheer pandemonium, there’s also a No Rules game mode that eliminates offsides and cards.

Beyond that, the new Kickoff also allows players to change up from the default friendly match atmosphere, which may not give a game the pomp and circumstance that players want to jump into. They’ll now be able to make these kickoff games a Cup Final (be that Champions League, MLS, FA Cup, or more), which changes the introductory cinematic and music. Of course, it allows for the post-game scene to show one team lifting a trophy, which is good bragging rights for the winning player.

The added options to Kickoff give a complete overhaul to a mode which hasn’t really seen any changes at all over the years, and they add a ton of fun possibilities for gamers jumping into a game with friends or against AI opposition.

EA Sports prides itself in authenticity, but the most fun impact is definitely derived from the more arcade-inspired game modes. It’s a real fresh of breath air delivered straight to one of the most frequently used game modes, and it adds higher stakes to friends going head-to-head for bragging rights.

FIFA 19 will release for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One this September 28, 2018.

You can find John on Twitter at @Makelevi, where Survival is a general day-to-day goal.