scooterb23
08-17-2003, 10:21 PM
Just wanted to put a good word in for Backyard Football for the Gamecube.
It's a kids game, simplified controls, cartoony graphics, and shorter games, but it is so much fun!
Basically, you choose from a bunch of neighborhood kids (including some NFL players from back in their childhoods!!!) if you see other Backyard Sports games...you'll notice the same kids.
The game itself has most usual football rules with some noticeable exceptions:
1. You have to go 20 yards for a first down
2. Only 7 players on a team, and only 5 on the field at a time
3. Blitzing can happen only after a 3-second count
4. 1 minute (!!!) quarters, with the clock stopping after every play.
Believe it or not, 1 minute quarters are actually a good amount for this game, as possesion changes often (these a 6-year olds...many fumbles ensue :) )
Other pluses:
1. A nice tutorial mode, which helps teach kids the basics of game play.
2. Decent play by play announcing...it isn't grating, and they don't repeat themselves that often in a game (I have only played one game, so I expect to hear the same lines over again in subsequent games)
3. Full season mode is 14 games long, with player drafts, and all NFL teams are represented with logos and colors (as well as a few made up teams as well)...40 teams. No uniforms though, T-shirts and jeans are the order of the day.
4. Great graphics, lots of personality, the kids walk with a wobble as the helmets are heavy LOL
5. The whining noise a kid makes when tackled hard :)
Negatives:
1. If you like Madden style games, the limited play choices (only about 15 plays are available during a game, you can edit and change your playbook in between games though) will probably grate at you.
2. It's pretty easy to put together an unstoppable team, if you just focus on the child NFL stars: my team has Peyton Manning, Jerry Rice, Ricky Williams, Jevon Kearse, some kid named Ricky that is a great kicker, and twin girls who play like stars as long as they are on the same team...
3. The players repeat the same things every play, having a kid yell "Cootie 12 " as a play call is funny the first couple of times, but after 20-30 times...it's a tad annoying.
Overall, if ytou are looking for a quick pick-up and play sports game, or Madden games are too complex for your little ones...I highly recommend Backyard Football
I also would recommend all the other Backyard Sports titles, as they do good jobs of making easy to play, fun sports games.
Now on to the good deal part of this story: this game is only $9.99 at Target this week!!
In my opinion, you can't go too far wrong with this one :)
It's a kids game, simplified controls, cartoony graphics, and shorter games, but it is so much fun!
Basically, you choose from a bunch of neighborhood kids (including some NFL players from back in their childhoods!!!) if you see other Backyard Sports games...you'll notice the same kids.
The game itself has most usual football rules with some noticeable exceptions:
1. You have to go 20 yards for a first down
2. Only 7 players on a team, and only 5 on the field at a time
3. Blitzing can happen only after a 3-second count
4. 1 minute (!!!) quarters, with the clock stopping after every play.
Believe it or not, 1 minute quarters are actually a good amount for this game, as possesion changes often (these a 6-year olds...many fumbles ensue :) )
Other pluses:
1. A nice tutorial mode, which helps teach kids the basics of game play.
2. Decent play by play announcing...it isn't grating, and they don't repeat themselves that often in a game (I have only played one game, so I expect to hear the same lines over again in subsequent games)
3. Full season mode is 14 games long, with player drafts, and all NFL teams are represented with logos and colors (as well as a few made up teams as well)...40 teams. No uniforms though, T-shirts and jeans are the order of the day.
4. Great graphics, lots of personality, the kids walk with a wobble as the helmets are heavy LOL
5. The whining noise a kid makes when tackled hard :)
Negatives:
1. If you like Madden style games, the limited play choices (only about 15 plays are available during a game, you can edit and change your playbook in between games though) will probably grate at you.
2. It's pretty easy to put together an unstoppable team, if you just focus on the child NFL stars: my team has Peyton Manning, Jerry Rice, Ricky Williams, Jevon Kearse, some kid named Ricky that is a great kicker, and twin girls who play like stars as long as they are on the same team...
3. The players repeat the same things every play, having a kid yell "Cootie 12 " as a play call is funny the first couple of times, but after 20-30 times...it's a tad annoying.
Overall, if ytou are looking for a quick pick-up and play sports game, or Madden games are too complex for your little ones...I highly recommend Backyard Football
I also would recommend all the other Backyard Sports titles, as they do good jobs of making easy to play, fun sports games.
Now on to the good deal part of this story: this game is only $9.99 at Target this week!!
In my opinion, you can't go too far wrong with this one :)