Sega Dreamcast
Released in 2000 by Sega
Grade: C+
NFL 2K1 is more realistic and user-friendly than NFL 2K, but it’s held back by annoying quirks and limited football logic.
Where it falls in the series
I consider the 2K brand of Sega’s sports games its own series, but Sega released plenty of football games before, starting with Joe Montana Football on Genesis. 2K1 is the second of three on Dreamcast. The series peaked with the beloved ESPN NFL 2K5 on PS2 and Xbox, then EA Sports took the NFL license for themselves. It took three years for 2K to release another football game, All-Pro Football 2K8, a great but low-selling game, before hanging up their football cleats.
Praises
Compared to NFL 2K, this game is wide open and realistic. Passing is more fluid. When you scan the field and make a good decision, you usually get a good result. Receivers automatically make an effort to catch the pass, although they often come back to the ball so far that they lose a few yards.
Defenders can still dive far for unrealistic tackles, but it’s not nearly as pronounced as in 2K. Playing defense feels fairly intuitive.
The speed burst control is dynamic and easy to use. You can tap the button rapidly to sprint, or you can hold the button, which charges up your power and makes your next move (stiff arm, juke, or sprint) stronger. It’s a solid innovation that stuck around throughout the series.
The graphics were impressive when the game came out, and they hold up well enough today. The sound is also high quality.
Gripes
Offense, as much as it’s improved, is still filled with frustration. Passes are knocked down by linemen too often. The QB control feels a bit clunky. You’ll take more sacks than it seems like you should. Running the ball still results in a lot of 1-yard gains.
The playbooks aren’t up to par for a 2001 game. You’ll re-run plays often. I’m not a fan of the playcall screen. Strategic adjustments are very limited.
In general, this game is sort of between categories. It’s challenging like a simulation, but it’s simple like an arcade. Put more critically, it’s dumbed down without being extra fun. It lacks the depth of its competitor, Madden NFL 2001, and it’s not blazing fast or over-the-top like NFL Blitz. These days, you’ll probably only want to play it if you have a case of Dreamcast nostalgia.