NFL Blitz (1997 video game)

NFL Blitz is an American football video game developed and published by Midway Games for the arcade in 1997, the first game in the NFL Blitz series. The development team was headed by Mark Turmell and Sal Divita, who were known for being behind NBA Jam, and NFL Blitz was a deliberate attempt to translate the exaggerated arcade-style approach of NBA Jam to the football realm. The game was ported to the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Windows, and Game Boy Color in 1998. The cover athlete for the game was then Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart.

NFL Blitz
Developer(s)Midway Games
Midway Studios San Diego (PlayStation)
Digital Eclipse (GBC)
Publisher(s)Midway Games
SeriesNFL Blitz
Platform(s)Arcade, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Color
ReleaseArcade
Nintendo 64
  • NA: September 9, 1998
PlayStation
  • NA: September 12, 1998
Windows
Game Boy Color
  • NA: December 1998
  • EU: 1998
Genre(s)Sports
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Gameplay

NFL Blitz is based on seven-on-seven-man football teams.[2] It also diverges from traditional rules of American football in that there are no penalties, no substitutions, and players can perform illegal attacks on each other such as dropkicks.[3]

The game features a full NFL license, with players and teams from the 1997 season.[4]

Development

The game was developed by a team lead by Mark Turmell and Sal Divita, who wanted to "do for the NFL franchise what we did for the NBA franchise [with NBA Jam]" in Turmell's words.[3] In particular, they wanted to create a football game which allows the players to get to the action more quickly than other football games, which they found tended to bog the player down in the play-select screen and other setup menus.[3]

The arcade board is called the Seattle System, which is based on a 3Dfx chipset.[3]

According to Divita, the team decided to make the game support just two players instead of four "because in a football game, there just isn't enough gameplay between the quarterback and the receiver to make it fun. It's not like NBA Jam, where teamwork can really be a factor."[3]

Reception

The Nintendo 64 and PlayStation versions received universal acclaim, while the PC version received favorable reviews, according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[5][6][7] Next Generation said in its June 1998 issue that the arcade version "provides an unrealistic but adrenaline-packed experience."[2] The same magazine later said of the PlayStation version in its November 1998 issue, "The only real knock we have on Blitz is that, like the arcade version, the lack of play variety can get stale after a while, especially in single-player mode. Despite that one problem, Blitz offers the most intense game of football you're likely to find at home and makes a worthy purchase."[31] AllGame gave the arcade version four-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that "it's not football played according to real rules, but it's still a blast. It's more like those pick-up games you played with kids in your neighborhood way back when, when every play was a pass and you needed two completions for a first down. The only difference is that punting is an option in this game, and if you had treated your opponents as a kid the way you can treat them in this game, then you're probably reading this from prison right now."[37] GameFan gave the N64 version universal acclaim, over a month before said console version was released Stateside.[18] Computer Games Strategy Plus gave the PC version four stars out of five and said, "After yet another late hit, you're sure to nod in approval when the announcer says, 'That was totally uncalled for, but awfully fun to watch.'"[38] Kevin Cheung of Hyper gave the N64 version 83% and stated, "The bottom line is that Blitz is the most offensively oriented football game around, with enough punishment that guarantees pleasure for the masses. Even though it has nowhere near the depth, control, or strategy of Madden or QB Club, it is the most satisfying quick-thrill game I can imagine."[39]

References
  1. Ocampo, Jason (August 27, 1998). "NFL Blitz for PC in October". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 23, 2003. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  2. "NFL Blitz (Arcade)". Next Generation. No. 42. Imagine Media. June 1998. p. 148. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  3. Johnny Ballgame (September 1997). "Hot at the Arcades: NFL Blitz". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. pp. 80–81.
  4. "NFL Blitz (Arcade)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 90.
  5. "NFL Blitz for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  6. "NFL Blitz for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  7. "NFL Blitz for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  8. Marriott, Scott Alan. "NFL Blitz (N64) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  9. Shif, Gil. "NFL Blitz (PC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  10. Baker, Christopher Michael. "NFL Blitz (PS) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  11. Todd, Brett (March 1999). "Blood Bowl (NFL Blitz Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 176. Ziff Davis. pp. 186–87. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  12. EGM staff (1998). "NFL Blitz (N64)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis.
  13. EGM staff (1998). "NFL Blitz (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis.
  14. "NFL Blitz (GBC)". Game Informer. No. 72. FuncoLand. April 1999.
  15. Storm, Jon; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (October 1998). "NFL Blitz (N64)". Game Informer. No. 66. FuncoLand. p. 34. Archived from the original on September 9, 1999. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  16. "NFL Blitz (PC)". Game Informer. No. 68. FuncoLand. December 1998.
  17. "NFL Blitz (PS)". Game Informer. No. 66. FuncoLand. October 1998. p. 68. Archived from the original on September 13, 1999. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  18. "REVIEW for NFL Blitz". GameFan. Metropolis Media. July 22, 1998.
  19. Dan Elektro (October 1998). "NFL Blitz (N64)". GamePro. No. 121. IDG Entertainment. p. 180. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  20. Knibbe, Willem (1999). "NFL Blitz Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 11, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  21. Air Hendrix (1998). "NFL Blitz Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 16, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  22. Dr. Moo (October 1998). "NFL Blitz Review (N64)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  23. Dr. Moo (October 1998). "NFL Blitz - PSX Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 6, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  24. Gerstmann, Jeff (September 16, 1998). "NFL Blitz Review (N64) [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  25. Broady, Vince (October 7, 1998). "NFL Blitz Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  26. Gerstmann, Jeff (September 16, 1998). "NFL Blitz Review (PS) [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  27. Casamassina, Matt (September 11, 1998). "NFL Blitz (N64)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  28. Bates, Jason (October 6, 1998). "NFL Blitz (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  29. Perry, Douglass C. (September 11, 1998). "NFL Blitz (PS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  30. "NFL Blitz [Import]". N64 Magazine. No. 22. Future plc. December 1998.
  31. "NFL Blitz (PS)". Next Generation. No. 47. Imagine Media. November 1998. p. 146. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  32. "[NFL] Blitz (GBC)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 115. Nintendo of America. December 1998. p. 134.
  33. "[NFL] Blitz (N64)". Nintendo Power. No. 112. Nintendo of America. September 1998. p. 102. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  34. "NFL Blitz". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 2 no. 1. Ziff Davis. October 1998.
  35. "NFL Blitz". PC Accelerator. Vol. 2 no. 5. Imagine Media. January 1999. p. 103.
  36. "NFL Blitz". PC Gamer. Imagine Media. 1999.
  37. Cook, Brad. "NFL Blitz (ARC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  38. Bauman, Steve (November 24, 1998). "NFL Blitz". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 23, 2003. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  39. "NFL Blitz (N64)". Hyper. No. 61. Next Media Pty Ltd. November 1998. p. 56. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
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