As a fully fledged Englishman I know nothing of what Americans call football. With enough protection to offend a Catholic priest and game time which can only be described at delayed there isn’t much which attracts about real life American Football. But something overtook me when I purchased the original Blitz: The League for 360, it was mostly due to the price, when I became immediately intrigued to try and understand arcade football.

What I was met with was immediately a blast with action packed violence which erupted into the screen demanding attention and admiration. This title was crass, unadulterated fun and I loved it. Perhaps it has nothing to do with the resemblance to the sport, more the attention Midway have bestowed on the violence, rivalry’s and injuries which players can’t help falling in love with. You’ve just ruptured that players spline, here are some power-up icons to destroy more players livelihoods.

Tough on the outside, goo-ey in the middle.

Today, after months of playing, I have finally finished the damn thing and it was a frustrating mess at times but was incredibly rewarding when the following happened. It was the final quarter, my team was down by a six points – worth one touchdown and their was only seconds left on the clock with my team in possession of the ball about forty yards from the touchdown mark. Following a Herculan throw from my quarterback to a wide reciever, we managed to gain a touchdown as the clock whittled down to zero seconds left of the game. Only one play remained to make up the necessary deficit, make a field goal to tie the game, or throw a conversion to gain two points thus winning the game. But going for the latter would be tough and risky, if a conversion wasn’t made the game would be lost, and kicking a field goal is pratically a given at this point.

So does a team go for a win, or settle for a draw and over time? The Kalamazoo Krazies went for a conversion and made it with the last play of the game, beating the final game of Blitz’ story campaign. Now that drama written down for the masses sounds contrived, predictable and very hollywood. But the fact it came from a game with little to no storyline and was entirely birthed from the action on the field, much like the sport it is trying to emulate. Its gaming like that which has made us all fall in love with this past time in the first place.