Football Games to Play

Good Football Games to Play

Thanks to incredible next generation graphics, the current set of home video game consoles have some very realistic football games to play. At this time, the only franchise that has the full NFL license is Madden Football series from Electronic Arts. Thankfully, Madden is probably the best football video game available today.

If you go a little further back in history, you can look into titles like the NFL Quarterback Club series from Acclaim, which was a direct competitor to Madden at the time.

In any case, here are the top five currently available football games to play:

• Madden NFL 08: Just like all the other Madden games which preceded it, the 2008 edition of this game is truly out of this world. The graphics are amazing, the controls are super tight, and the realism is simply unbelievable. If you want an ultra-realistic NFL experience, it doesn't get much better than Madden NFL 08.
• NFL Street 2: For something a little more outrageous, NFL Street 2 offers arcade-like action, similar to the popular NFL Blitz and NHL Hitz franchises. As its name implies, the action is street football, rather than an organized game of 11-on-11.
• NCAA Football 08: Cheer on your alma mater in this college-based football simulation. The mechanics, playbooks, and maneuvers are similar to the Madden series, except of course it's based on college ball. You can usually find an NCAA game for less than an equivalent NFL one.
• All-Pro Football 2K8: Because Electronic Arts owns the exclusive NFL license, 2K Sports took a different route with their football game, offering over 200 classic players. Building your teams and taking them online on the PS3 and Xbox 360 can actually be quite a bit of fun.
• Tecmo Bowl: You've probably played this game back on the original NES. The difference is that this classic arcade-style football game to play is available on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console.

Family-Friendly Football Video Games

Football games can be intimidating to people who are not well versed in the terminology and those who have trouble reading what the plays mean. It's quite a daunting task taking care of all the intricate movements on the fly as well, from juking to sprinting, tackling to batting down the ball. In this way, many amateurs and beginning players have been turned off by most of the football video games out there.

Electronic Arts has taken a rather novel approach with the aforementioned Madden NFL 08, particularly the version on the Nintendo Wii. EA has included what they call the "Family-play" option that severely simplifies the game so that even grandma can hit the field. Play-calling is made easy and the actual movement of players is automated.

Die-hard fans will scoff at this option, but it means that everyone can now play a rousing game of American football.

Did You Mean Soccer?

With the exception of the United States and Canada, everywhere else in the world thinks of a soccer pitch when the word "football" is uttered. If you came here looking for soccer games, there are plenty of soccer games to play too! Here are just a few:

• Mario Strikers Charged: This sequel to the hugely popular arcade-style Mario soccer game on the GameCube adds fun Wii controls and online play. Yes, play online against fellow Luigi lovers, Bowser buddies, and Koopa crew.
• Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007: You want realism, you've got it. This soccer simulation title is one of the best and it's available on the PS2, PSP, and Xbox 360.
• UEFA Champions League 2006-2007: Approach the beautiful game in a slightly different way. This title is focused more on soccer management rather than the actual play on the pitch.