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All the actual passing, running and kicking statistics of some of Football's greatest teams are packed into this game but in playable form. The details of the 28 teams that contested the 1966, 68, 70, 73, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86 and 1987 Super Bowls are all included and can be matched against each other. You can even play the 1973 Miami Dolphins against the 1984 "Dan Marino" Miami Dolphins. Because of the college draft and players retiring and trading, they're totally different teams.

As in Head Coach, you choose the plays that the on-screen players attempt to carry out. Unlike Head Coach, you play every second of the game, call every play, score every point and hear (and almost feel) every bone-crushing tackle.

On offence you can choose from four running plays, three passing plays, two special quarterback moves (short yardage ploys), punting and a field goal attempt. You can then select one of three formations either the standard setup, one including four wide receivers and a three running back formation.

Finally, you choose the quarterback who is going to throw the ball and the receiver to catch it in a passing play or a runner in running play. Then sit back and watch the action.

In defence, the choice is simply to choose a normal defence or one biased to stop a run or a pass. You can then single out opposing players as the ones to get. Either the runner, a specific wide receiver or the quarterback. Get it wrong and you could give away a lot of yards.

I played a pre-production version of this game and enjoyed it despite some annoying bugs particularly when the on-screen action doesn't quite match the internal maths. Nexus say these bugs will be investigated and ironedout before the game's release. Even if they don't, it's still compulsive action for gridiron groupies.

Nexus is also planning a supplement tape containing the end-of-season statistics for all 28 NFL teams.