Figure 1 Even if you don't like sports, you'll love these games
For many people, the turning of the New Year not only brings hope of a new start (or the immediate breaking of resolutions) but a sense of excitement. You may not be a fan of American football – but we’re pretty sure that you will have at least heard of the Super Bowl.
Millions of fans will be putting on their Super Bowl bets as the big day approaches. But it made us think back to some of the best NFL games over the years. You don’t have to love the sport to love a game – and these five are some of our own personal favourites.
Madden NFL Football
Where else to start but with the officially licensed by the NFL annual classic? Much like EA Sports’ FIFA series, this one is updated every year with all the latest players and there are new and innovative additions to the gameplay to make everything seem even more realistic.
Real fans of the game will argue for days over which years are the best. But, if you are looking for a game that will teach you the ins and outs of the NFL, while allowing you to just enjoy playing, Madden is the one. There haven’t been so many improvements in recent years – but it still stands head and shoulders above the competition.
ESPN NFL 25K
This is still some people’s favourite American Football game, even compared to the overlord that is Madden. It was another that was part of a series of titles but this last one came out in 2005 when EA and the NFL reached a long-term licensing agreement that stopped anyone else from using real names and teams.
The first-player control was really good and there were some really nice extras, such as the in-game presentations. ESPN really used all their technical might to create a game that not only worked well – but looked fantastic. There was an attempt to bring back the game later on, but it never took off because of the lack of licensing.
Tecmo Bowl
This one started off in the arcades – and it really shows. Compared to the intricate and complex strategic gameplay of a title like Madden, Tecmo Bowl is a much more simplified take on American Football. After becoming a firm favourite in the arcades, it was the NES where Tecmo Bowl flourished.
The graphics were very impressive for when this game came out and the ability to choose real players and teams was warmly welcomed. There were only a few choices of plays but that didn’t really matter if you went for Bo Jackson in the Los Angeles Raiders team – because he could beat anyone.
Figure 2 American football games are surprisingly playable
Mutant Football League
We have sneaked this one in, even though it isn’t really an NFL game. But we are such big fans that Mutant Football League was always going to get a mention. If you’ve ever played the fantasy Blood Bowl game you might have a good idea of how this one looked.
This is basically a version of American Football where the players are all different monsters who play a version of the sport that is even more violent that the real one. With good fantasy elements and the humour that naturally comes along with that, we’re pretty sure that there were plenty of non-sports fans still addicted to this title.
NFL Blitz
If even Tecmo Bowl was too realistic and sporty for you, NFL Blitz was the entrance for many to the world of American Football. This was a classic arcade game that paid little attention to the actual rules of the game and just allowed players to go crazy on the field and dish out some heavy hits in the process.
NFL Blitz actually attracted a fair bit of criticism for what was deemed unnecessary violence – but that’s probably why so many people loved it. This is another game that finished when EA and the NFL agreed the licensing deal.
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