NFL Blitz 2000
System: Dreamcast
Publisher & Developer: Midway
Released: 1999
Genre: Arcade Football
Capabilities: VMU Compatible(100 Blocks), & Jump Pack Compatible

The Game

Most football games are simulations, the same goes with the newer ones, like the Gameday, Madden, QB Club series, and football games have proven to be difficult to be given a complete arcade game play style make over, I believe before the Blitz series the only football game to attempt an arcade make over was Super High Impact in the early ‘90s which turned out to be a pretty darn good game. Their hasn’t been many arcade football games since, but once Blitz came along, the world of football gaming changed forever. This is the sequel to the ever popular original NFL Blitz, will it manage to give us a whole new experience, or leave us begging for more? Let’s get onto the review and find out.

Graphics

Alright, we got big polygonal players here, which look way more polished up and detailed than the ones from the N64 version of the game, you only got 2 shapes of players, fat linemen, and everybody else looks thin and muscular. The play book selection menus are nicely laid out and easy to manage, also if you press up twice really fast while your play high lighter is in the upper left corner, the play high lighter will disappear, and if you have a VMU, you’ll have the tic-tac-toe type play selection screen on their and it’ll let you know what play you’re picking so you can fool your opponents. Really cool bonus for the Dreamcast version.

Most of the graphics though look like the same as last year’s but polished up a little with higher resolution due to the Dreamcast’s power. But that’s usually the lacking in most game updates, because it’s so hard to mess with stuff when it’s really good. Oh, yeah, one other bonus in graphics to Dreamcast the N64 version doesn’t have is a really nice opening FMV, but in return we get (short) loading times.

Sound

Sound’s pulled off pretty good here, all the grunts and tackles sound like they do in most other games the same goes with most of the other sound effects. The player’s taunts sound really hilarious, occasionally you’ll see them do some really weird pose and they’ll say something pretty funny like, “You’re no match for my power’s” in a weird Arnold Shwarzanagger(sp?) type voice. The other funny thing in here is the announcer, he does a little bit of play by play like only calling the down, and saying when your short on time and whenever you get touchdowns, first downs, interceptions, etc. But he’ll throw in some pretty funny comments when you keep on tackling players over and over after plays like, “I don’t think that’s in the rule book” and “That’s an illegal hit!” Also when I loaded up Windows CE on my Dreamcast and put it in the audio section, and popped in the game, there was this one weird track where you heard all of the announcer’s comments, well about 2 minutes into it, he said some cuss words that got bleeped out and just sounded hilarious!

Game play

Take the NFL rulebook, and torch the dang thing with this unique game play we haven't seen since Super High Impact. It's 7-on-7 action, 30 yard first down, no penalties at all, and bone crushing hits! Usually an NFL offense side has 5 linemen, 2 RB's, 2 WR's, 1 TE, and 1 QB, but now it's 3 linemen, 1 RB, 2 WR's, and 1 QB! All the NFL teams are here too. Of course this is an arcade game, and it will offend Sim fans, but it doesn't matter if you're a sim fan, and if you are, go grab NFL 2K! Besides the old Arcade mode, there's also a tournament where up to 8 teams can play, also there's a season mode where you can go to the Super Bowl, a Play Editor where you can make your custom plays, and user records, all this you can save on your Sega VMU/3rd Party Memory Card. Game play is pretty fun. 30-yard first downs! Average field goals are easy to make from 60-yards away, etc. New features to this year edition is a 4-player mode where it's only 2-on-2, and players take turns on controlling the QB, there's also a new On Fire mode, where if you make 3 consecutive passes/sacks you're ''on fire'' with improved passing, rushing, and breaking tackles! There's also new animations like new types of tackles, new end zone celebrations, and you can also run down the field with a defender dragging around your waist! Another thing I love is how the extra point is just awarded free if you wanted too, no more hassle on accuracy for just a lousy 14-yard PAT.

Some people might complain about the lack of plays, because there is only about 27 offensive plays(plus another 9 you can create with the play editor for a new total of 36) and only 9 defensive plays, but then again, that’s another arcade aspect of the game which some may over look. And more people might complain about the game not being that much different from last year’s version of the game.

Replay Value

If it's an console game from Midway, you better bet your money they'll be loads of codes! At the match-up screen if you input random button combinations, you'll get loads of different codes like a team's actual play book, big heads, no heads, etc. There's also secret characters too like the programmers and guys from Mortal Kombat. Also it's fun to play with 4 players too, but most the replay ability is from the multi player fun(trust me, I partied with friends before, with a wide variety of multi player games, and this is always the #1 pick), so if you got no one to play this game with, you probably shouldn't buy this game just for the season and tournament modes.

In Brief

+: Great fast arcade game play, lots of codes and goodies, nice extra play selection on VMU for bluff play calling, way better multi player than NFL2K

-: Not that many plays to pick from, game looks and plays a lot like last year’s game

The Final Ratings Rundown

Graphics: 8.3
Sound: 9.2
Game play: 7.6
Replay Value: 7.3

Overall: 8.1

Rounded to fit GameFAQs Score: 8

Final Analysis

Great Arcade Football Action! If you liked Super High Impact, or NFL Extreme, you'll love this it's probably the best arcade football series ever, and if you got people to play this game with, you gotta get it, because we all know it's better to have 4 people play an arcade football game than a sim football game! Some might say it’s a lot like last year’s game, but it’s till the only Blitz on Dreamcast so far. But if you don't have anybody to play the game with you should maybe give this game a rent first, because this game isn't aimed for just one player!