"Little kids bring the easy fun back to football video games!"

My wife picked this game up for me for our anniversary. Little (no pun intended) did I know just how much fun I'd have!

Story = n/a
There really isn't much of a story. You play football with the neighborhood kids. There's no NFC or AFC here, but there is the Backyard Conference or Frontyard Conference. All 32 teams are there to pick from, but you only get about about 10 pros: a few QBs, RBs, and WRs. The neighborhood kids are good though, so just pick and mix and you'll be set to dominate. There are plenty of modes of play though: season, pickup, training, and coaches's challenge. The training mode great for learning the basics of the 5-on-5 football that you'll be playing.

Graphics = 10
Superb detail! These little guys (and gals) are drawn kinda like comics in the newspaper. You can change the colors of 6 of the teams too. You have some different camera options to choose from, including a side view just like Tecmo Bowl! Instant replay is there too, of course. The details in the background are perfect. Your games will be played in sunny, rainy, or snowy weather, or at night time. The lights and shadows look great. In the snowy game, you can see the breath of your players. It looks just like the friendly games you played at that age!

Sound = 9
The sounds are right on target. In a rainy game, you make little ''muck muck'' sounds as your tiny feet run through the mud. Cars drive by, trains roll past, and crickets and frogs chime in at night. The only real downside is the horns and whistles that sound every time you move the cursor on the selection screen. This gets a little annoying. However, when you select your players, they'll talk to you! Jerry Rice will ask to play wide receiver. Nice touch! When you drop back into the pocket, the defense starts counting Mississippi's! It's great!

Control = 9
The control is easy enough for a child, but fun enough for those who don't feel up to the Madden challenge. Running is easy, and pass catching is too. Everything is explained thoroughly in the booklet and the in-game training mode. Although the kids move a bit slow on screen, they move at the pace of kids. It's no EA Sports game, which may appeal to a wider audience. The game lets you select from 3 difficulties and adjust your handicap as well, accounting for all stages of gameplay in all types of players.

Fun Factor = 10
Whoo-hoo! Man, I don't get tired of these little dudes! With just 5 on a side playing at once (you do have 2 in reserve), you get to have fun with your plays. You can even custom make plays! This lets you decide who runs what pattern, or blocks which player. You can put anyone at any position too. You might move your RB to QB for a sneak, or let your WR be place kicker. You are also awarded Special Plays such as the leap frog (a handoff up the middle, until your RB bounds about 10 feet in the air, gaining a sure 10 yards). These can be turned off though for straight up football. If you don't want fumbles, turn them off too! There are no penalties, making for a fun game that everyone will enjoy.

BOTTOM LINE:
Buy this game. I've seen it for as cheap as $15. It's worth well over that. The only major drawback is that you do not get all NFL players. However, it's just flat out fun. I like football, but don't always have the patience to play through the regular full length games. Until another Tecmo Bowl comes out, pick this one up and have a family friendly ball!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/19/03