One loser, one middling, one that rocks (PC
Football games)
by Alan Zisman
(c) 2000, First
published in Vancouver Computes,
January
2000
Microsoft NFL Fever 2000
Platforms supported: Win95/98
Requires: Pentium 200, 32 meg RAM, 50 MB drive space
About $30
www.microsoft.com
Electronic Arts Madden NFL 2000
Platforms supported: Playstation, N64, Win95/98
(Rumours of a Mac
version)
Requires: Pentium 166, 16 meg RAM, 30 MB drive space
About $60
http://www.easports.com/99/madden2000/
January means football to a lot of people?US-style
football, at least,
since the CFL season ended way back in late November. If you haven?t
had
your fill of football, or if you want to keep the season going, you
might
want to try out football sims on your PC.
If you haven?t looked at PC football games recently,
you?ll find the
current crop more realistic than ever?better 3D, announcing, and crowd
noise combine to give a look and feel that more than ever lets the
action
on the computer screen resemble the action on your big-screen TV?but
with
you controlling the plays.
Once again, we tossed a pair of new sports games to a
teen test panel?in
this case, Joey and Jas, both 15 years old. They looked at Microsoft?s
NFL Fever 2000, a new game in its first version, and Electronic Arts?
Madden
NFL 2000, the tenth annual version of this sports dynasty. Both games
were
tested on a 400 mhz Pentium II with a Voodoo 2 graphics accelerator.
As challenger, for its first time on screen, Microsoft
has wisely had
modest goals for NFL Fever. You can?t follow a team through multiple
seasons,
trading and drafting players to build up your franchise. Instead, you
get
your choice of the 31 current NFL teams, and get on the field to play.
3D graphics are nicely detailed?perhaps better than
Madden?s, at least
on the field. Our testers were disappointed with the lack of detailing
on the arenas and the crowds. Joey reported ?There are no players on
the
benches?in fact, there are no benches.? Similarly, while Microsoft
touts
?real crowd noises?, the test panel found the announcing uninspired.
The game?s focus is on getting you up and playing
quickly. Jas found
it easy to play?he reported ?Just pick a play, press a couple of
buttons,
and it goes. It?s easy to catch a pass?. But he went on to suggest that
despite the fast gameplay, it was sometimes hard to control?he reported
that pressing his up button didn?t move the players up, but rather in
an
unexpected zig-zag.
The boys found NFL Fever 2000 a good try for a first
effort from Microsoft,
especially given that it sells for half the price of EA?s product. Jas
rated it a B-, while Joey called it a C+. They?re looking forward to
future
versions to iron out the glitches.
This is Madden?s 10th anniversary product?it
originated way back in
the Apple II era. It offers a host of features?you can built a team
over
time, or try your hand at a set of ten great games from football
history.
You can create your own custom players, though unlike EA?s NHL 2000,
you
can?t import faces. A player here can have your name, but not your
appearance.
Still, the proof, as EA says ?is in the game?, and
playing Madden is
an odd combination of reward and frustration. Unlike the Microsoft
game,
it takes time to learn to control passing in Madden. Jas suggested that
it was difficult to know when to throw a pass. It was, however, much
easier
to kick a field goal than in the Microsoft competitor.
The boys liked the plays?they reported ?they are very
detailed. You
know exactly what?s going to happen?. And they were impressed with the
individualization of the players. ?Fatter guys are slower runners, just
like in real life?. Still, they were surprised to report that the
graphics
had taken a step backwards from the 1999 version?last year?s version
seemed
clearer and more detailed, Joey pointed out.
While the detailing in the arenas and the crowd stand
out, Joey felt
like the commentary in this game also needed improvement. Too often,
with
both games, comments simply don?t match what?s happening on the field.
Both boys rated this game as a B+. For an example of a
football simulation
that rates an A, they both pointed to NFL 2K for Sega?s new DreamCast,
which they agreed was ?totally realistic?. Joey commented ?It?s not too
often that you see a game system game overpower a computer, but NFL 2K
whoops them all. It totally rocks?.