BackyardFootball2002.pdf.se.se.us.de Football2002HelpFile.sit. Emulation This game works with: SheepShaver, ScummVM. Think you know what it takes to be a winning football coach? Here's your chance to find out! Pick players from the Backyard Kids and 10 kid-versions of real NFL players. Direct all the action, set the positions and call. Backyard Football. History Talk (0) Share. The Loop (Games) Do you like this video? Play Sound Game. This page is a stub.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - While my childhood friends and I always enjoyed a good game of backyard football, we didn't always play the game by the NFL's rules. Typically, after a couple of games, first downs and extra points would give way to 'kill the man with the ball' – where one of us unlucky saps would try to avoid being tackled by everyone else.
Safe? Probably not. Fun? Absolutely.
Today, the electronic version of 'kill the man with the ball' can be found in Midway Games' 'NFL Blitz'. Sure, you try to score points and defeat your opponent, but the point of the game is big hits. Once the other team gets its hands on the ball, lay into that player with all you've got. And, since it's fantasy, it's even ok to take a few shots after the whistle blows. It's hardly sportsmanlike, but it's still pretty fun.
The NFL isn't laughing, though. In early November, the National Football League met with Midway to demand changes to the game. Specifically, it was unhappy with the level of violence in 'Blitz' and wanted to see things like after-the-whistle hits removed.
| Hard hits are the trademark of 'NFL Blitz' |
'We're going to continue to make sure the game is in line with where we want to be – which is simulation, rather than fantasy,' said Brian McCarthy, Director of Corporate Communications for the NFL.
Asked if it will comply with the requests, Midway (MWY: Research, Estimates) declined to comment.
Video games are big money to football. ESPN reports that the NFL Players Association pocketed $12 million from game licensing fees last year alone. And the league collects a licensing fee for each NFL football game that is sold.
Here's the ironic thing, though. While the NFL finds the games too violent, it seems to stand alone in that opinion. The 'Blitz' games have consistently been rated 'E', meaning the content is suitable for anyone over the age of six.
The timing for these requested changes is a little weird, too. 'NFL Blitz' is hardly a new game. It debuted in mall arcades in 1997, making the transition to home video a year later (with subsequent annual updates). Since 1999, the franchise has sold a little over 4.1 million copies, according to NPDFunworld.
Those aren't bad numbers, though they don't come close to stacking up to the sales figures of Electronic Arts' (ERTS: Research, Estimates) Madden NFL franchise. The 2002 version of that game sold 4 million copies. This year's 2003 version has sold 2 million so far.
| Another bone-crunching tackle. |
The 'Blitz' franchise is one of Midway's biggest, giving birth to similar 'NHL Hitz' and 'MLB SlugFest' games. A spokesman for Major League Baseball says that organization has no problems with the game (which features exaggerated collisions at the plate and batters charging pitchers on the mound).
'The whole point of the [video] game is that the action is exaggerated,' said Carmine Tiso, spokesperson for MLB. 'We are fine with it, but we work real closely to make sure we feel it's in good taste and protect the integrity of our game'
To the NFL's credit, it's not trying to demonize Midway's game. Despite some reports to the contrary, McCarthy said the league does not think the game promotes on-field violence. In fact, he scoffed when the question came up.
|
'We wouldn't call what you see in a NFL video game 'violence',' he said. 'We certainly don't have a problem with legal hits in the game. ... What our licensees – and what Midway - have told us is the NFL is the least conservative when it comes to pushing the envelope.'
Obviously, the NFL has the right – and the duty – to protect its brand as it sees fit. But the league should also know when to lighten up and let fans indulge in a little harmless fun.
Playing football by the rules is a blast. But every now and then, it's fun to make up a few of your own to spice things up.
Morris is Director of Content Development for CNN/Money. Click here to send him an e-mail.
This game is listed on the supported games page, but there is nio entry for the required files on the data files page.Backyard Football 2000
Just providing the football2002.* files ((a),(b),he0,he2,he3.he4) starts the game, but when you actually get to on the field play, it pulls up the debugger and states it couldn't load a resource.I added the folders from the CD called DATA, and the folder from the install root called 'sounds', but I got the same error.