NFL Street

Reviewed by Peter Russomano
April 2005

Developer: Tiburon Publisher: EA Website: Click Here Platform(s): PS2, XBOX, GameCube Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: Everyone

If you're old enough to remember NFL Blitz, then you might find some similarities to that franchise and NFL Street. While not quite as "extreme" as Blitz, this is another example of the arcade-style sports gameplay that your little brother can understand and enjoy.

The basic idea is as follows: during the off-season, NFL players like to suit up in their favorite hoodies and sexy shorts and engage in some friendly competition at the local neighborhood park. Of course, this means no refs, no rules, and hopefully as much skin as possible! It's fun, if not deep, but that kind of thing doesn't matter when you're just trying to get together with your buddies for a fun afternoon. Street delivers on multiplayer fun, which is really the only thing you have to worry about with this game. The single player is another example of what EA does in all of their games these days. You start with a crappy team consisting of guys with names like "Rusty Baggs" and you take them on a hard-but-rewarding climb up the gridiron ladder. It's fun for a time, upgrading your individual player's stats and all that, but it really isn't nearly as fun as kicking your friend's butt 28 to 2 while he cries like a little girl. If you've got friends, throw 3 more controllers into that Xbox and have at it (If you don't have friends, I'm available on weekends for some casual dining and walks in the park... Call me!).

One niggling little issue I do have, however, is the audio. On the Cube and the PS2, I understand that there is nothing you can do about it. Listen to it over and over or mute it. But with the XBox, it seems like a no-brainer to have a custom soundtrack option. Sadly, EA has kicked us squarely in the junk by making us listen to the 10 X-Ecutioner songs over and over. I like the X-Men as much as the next guy, but scratch music for a whole game just makes me want to shoot myself with a nail gun... in the eye… twice.

All in all, I recommend this game for anyone who enjoys a decent and fun football game that takes one tenth the explanation that Madden does. Call your buds over and get it on!