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The NFL season is winding down, and what better way to get revved up for the playoffs than with some 16-bit gridiron action? Sega's NFL '95 was a clear evolution of the franchise, and its innovations in presentation and gameplay kept Sega in the game against EA as gamers prepared for the next generation of hardware. Read our full review for all the bone-crushing details.
Quality review here, you essentially touched on all pros and cons of this game. I believe playing head to head is the way to go here, as you noted, the AI is lacking on both sides of the ball.
On a personal note, this game was released during my freshman year of college so it has some sentimental value for me. My roommate received this game for Christmas, and when returned from break, this game CONSUMED us. There were four of us that shared a suite, we would all select a random team and play seasons. When our selected teams played during a season, it was an event! I'm going to have to play a couple games this afternoon!
*Edit: I cant believe I missed two vital players in this game...
Phil Bryant and Mel Gray
Phil Bryant was a free agent in this game that had horrible attributes but due to a glitch in the game was able to dive for 10 or so yards in one shot. If you were able to get him in open space, it was a touchdown. Dive, get up...repeat until you are in the endzone.
Mel Gray was on the Lions and due to his high speed and low agility was able to have unbelievable quickness. I believe I saw a youtube video where the fella runs Mel around the field while defenders dive after him. Funny stuff.
One more thing, the lack of fans and sidelines. It's almost like the game is being played on a field suspended in outer space, this always bothered me.
Aw man, are we changing the review scoring to something akin to the sound test code numbers in some Genesis games?
Do I have to now figure out if the game's worth a 1e, or a 4w? And how far off is a 6 from a 1o? Does the new scale start at 10, and then work it's way down to a 1o, going backward like the flushed toilet water in Australia?
This series was better then Madden by a good amount a 6/10 is low. Seriously spend a half hour learning how to play this game vs Madden and I don't think you touch Madden again. Anyways basically 99% of sports games in this era are obsolete anyways so no big deal at the end of the day.
My big complaints are the end zones and sidelines being bare, but I think that is because they had already maxed out the 16-Megs on everything else.
Nice edit Ken. I forgot about Sports Pad Football. Good catch.
This game holds sentimental value to me. I remember pissing my little brothers OFF just playing around with the roster editing all day. I would always try to reassemble the Joe Gibbs Redskins(Mark Rypien, Mark Bostic, Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders, Art "A Jets Reciever" Monk, Earnest Byner), whom had disbanded by 94, and the Redskins were terrible with Norv Turner, and Heath Shuler(3-13). Played the crap out of this game when it first came out, I'm talking major hours.
I would have given the game a 7, or an 8, but man, it is just way too slow, and way too easy. A 6 was the best I could do within the scoring guidlines used by Sega-16. I think Primetime, and NFL 98 were great improvements though. I'm getting ready to play a season through all 4(may not make it through NFL 97 over on the Saturn:yuck:) games in order.
Also, I have a hard time finding a copy of NFL 95 with a working battery these days. Anyone have one with a working battery?
I'll second NFL '97 for Saturn, what a piece of shit game! :yuck:
Haven't played NFL '95, but it seems like it's clear that Blue Sky didn't make great football games.
Man! NFL 97 on the Saturn SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWESOME! I can't believe they fumbled it away like they did. The gameplay isn't unplayable per se, in fact the running game, and the defense is ok. It has a good action feel to it, it's quick, collision detection is ok, but..Quote:
Originally Posted by Baloo
The game looks terrible. The passing system is rediculous with that passing arch. What were they thinking. I was so dissapointed when I finally got to play NFL 97. I was expecting it to be much more like the Genesis NFL games.
As good as the World Series Baseball games are on the Saturn, it just shows you the Japanese state of mind that Sega was in during the Saturn era. Baseball is huge in Japan, meanwhile they threw American football fans a shitty, one off NFL 97, developed by none other than GameTek.
I remember NBA Action on the Saturn playing great but looking like total ass. They really didn't even try with their American sports games on the Saturn.