3RRSG NFL QBC96

A GOOD Quarterback Club? I kid you not! Read on…

You know, it's a good thing living right up the street from Blockbuster.
It really is. Because then, if I ever get bored one day I can always ride
my bike down there and look at the games they keep putting up for
sale. Oh sure, they have oodles and oodles of Playstation games and
bundles of N64 games, but why bother when you can revisit the golden
age of gaming? It's a great thing, buying Genesis games for 99 cents. It
really is.

Here is one I picked up with loose change from my pocket. Pretty
sweet, huh? Buying a video game for 99 cents with loose change.
Never thought I'd see the day. I had NO sports games for my beloved
Genny. None. Zip. Kinda pathetic, I know. But this solved everything. I
didn't expect it to compete with the likes of gridiron juggernauts like
Madden (cringe, but I thought I'd give it a try, just to see). With recent
Quarterback Club titles being mediocre at best and the DC QBCs being
complete abominations, I feel odd saying that Quarterback Club is a
great change of pace for hardcore Madden (cringe) gamers.

Flip on the switch to the little black box and after multiple
developer/publisher screens, the funky music starts playing. Then you
get a great intro screen with a close-up of a field in action with the
NFL's greatest players' altered photographs scrolling along the side.
Then the menu comes up with 3 general modes: Play, Practice, and
Simulation (and more funky music).

Play mode gives you a plethora of choices, from just plain preseason
games, to a pro bowl, to playoffs, to even a battery backup season.
Practice mode is very extensive, with every kind of situation
imaginable to vastly hone your QBC skills. Simulation is what QBC is
known for, giving players the chance to reenact the NFLs greatest and
most nerve-racking moments.

The graphics are actually quite good, considering their age. Players
are detailed nicely, with appropriate team colors. Animation is, for the
most part, smooth, but at times can be a little jittery (I noticed this
when running the ball up the middle). However, this doesn't detract
from the game too greatly and most of the time you won't even notice
it. The field looks good, with turf, dome, and grass terrains. When you
get to the end zone, the crowd is decent enough. The thing that
impressed me a lot, however, was the referee! He animates very
smoothly and you can even see the creases on his uniform! There is no
break up at all, and it runs smoothly about 95 percent of the time.

Gameplay is very different from the usual Madden formula (cringe) and
can take some time to get used to. Unlike Madden (cringe) this game
isn't too easy. Even on the easiest difficulty setting, it is very difficult.
Expect some dropped passes and 4-yard runs for play results. It can,
occasionally, be very frustrating. But nothing is more satisfying than
catching a pass and running forty yards into the end zone. Still, it takes
time to master. Once you do, however, you'll l be treated to a fun,
albeit frustrating, gridiron experience.

But like I said: it is no Madden (cringe) and I mean that in a good sense.
In terms of quality, it is up there, but in terms of true gameplay it is a
completely different ball game. Football, that is.

Grades

Gameplay - 80%

Completely different from the other competitors on the market, it can
be quite frustrating but once you get the gist of it, it will be a great
challenge.

Graphics - 75%

Can be jittery at times, but overall a solid and passable attempt.

Sound - 75%

Not much to be found. The hum of the crowd is mediocre and you can
hear the loop breaks. The referee comments are very clear, but are
very sparse as well.

Presentation - 90%

This is where QBC stands strong. Great intro, a plethora of fun and
useful options, and a great interface.

Replay Value - 85%

A lot of options to toy around with. The inclusion of battery save
contributes to this factor as well.

Overall - 80%

The Overall rating is not an average of the preceding scores.

Review by: IronKnux