PlayStation 3
Released in 2012 by EA Sports
Grade: B
This game brings back classic Blitz gameplay, but with sweet graphics and no late hits. I hold the unpopular opinion that the revered late hits are boring, repetitive, and annoying, so I’m perfectly fine with the lack of them here.
Where it falls in the series
There were six NFL Blitz console games published by Midway between 1997 and 2002 (and then 2003’s NFL Blitz Pro, an odd half arcade/half sim game), before EA claimed the exclusive NFL license, leaving other publishers to get creative. Midway got creative in a weird way with two Blitz: The League games in 2005 and 2008, known for being purposely distasteful. EA then acquired the Blitz name for this downloadable release, the last Blitz to date.
Praises and gripes
I’m not a huge fan of Blitz’s one-dimensional 7-on-7 style, but it’s well executed and easy to control in this edition.
There aren’t many plays, and there are no run plays. Defenders make long diving tackles with no repercussions, cheaply taking receivers out of the play before the ball gets to them. Quarterbacks move swiftly any which way and can fire passes on the run.
The rules are designed for wild games, with 30 yards for a first down, a stopped clock between plays, and longer-than-usual field goals. Bleeding the clock isn’t an option. The trailing team has a programmed advantage when it comes to fumbles and interceptions.
It’s hard to deny the raw fun of this game, even if it’s not much like football. With superhuman defenders getting away with pass interference, your instinct for who’s open is distorted. There are a lot of QB scrambles. You can exploit trick plays on the fly, throwing back to a receiver, who can hurl passes as effectively as the QB can.
The key gameplay difference between this and the earlier versions is it feels like there’s just a tiny bit more open space out there, and players’ superhuman abilities are just a tiny bit toned down. I also find this game slightly easier to control.
The graphics are a treat for the eyes, although (call me crazy) I detest that both teams wear colored jerseys. White jerseys only show up to avoid two teams wearing the same color, or when the Cowboys are playing. This is especially problematic when you’ve got navy blue and black jerseys on the same field.
The sound has the familiar Midway excitement to it, with a bombastic announcer and loud clashes and bits of bright music.