Just as it did over the past couple of years with NBA Jam (both the original and the On Fire Edition), EA Sports has injected new life into yet another Midway arcade franchise, NFL Blitz. And even though the timing can be questioned – we’re in playoff mode here – there’s no question that the team at EA Tiburon has done a sensational job bringing this game back into the spotlight. Nearly every ounce of goodness from the original game has returned, from entering codes to launching balls across the field like rockets to tackling an opponent with the authority of a WWE superstar. The gameplay is as simple yet refined as you remember. Choose a play and execute it to get in the end zone, or use diving defenders to knock the stuffing out of the opposing teammate that’s carrying the ball. Complete enough plays and you can get “on fire”, gaining unlimited turbo for a short time. The only thing genuinely missing here? The late hits.
That’s probably due to the NFL’s prissy nature of “sportsmanship”, but it’s not that big a deal, especially when you’re running up the points on an opposing team. Along with quick and online match-ups, the game supports leaderboards, so you can check your progress in-game with others, along with the new Elite League mode, giving you access to unlockable goodies over the course of a career, and Blitz Gauntlet, where you face off against opposing teams before facing boss teams, with the possibility of unlocking them for personal use. These modes are great, even if you’re not given the option of prolonging the running time. Each quarter’s two minutes, and that’s it. Still, that’s ideal for quick arcade fixes. NFL Blitz looks good for an ages-old game reconfigured for today’s gaming scene. The hi-def visuals really shine, especially the players, who run around like adrenaline junkies, tackling everything in sight.
The stadiums don’t differ much, but who cares when you have this much chaos on the field? We also like the fantasy teams, from the hot dog suited dorks to the zombies. Yep, zombies. And what would NFL Blitz be without the returning Tim Kitzrow, who sits with his buddy to provide running commentary that’s sharper than anything we’ve heard in the past few Madden games? Pile that on with great sound effects and upbeat (if slightly generic) music and you’ve got a winning package. No, NFL Blitz isn’t PRECISELY the same as its old counterpart, because, yep, we do miss the late hits. But it’s as good as arcade football gets, a must-have Xbox Live game that easily overshadows Madden NFL Arcade as our favorite go-to sports game. It really goes well with NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. Now if only we could get NHL Hitz to complete the trifecta.
