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NFL Blitz 20-03 (GCN)
By Paolo Aragon

NFL Blitz, an arcade-based game dating back to 1998. Starting with its first version, NFL Blitz 2000, it has slowly improved its options and settled some of the disputes its early versions have failed to make inconspicuous. Its newer version, NFL Blitz 2003 (besides the newest NFL Blitz Pro) certainly makes a much better name for itself than all the previous versions ever did. It nailed and fixed most of last year's NFL Blitz 20-03's ravels, and added a couple new features. The question remaining now is,"How many sacks, and knacks, can you handle?!"

GAMEPLAY- The arcade-styled, hard-hitting, long-passing, player-sacking game did a great job in executing its gameplay. Its unique style of only eight vs. eight, and having to get thirty yards for a first down instead of ten, sure separates it from all the other plain old, ordinary every-day football games. The game literally disregards any football-foul rules. While on defense; sacking a player before he even gets near the ball is a typical strategy, as so is pummeling them in the spare time you receive after every play. Igniting your team on flames for either sacking a quarter-back twice in the same set, or throwing to the same wide-receiver for three consecutive times, can just as well get very exciting. And not only do the flames look pretty rushing the field, they also allow you to attain unlimited Turbo until the privilege is gone. Besides having just awesome features, the game also provides the player with a great variety of different plays; in which only a few are either quite pointless, or very risky. The game also include a great variety of exactitude, having to double-tap the Turbo button to do spin moves, moving the Control Stick as you are juking someone out, and a few more.

Unfortunately the game has its downsides as well. Some of which include the fact that the offense and defense are a trifle unevenly setup. No matter what skill level you play on, the offense will always be quite easier than the defense. The game makes it extremely difficult to allow you to fumble the other team and/or intercept a badly thrown pass while on defense, and sporadically makes cheap passes that cannot be prevented. Besides the unproportionized offense and defense, the game also offers another sort of annoying feature. That is the feature that the gamer will always be the one to receive a game-start kickoff. While many people may argue this to be a good thing, after a while it gets very disturbing. That feature just takes away diversity from the game and makes it to expectant and occasionally boring. It basically forces you to concoct a permanent plan that readies you for when the opposing team receives the kickoff at the beginning of the third quarter. Lastly the game has some very fun and creative playing options that allow you to play a season, exhibition, and tournament; each unlocking a special feature video. In conclusion NFL Blitz 20-03 has great, unique gameplay, with only but a few downsides, but more than enough upsides to make up for them.

CONTROLS- another section in which Midway's NFL Blitz 20-03 prevailed in, its controls. NFL Blitz 20-03's controls are nothing short of excellent. The game adds nice and smooth controls for just about everything you can think of. Every single control on the Gamecube controller is beautifully executed and applied in the game. The passes are each exactly programmed into -B-, -Y-, and -X-, in which B is the most prominent one that always passes to the impact player. -A- is used to hurdle and both -R- and -L- serve amazing running purposes. Such as; juking, turbo, spinning, and along with the Control Stick and Control Pad many other different combos. Audibles are also easily called before each play using -Y-. The only aspect not perfect about the game’s controls is that though very, very, seldomly, only -B- can be used to pass in certain position situations. Other than that, the producers did an excellent job in NFL Blitz 20-03's controls, truly beautiful!

GRAPHICS- Being that graphics play a huge part in sports games, (since both the player and ball need to be seen clearly) NFL Blitz 20-03 once again prevails in doing an astounding job. The players are easily, clearly, and nicely noted, as with the highly animated stadiums, of course ball, and even audience. The graphics reach their climax when a special move, or feature is accessed. All in all the game is easily noted for and the gamer can easily tell what is going on, and though they are not perfect, they are close enough to being just that.

SOUND- NFL Blitz 20-03's sound is a rock n'roll rhythm as its main melody preluding any games, and during the game the commentary of Tim and Bill (unknown sports announcers) vividly describing the action; the players' funny remarks and attitudes, and then the average sounds of an NFL football game once again during the game. The main melody that the gamer hears whenever choosing options or loading anything is a great one and is quite catchy. It adds a nice touch to the sound. During the game the hilarious duo of Tim and Bill do an awe-inspiring job of commenting about the game. They vividly describe each play that just occurred, and extremely seldomly drag on the lines to a time where it is too late. (As is an annoying weakness in many sports games. Though their commentary may get a tad repetitive, it is overruled by how funny, and precise the two are. The next hilarious thing is what the players say after each play. They either threaten each other, whine in pain, or just plain say something pathetic. The last sounds heard during the game are the typical NFL game sounds; Audience, hikes, grumbles of the players, etc. All in all, the game's sounds are hilarious ones with a tinkle of repetitiveness in them, but not much at all.

LASTING APPEAL/REPLAYABILITY- having all of NFL Blitz 20-03's special features, hilarious situations, and uniqueness all add up like an algebra equation to equal one great sum, Lasting Appeal/Replay ability. If ever a good reason for a sports game to have amazing Lasting Appeal/Replay ability, it is because of all that NFL Blitz 20-03 has. The game is very addicting and is hard to abandon play on. With all that it offers extra, plus its already enjoyable, no wonder its Lasting Appeal/Replay ability is so, so, resplendent, splendiferous, and magnificently good. Just like LAYS Potato Chips, "bet you can't take just one (in this game one game)."

OVERALL- Overall NFL Blitz 20-03 is an excellent sports game with awesome gameplay, smooth and perfect controls, beautiful graphics, highly enjoyable sound, and absolutely splendid Lasting Appeal/Replay ability. It is just an overall great game. It is excellent for purchase and perfect for rental. A truly magnificent, one-of-a-kind game. Rating Gameplay: 8 Controls: 9 Graphics: 8 Sound: 9 Lasting Appeal/ Replay ability- 9.5 Overall (not an average): 8.5