NFL Blitz Pro

"This is NFL Blitz?"

NFL Blitz is back, now with a new image. Midway threw out the arcade style game for a more “sim-like” NFL Blitz. For whatever reason this was done, it was not a wise decision. Now, NFL Blitz Pro feels like a watered down version of Madden.

Gameplay is well, bland. Sure, I know football games and all other sports games are repetitious, but this takes the cake. The play selection is very limited, so chances are, you’ll be using the same play very often. Playing NFL Blitz used to be fun, but now it’s just bland. Blitz Pro lacks the over-the-top moves and the exaggerated characters we have come to expect.

Now, rather than gaining thirty yards for a first down, Midway had decided to follow NFL’s official rules–well some of them anyway. Now the objective is to gain ten yards with eleven players. Seems realistic enough, except for the fact that NFL Blitz should not be realistic! The game itself seems rather solid, but the constant repetition is what kills it.

There are essentially five modes: quick play, exhibition, season, franchise, and tournament. All of these modes have seen the light of day in some form of fashion in a previous NFL Blitz game. However, Midway kindly introduces us with the Franchise mode. Hmm...whatever, a franchise mode does not make a game any better. Making a team full of all-stars is now incredibly easy due to the lackluster trade system. Just trade for a person who has one point higher in the overall category than the person you are trading with, and keep repeating this. Soon, you’ll have a team full of all-stars. Not my definition of fun. Additionally, money is earned after winning a game; this money can be used for a variety of reasons, namely signing free agents and upgrading each individual’s attributes. There, and besides the fact that you play multiple seasons in a Franchise, you have the basis of the Franchise mode. The Franchise mode is dull and lacks any innovation from what other games have done. The quick play, exhibition, season, and tournament modes seem fairly self-explanatory enough.

The Gamecube was never particularly the best console for sports games due to the awkward controller, but this has to be one of the worst uses of the Gamecube controller. The controls are extremely cumbersome, and rather clumsy. Button placement seems odd, and in some instances, it could’ve been better. Also, I feel like I must press a button several times for it to work because the controls simply do not respond! If I press the start button to enter the pause menu in the game, the menu takes nearly three seconds to show up. Now, I wouldn’t call that responsive.

The visuals are rather simple and not very detailed at all. I’m sorry, but this game nearly looks like last years version. No substantial upgrades have been made to the in game graphics. Character models seem to be boring, especially, because I come to expect exaggerated character models in Midway’s arcade football game. Instead, the characters look like a cross breed between a body builder and an average skinny person. I don’t know if Midway can make up their minds. The fields and stadiums are not impressive at all. In fact, it’s as if the field and stadium graphics were taken from a PSX version of NFL Blitz. I’m not kidding, these graphics are that bad. In addition, the game suffers from some serious slowdown at times; I’m not quite sure why since the graphics aren’t outstanding, probably just bad scripting and optimizing for the Gamecube.

NFL Blitz Pro offers a minute amount of replay value, but that is only in the form of the Blitz Shop. Points are earned when winning an exhibition or quick play game. These points are used in order to buy certain unlockables from the Blitz Shop, including teams, stadiums, and game modes. But don’t worry, these game modes are not really worth playing, they are just more gimmicks to try and make us play the game longer. It didn’t work for me. Also, this lacks an online play like the PS2 has, which also severely hampers the replay value. Oh well, I can’t see myself playing an online mode anyway.

I don’t know; I guess I’m not accustomed to change. But anyway, there isn’t one real reason to warrant a purchase of this game. Renting is probably the best choice. Alternatively, you could just buy Madden 2004, and turn off the penalties. You’ll receive a much better experience (and a better Franchise mode too). Now if you excuse me, I’m going to go play Madden.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 03/19/04