“TV Sports Football” was a revelation. Today it’s commonplace for sports games to try to mimic television sports broadcasts, but once upon a time it wasn’t always so. I’m dating myself here, but from “NFL Football” on the Intellivision in the early ’80s, through “4th and Inches” in the late ’80s, I always felt like I was experiencing either on an on-field atmosphere, or one invoking the feeling of being in the stands watching a game. “TV Sports Football” turned that on its head, and sports gaming was never the same.
“Avatar Football” takes the side-scrolling gameplay of “4th and Inches”, puts it in the TV broadcast-style presentation pioneered by “TV Sports Football”, and rolls it up with a plethora of options more akin NFL 2K or Madden. And then it offers it all for 80 Microsoft Points. This game is ridiculous value for gridiron fans (and, in case the box art doesn’t make it clear, this is gridiron football, not what we North Americans call “soccer).
TV Sports Football, for reference:
4th and Inches, for reference:
I’m still waiting for a CFL gridiron football game. We have licenced lacrosse games on XBLIG, why not a CFL game? It’s championship game (the “Grey Cup” game) gets 6 million television viewers each year in Canada, there’s definitely a market here people!
Here’s what the developer (Barkers Crest Studio, who brought us “Avatar Legends” and “Easy Golf”) has to say about the game:
“Score a Touchdown with your Avatar! Features: 3 vs 3 Xbox LIVE Multiplayer, Full Season Mode, Design and Share your own Offense and Defense Plays, Customize and Share Rosters, and Much More!!! Avatar Football is for gamers of all ages and skill levels.”
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