Child Prodigies In Your 'Backyard'
Friday, April 14, 2006; Page WE43
The NFL football season doesn't return for a few more months, but the backyard games never stop. The backyard sports series started out years ago as kind of a gimmick. The original backyard soccer game emphasized more teamwork aspects than actual gameplay. Over the years, the series has evolved, especially the football version with its NFL franchise license, ensuring real team logos and at least a handful of star players, each represented as a kid.
The premise of "Backyard Football 2006" is simple. Neighborhood kids get together for a friendly game of football. Trees become end zones, and parked cars mark the 50-yard line. "Backyard Football" mimics this by giving you a variety of places to play, including a sandy beach, a wooded campground and a dirty junkyard. There is even an indoor arena at a warehouse where someone's father probably works. The outdoor venues are subject to either programmed or random weather, which affects player performance.
  In "Backyard Football," teams can play in several locales. (Humongous Entertainment) |
Gameplay is simple to pick up. As quarterback, you drop back to throw and then see buttons over your receivers. If you think someone is open, a quick tap on that symbol lobs it in; a long mash throws a bullet. When running with the ball, you can do various spin moves, jukes and jumps. The playbook is extensive with a mix of running, passing and trick plays.
All the NFL team logos and colors appear, and some real players make it into the game, including Matt Hasslebeck, Peyton Manning, Ahman Green, Tom Brady and Daunte Culpepper.
On the supremely silly side, you can access special moves such as "cooties," which keeps players away from you for a time. This keeps the game from getting too serious.
The best aspect is that the game can be a fun evening with the family, as kids will enjoy it and adults probably will, too. Kids won't feel overmatched, and adults won't get bored. So for that, "Backyard Football" scores a touchdown.
-- John Breeden II
Backyard Football 2006 Everyone, PS2, PC Windows XP ($30) Humongous Entertainment
