Previous Next

'Left 81... left 81... hup, hup, hup,' the quarterback shouts over the roar of the crowd. As the ball is snapped, there is the thud of flesh hitting leather and metal, and the crescendo of noise rises to new heights while the ball spirals into the arms of a waiting receiver for a touchdown.

If you followed all that, you already know about American football and will love this game. Otherwise, you will need the rulebook supplied and a fairly vivid imagination.

The game puts you in charge of any team you care to choose and you can play four quarters of action against the computer or a friend. Throughout the game, you will he in defence or offence, and in either case you have to decide what type of play your team should adopt.

When carrying the ball in offence you have 11 plays, four passing, four running and three kicking. There are only four defensive plays and so the emphasis is on the attacking team to out-guess the defenders.

After making your choices, the effect is displayed on the screen, with tiny players rushing around and the ball carrier flashing. Once the play is complete, you are informed of the result and progress to the next down.

The basic concept is very simple and you just have to pick the right play to outwit your opponent. The program is run by two-letter inputs and can handle options for giving you time-outs and statistics during the match.

If you are not already familiar with the sport you will need to have a long read of the instructions. Don't be put off by the jargon because the game isn't that complicated to get the hang of.

Newcomers will be disappointed by the stickman players and the lack of bone-crunching sound effects but fans will love it and it was realistic enough to keep me playing for hours.

Indulge in legalized GBH in the comfort of your own home with this clever program from Mind Games. And a mind game it is, with all the various plays, options and tactics. The 16-page booklet is essential reading, even for those familiar with the sport.

Despite this complexity, once in play the game becomes interesting and exciting, as you will your running backs through those vital few yards.

Enjoyable even if you don't understand the sport. The graphics are good for this type of game and well animated. There's not much sound but that is not a drawback. There are quick responses to inputs and the action sequences are thrilling.

I was soon engrossed and found that I could easily pick up some of the tactics and understand what was going on and, after subsequent games, I had the play flowing well.

Football Manager has ruled the roost for ages as the best sports strategy game, but this is far superior. If the theme appeals to you, buy this game.

I'll have to be honest now and tell you that what I know about American football you could write quite easily on the back of a postage stamp. Fortunately, that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this game one little bit.

It is simple, colourful and, once you've read the extensive glossary, dead easy to play. That's not to say it isn't challenging - it is - but nevertheless even an idiot like me can play it after only a few minutes with the help of the documentation. And it's a lot less risky than the real thing!