In general, whenever I think of sports games, I tend to think about the experience of taking a team through a full season or championship. I think about the perils of managing that team, I think about drafting players from other teams, I think about creating my own character and building him into a powerful foe.

On the same note, I also think about the training modes for those inexperienced with the genre. I think about the mini-game challenges that helps one become more familiar with the gameplay, and I appreciate that the game offers both fulfilling in-depth gameplay and also a series of challenges I can pick up and play when I don't have time for a full game.

Then along comes World Tour Soccer 06, which really messes with this formula I have in my head.

On one hand, the game is loaded with a variety of mini-game challenges, which I'll describe here in a few paragraphs. But on the other hand, that's about all the game offers. There's no career mode, no championship mode, no season mode, no league play, no create-a-player. The closest World Tour Soccer 06 comes to offering a full game of soccer is in the Exhibition mode, which allows one match to be played at a time. The lack of a season mode is disappointing, especially for those hoping to manage a team on the go.

Thankfully, the mini-games themselves are pretty varied, and their various challenges can be, well, rather challenging. Throughout all of these modes, players earn challenge points based on their performance. For example, a successful pass nets some challenge points, but if the opposing team intercepts them, some points are lost. Each round of a mini-game sets a target of challenge points necessary for a bronze medal, with additional points needed for the silver and goal medals.

By the way, a general round of soccer with just these rules is classified under Classic Challenge. A timed-based mode is also available, Time Attack, requiring players to earn enough points within the time limit to keep playing. And Challenge Plus just adds some more specific rules on top of everything else.

Beyond that, there's All Rounder, which requires the ball to be passed to each player on the team before any goals will count. The pass counter is reset each time a goal is scored, so after they score a goal, a player must once again pass the ball throughout their team before the next goal will count. And if that sounds too simple, there's also Player Tag, which follows the same basic rules except the pass counter is now reset whenever the player loses possession of the ball.

Pass Clock, meanwhile, requires players to frequently pass the ball. A clock starts counting down when the ball is passed, and if it's not passed when the clock reaches zero, the opposing team gets a free kick. Shot Clock is in the same vein, a clock starts counting down when players receive a ball and a foul is called if the player hasn't taken a shot at the goal when it hits zero.

Teaching players how to navigate the pitch is The Zone, which sets up various colored zones on the field. The challenge points within some of these zones are multiplied, encouraging the player to perform their actions at these locations. Checkpoint Challenge also helps players learn to move about the field, requiring players to run or pass the ball through various checkpoints located throughout the field.

Lastly, but ranking first in terms of sheer challenge, there's Totally Outnumbered, which unfairly pits one against an opposing team that outnumbers their own.

These mini-games are organized into two different sections, World Tour and Medal Mode. World Tour runs players across five selectable continents, featuring a mix of all the various gameplay modes, with more unlocked as players progress. Medal Mode, on the other hand, allows players to focus solely on one particular mini-game and its particular challenges.

There's also the traditional Exhibition mode, allowing players to participate in just a traditional game of soccer, focusing solely on the number of goals than their performance, style, and resulting challenge point total. And hey, there's even online play, though finding someone else to play against can be a hassle at some times.

The only real problem with World Tour Soccer 06 is that the load times are a bit longer than most other PSP titles. Also, the bug-eyed player models showcased in replays, their motionless eyes and their cold dead glares lacking any sort of emotion, are somewhat creepy, but it's nothing that affects the gameplay.

What's really cool about all these mini-games, and World Tour Soccer 06 in general, is that they're not just suited for portable play, but also an introduction to the realm of soccer video games. The controls are responsive and easy to learn, and the goals of each mini-game tie back to the suggested skills and overall strategies recommended for most soccer games. Even better, they're actually fun to play through, the rush of a goal one of the most satisfying achievements in the realm of sports games.

On the same note, it's disappointing to see season play missing. After all, what's the point of polishing up one's soccer skills if there's no championship to win, no drafts to reward a player for winning a series of games with the worst possible players? Don't get me wrong, what's here is great, but true soccer aficionados will probably want to go with something else to sate their season-managing desires. But as for those of you craving a quality soccer title to play on the ride to work or between classes, World Tour Soccer 06 is your game.