Madden NFL 97

Sega already has published two stellar versions of World Series Baseball for the Saturn. Both wowed gamers with their graphics, statistical depth, and gameplay. Now Sega is bringing their sports knowledge to the gridiron with their first 32-Bit football game, NFL '97.

Facing stiff competition from the likes of Madden 97, Sega really sweated the details to make their title, in their opinion, the "winner of the video game Super Bowl." NFL '97 features all 30 teams, logos and all of your favorite players. Gameplay is influenced by players' real-life statistics, which are tracked throughout your fictitious season.

The masterminds at Sega Sports managed to cram over 300 offensive and defensive plays into NFL '97, offering more than enough selection for the average player.

One of the many new features Sega included in the game is the ability to control the speed with which your quarterback throws the ball. The new option allows players to throw a delicate lob to the corner of the endzone or a bullet straight to a couple of receivers. The choice is yours.

Opting to abandon some of the older conventions of many 16-Bit football titles, such as confusing passing windows, Sega instead developed a blue arc to track prospective receivers. This may take a little getting used to, but once players fully understand it, it can be used to pinpoint receivers, even in heavy traffic.

Saturn owners who haven't invested in Sega's multiplayer adapter probably will want to do so to take full advantage of NFL '97. You and up to five of your friends can play the game simultaneously.

One of the ways Sega achieved their large share of the 16-Bit market was by publishing great sports games for the Genesis, and games like NFL '97 may attract similar numbers to the Saturn.

MANUFACTURER - Sega

THEME - Sport

NUMBER OF PLAYERS - 1-8