Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (commonly known as PES 2009) is the eighth installment in Konami's long-running football simulation series. Released in late 2008 and early 2009 across multiple platforms, it is perhaps most notable for introducing the "Become a Legend" mode, which allowed players to create and control a single player throughout their entire career. Key Features and Gameplay
Become a Legend: A debut mode where you guide a custom player from their professional start through international success.
UEFA Champions League: PES 2009 held the exclusive license for this prestigious competition, offering fully branded tournament play.
Enhanced Ball Physics: New calculations for air resistance, ground friction, and backspin were implemented to make ball movement more realistic.
Wii Innovations: The Nintendo Wii version utilized a unique control system where players could use the Wii Remote to control teammates' movements while dribbling. Platform Availability The game was released for a wide variety of systems: Consoles: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. Handhelds: PlayStation Portable (PSP). Other: PC and mobile. Legacy and Modern Status Successor: It was succeeded by PES 2010.
Online Services: Official servers for PES 2009 have been offline for many years.
Current Branding: The PES series was officially rebranded as eFootball by Konami starting in 2021.
Community Mods: Dedicated fans continue to create "Classic" patches and updates to keep the game's rosters and stats relevant for modern PC hardware. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
. Released during a pivotal era for sports gaming, it wasn't just another annual update—it was the moment Konami tried to plant its flag in the "next-gen" ground after a rocky transition the year prior. The Debut of the Champions League
The biggest headline for PES 2009 was undoubtedly the arrival of the exclusive UEFA Champions League license. After years of "North London" and "Merseyside Red," seeing the official starball logo and hearing the iconic anthem felt like a massive win for realism. While it didn't solve all the licensing gaps—the Premier League remained largely unlicensed outside of Manchester United and Liverpool—it gave the game a sense of prestige that felt "big time". Forging Your Own Path: Become a Legend
Before every sports game had a deep narrative "career mode," PES 2009 introduced us to Become a Legend.
The Grind: You started as a raw 17-year-old in a scout match.
The Perspective: Unlike Master League, you controlled only one player, forced to call for the ball and find space while the AI managed the rest of the team.
The Growth: Watching your stats slowly climb from mediocre to world-class—and eventually earning that move to a giant like Barcelona or Inter Milan—was an addictive loop that defined hundreds of hours for fans. Gameplay: Heavier, Slower, Smarter
Coming off the lightning-fast (and often criticized) PES 2008, the 2009 edition slowed things down. pes 2009 - GregHorrorShow
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PES 2009) , developed and published by
, remains a nostalgic milestone in the football simulation genre. Known as World Soccer: Winning Eleven 2009
in Japan and Korea, it marked a transitional era for the series as it attempted to modernize its gameplay to compete with the rising dominance of the FIFA franchise. Key Features and Gameplay Become a Legend Mode pro evolution soccer 2009 pes 2009
: A standout addition where players create a 17-year-old athlete and navigate a career toward retirement. It requires impressing coaches in training to earn match time and international call-ups. UEFA Champions League License
: PES 2009 was the first in the series to hold the exclusive license for the UEFA Champions League
, allowing players to participate in the authentic tournament mode. Refined Edit Mode : The game featured a robust
with options for kit customization, player accessories like wristbands, and 11 distinct free-kick styles. Fast-Paced Action
: Fans often praised its "pick-up-and-play" feel, describing it as more exciting and faster-paced than its contemporary rivals. Reception and Legacy
While dedicated fans appreciated its fluid mechanics and "diving" feature, critics at
noted it struggled to keep pace with the graphical and systemic overhauls seen in
. In recent years, the game is frequently revisited via emulation, though projects like
have documented technical hurdles like rendering issues and frame-rate dependencies. Platform Availability The game was released across multiple platforms, including:
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PES 2009) is widely recognized for introducing several foundational features that defined the series for years. The most helpful and impactful additions focused on career depth and tactical realism. 🌟 Key New Features
Become a Legend Mode: Introduced for the first time, this mode allows you to control a single player from age 17 through their entire career. You manage individual growth, transfers, and national team call-ups.
UEFA Champions League License: PES 2009 was the first in the series to hold the exclusive rights to the competition. It includes the official tournament branding, music, and presentation.
Enhanced Master League: The AI now uses the Teamvision system to recognize and adapt to your strategies over time, forcing you to vary your tactics.
Legends Mode: An online extension of Become a Legend, where you can take your created player and team up with others online. ⚽ Gameplay & Tactical Improvements
Advanced Ball Physics: New calculations for air resistance and friction make ball trajectories, backspin, and bounces more realistic.
Control Adjustments: The pace was slowed down to allow for better passing links and more natural movements. Players can now perform skillful turns and flick the ball up to bypass defenders.
Detailed Editor: The Edit Mode was boosted to allow for the importing of faces, kits, and sound files for custom crowd chants. 🎮 Platform-Specific Features (Nintendo Wii) Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (commonly known as PES
The Wii version included unique features that differed from the PS3/Xbox 360/PC versions: Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 Video Review by GameSpot
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, commonly known as PES 2009, was a pivotal entry in Konami's long-running football simulation series. Released in late 2008 across platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, and Wii, it arrived at a time when the rivalry with EA Sports' FIFA franchise was intensifying. Known for its realistic ball physics and tactical depth, PES 2009 introduced features that would become staples of the series for years to come. Key Features and Gameplay Innovations
The game focused on refining the "Teamvision" AI system, which adapted to the player's strategy in real-time. Significant updates were made to the physics engine to create a more authentic experience:
Ball Movement: New air resistance calculations influenced the ball's trajectory, and ground friction routines meant pitch conditions directly affected pass speed.
Skillful Controls: Players could perform tricks and feints more intuitively, using the D-pad or analogue sticks to navigate tight defenses.
Tactical Depth: Defenders were programmed with improved AI to close down threats, requiring players to work harder to create space for shots. New and Returning Game Modes
PES 2009 introduced the highly popular Become a Legend mode. Similar to FIFA’s "Be a Pro," this mode allowed players to control a single custom-created athlete, starting as a 17-year-old rookie and working their way up to Europe’s top clubs.
Another major addition was the UEFA Champions League license. For the first time, Konami secured exclusive rights to the competition, allowing for a dedicated mode complete with the official tournament music, graphics, and atmosphere.
PES 2009: The End of an Era? ⚽🎮 Released in late 2008, Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
remains one of the most nostalgic entries in the series. It was the year Lionel Messi
officially took over the cover, and the debut of the game-changing Become a Legend
mode, which allowed us to live out our dreams as a single pro player. Why we still talk about it: The UEFA Champions League License:
For the first time, we got the official anthems, logos, and atmosphere of the world's biggest club competition [2]. Become a Legend:
Spending hours trying to get scouted by a top-tier team was a core memory for many fans [1]. Crisp Gameplay:
While the transition to the PS3/Xbox 360 era was rocky, PES 2009 felt fast, responsive, and rewarded technical skill [1, 2].
Whether you were a Master League veteran or a legend in the making, PES 2009 captured the magic of football before the "FIFA vs. PES" war shifted gears. technical specs
to run it on modern hardware, or are you trying to find the best option files to update the 2009 rosters to today's stars? The Soundtrack and Atmosphere The menu music—a mix
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 is a transitional entry in the long-running series, notable for introducing major features like the UEFA Champions League license and the Become a Legend mode. While it improves upon the performance issues of the previous year, it often feels stuck between its legendary past on older consoles and the modern demands of the then-current hardware. Key Game Modes
Become a Legend: A significant addition where you create a single player and guide them from youth ranks to international stardom. It is praised for its immersion and stat tracking, though critics noted it can feel repetitive during the early scrimmage phases.
UEFA Champions League: For the first time, PES featured the official Champions League license, complete with the iconic anthem and TV-style presentation.
Master League: The series' staple mode remains mostly unchanged, offering deep team management but feeling slightly "bare bones" compared to newer competition.
Editor: An improved editor allows for importing custom images via USB or cameras, which is essential for bypassing missing licenses like most English Premier League teams. On the Pitch
The gameplay attempts to return to the more deliberate pace of PES 6.
Pace & Physics: The game is slower than its predecessor, with a "heavier" ball feel that makes linking passes more natural and rewarding.
AI & Intelligence: Teammate AI is improved, particularly in making off-the-ball runs and distributing through-balls.
Animations: This remains a weak point; while detailed in close interactions, general player movement can look stilted and procedural compared to rivals like FIFA 09. Performance & Presentation Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 Video Review by GameSpot
The menu music—a mix of indie rock and electronic beats from artists like The Notwist and Au Revoir Simone—gave PES 2009 a cool, Euro-arthouse vibe. On the pitch, the crowd roars were more responsive than ever, chanting louder during derbies. And Jon Champion and Mark Lawrenson’s commentary, while repetitive after 200 hours, had a few genuinely memorable lines that have become nostalgic memes.
While FIFA was busy signing The Fratellis and MGMT, PES 2009 stuck to orchestral bombast. The menu music was forgettable (generic synth rock), but the crowd chants were a step up. You could now hear specific chants for specific rivalries (thanks to the moddable soundtrack folder on PC). The commentary duo of Jon Champion and Mark Lawrenson—while repetitive ("That is a simply magnificent strike")—was miles better than the deadpan delivery of the previous year.
The beloved Master League mode received a facelift. For the first time, you could start a season without the "PES United" and "WE United" fake teams. You could directly insert your team into any of the licensed leagues. The transfer system was still stingy—real Madrid would not sell you Raul for any price in season one—but the new "negotiations" screen added tension.
Before 2008, career modes in football games were about controlling the entire team. You managed transfers, tactics, and played as everyone. PES 2009 shifted the perspective to the player’s shoulders.
In Become a Legend, you create a single player (a rookie aged 17) and control only that athlete on the pitch. You start on a mediocre team in the reserves, and through match ratings, tactical discipline, and individual brilliance, you work your way up to captaincy and international glory.
Football games of this era are defined by their audio. PES 2009 featured a synthesized orchestral menu theme—epic, sweeping, and instantly hummable.
Commentary remained a weak spot. The duo of Jon Champion and Mark Lawrenson was professional but sterile. They failed to react to the context of a match. Scoring a 90th-minute winner in the Merseyside derby would result in the same tone as scoring a preseason friendly goal. For fans of the series, the commentary was often muted after the first week in favor of custom soundtracks.
