Football Fever
Aug 5, 2008
It's like clockwork: every August, rain or shine, millions of Madden fans line up to drop coin on the latest edition of EA's pigskin patriarch. In the case of Madden 09, the big day is August 12, turning an otherwise average month of video game releases into a worthwhile reason to call some old friends and buy a new couch.
But it occurs to us that some of you just aren't dialed in to the Madden machine, and while the legendary franchise will surely capture the linebacker's share of media hype for the rest of the year, a number of smaller football video games offer some compelling alternatives. Here are five other gridiron games hoping to come out from the fat man's shadow:
NCAA Football 09
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP
Release Date: Available Now
The Robin to Madden's Batman -- only a lot less wussy -- the NCAA Football series is a legitimate contender to its big brother's throne, having been regarded by many football game purists as the as the better experience in recent years. Of course, it sticks strictly to the college game, featuring an absurd number of teams, classic rivalries, rock solid gameplay and a couple kegs worth of atmosphere. This year's model version also boasts a revolutionary Online Dynasty mode supporting a whopping 12 players, so if you plan on playing with friends, it's just about the best game in town.
Backyard Football 2009
Platforms: Wii, PS2, DS, PC
Release Date: October 2008
Wondering if Peyton Manning was always such a stud? Revisit the Pee Wee league days with this family-friendly football franchise and find out. Choose from miniature versions of all 32 NFL teams as you play spirited arcade games of seven-on-seven football in offbeat locations. Handy power-ups and fantastic controls make this seemingly childish game solid fun for grown-up kids, too, so don't feel bad when you tear the controller away from your nephew.
Blitz: The League II
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: Fall 2008
Casual sports fans constantly bemoan the fact that there are too many rules in football. We agree, which is why we've always had a soft spot for Midway's hard-hitting, rule-breaking Blitz series. The next entry brings the pain with brand new Precision-Aim tackles, brutal injuries and the return of the greatest non-verbal trash-talking in game history, late hits. Kick 'em when they're down? That might not be as classy as Hall of Fame cover athlete Lawrence Taylor, but it's all kinds of fun. The game also comes packed with a campaign story exploring the seedier side of sports, penned by Peter Egans of ESPN's "Playmakers" fame, though they had us at "late hits."
Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff
Platforms: DS
Release Date: Fall 2008
Football ain't pretty, and neither was the great NES hit Tecmo Super Bowl. But what that game lacked in graphical oomph, it more than made up for in fast-paced gameplay, earning a monstrous cult-following and prompting Tecmo to craft this DS adaptation. It's built from the ground up for Nintendo's handheld, featuring fully customizable teams and playbooks, stylus and touch screen control and even Wi-Fi play. Unfortunately, vets hoping for another run with that unstoppable force of video game nature, Bo Jackson, will have to find a new way to cheat (come on, he was ridiculous), as the game won't include retired players.
Blood Bowl
Platforms: Xbox 360, PSP, DS
Release Date: Winter 2008
Taking the idea of "bonecrushing" hits to disturbingly literal levels, the gruesome Blood Bowl is actually based on a 1995 PC game, which itself was based on an old Warhammer board game. That explains the game's curious combination of turn-based and real-time gameplay...although that's not really why you're interested, is it? Much like the great Mutant League Football, Blood Bowl is all about hits, particularly of the debilitating, life-threatening variety. Don't dial your local Congressman just yet, though: featuring orcs, trolls and goblins, it's truly a fantasy football game.