As a big fan of the first few NFL Blitz games and the NBA Street series, I was hoping NFL Street would borrow (or steal, whatever it takes) the best bits from both. Point toward the sky and give it up for the Almighty football has been Street-ified. Still, nitpicking won't change the fact that Street is one of the most accessible and, more important, entertaining sports titles to date. But the game isn't without faults: Cycling through the pint-sized play-call window is a chore, playing rock-solid defense is a struggle at times, and the create-a-player has limited facial options. These reelworthy moments (or, some might say, football follies) consistently keep the gameplay energized and unpredictable. Yes, that was just one play in a single game, but giddily fun gameplay like this is so common that it's hard to put the controller down. Before he can be slammed against the sideline wall, the ball carrier pulls a Matrix-style run up the concrete barrier, hops off like a jack rabbit, and registers six more points on the scoreboard. The team that started the play picks the ball back up and heads toward pay dirt. Soon thereafter, he pays the price for showboating and fumbles. Here's an example: A defender who's just intercepted the ball starts dribbling the pigskin like a basketball downfield.
Anything goes on these unconventional (and fantastic-looking) fields, and the gameplay reflects Street's no-holds-barred attitude. Street perfectly blends the arcadey feel of old-school NFL Blitz games with NBA Street's flamboyant antics.
So why do so many of them keep challenging me to a game of NFL Street? Simply put, whether you pray to the football gods every Sunday or watch pigskin only around Super Bowl time, this game appeals to the quick-thrill, pick-up-and-play gamer in all of us.