NFL Blitz has arrived on Nintendo 64, and it plays like no other football game available today.
A New Kind of Football
NFL Blitz throws out the usual rules. There is no offsides. There is no holding penalty. Games run in short quarters, and every player on the field moves faster than in a real NFL contest. The result feels wild, and it works.
Players will notice the hits first. Late hits are not just allowed in NFL Blitz — they are rewarded. Strike down a quarterback well after the play ends and the game does not punish the hit. It rewards it.
Design Choices That Stand Out
NFL Blitz separates itself from other football titles through a group of clear design choices:
- Seven players on each side instead of eleven
- No penalty for most rough contact, including late hits
- Big, over-the-top player animations during major plays
- Simple controls that let new players make big plays quickly
- Quick scoring that keeps every game close and full of action
Each of these choices pushes NFL Blitz further from a serious simulation and closer to arcade delight. That appears to be the goal, and it succeeds.
The Arcade Feel Carries Over
NFL Blitz began life in arcades, and the Nintendo 64 version keeps that spirit whole. The move to home console has not changed the feel of the game. Matches still play like arcade sessions, without needing a coin.
The sound design adds to that arcade energy. Big hits land with loud, heavy sound. Touchdowns bring big, over-the-top calls from the announcer. Nothing about the presentation asks players to take the game seriously, and nothing needs to.
The best part of NFL Blitz is playing against another person.
Two people playing together brings loud, spirited talk between friends. That talk becomes part of the game as much as the hits on the field. Playing alone still holds up well; the computer plays hard enough to keep the game interesting even without a second player.
“NFL Blitz” rewards the kind of neighborhood football players always wanted but never got.
The game is not without weak spots. Some players may find the big hits feel repeated after long play. The simple set of rules, while good, means NFL Blitz will never please players looking for a real simulation of football. Those players have other games to turn to. NFL Blitz was never trying to be one of them.
NFL Blitz succeeds because it commits fully to what it is. It does not say sorry for its big hits, its quick pace, or its break from real football rules. It simply asks players to enjoy themselves, and it delivers on that promise every time the game begins.
