PlayStation 1
Released in 2000 by 989 Sports
Grade: C
GameDay 2001 tries to be simple arcade-friendly fun, but its broken AI and robotic action get old fast.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the sixth of ten GameDay games on PS1. The series only got through four releases on PS2 before calling it quits.
Praises and gripes
The action is fast and dirty. It’s extra easy to control and very forgiving. Tacklers hit the ballcarrier even if you don’t line it up just right, and quarterbacks launch deep passes with the quickest tap of the button.
The playbooks have no play-action, draws, or other trickery, nothing but basic run and pass plays. Despite the typical PS1 junky look, the action is nice and clear, with high-speed, robotic animations and good camera angles.
It’s fun at times, but the bad AI is hard to ignore. The O-line completely falls over too often, perhaps a clumsy compensation for the fact that defenders are clueless in zone defenses. The CPU will run the same play over and over, but you can’t dial up a defense to stop it with such limited tactical options. Even an arcade-style game needs some dynamics, and they’re lacking here.
I do love how quickly you can get from play to play, even though you have the unusual option to celebrate after every play. (And I do mean every play. Why’s your QB dancing after throwing a pick-six?! He must have money on the other team!)
It’s pretty funny to read old, glowing reviews of this game. The graphics and control were an improvement from previous versions, and I guess people just accepted the repetitive, limited nature of the gameplay.