Description

NFL Quarterback Club 2000 returns for a third season on the Nintendo 64 with an enhanced Hi-Rez engine, a new passing scheme and user-controlled celebrations to show the world (not to mention your opponent) who exactly is number one.

The five available game modes include the following: Practice, Exhibition, Season, Playoffs and Historical Simulation. As with most sports games, Practice involves working on your timing by running certain plays over and over again, Exhibition is a one-on-one contest with the team of your choice, and Playoffs involve jumping directly into the final games leading up to the Super Bowl.

The final mode, Historical Simulation, has you playing as one team in the Super Bowl of your choice. Be prepared to face a difficult situation, such being behind three touchdowns late in the third quarter, since it’s up to you to change history by taking control and calling the shots. The game also lets you customize your own scenario to see just how skilled you really are.

The most noteworthy addition to the game is an enhanced passing system that allows users greater control over their players. Once the ball is thrown into the air, control automatically switches to the receiver and you’ll not only have to run to the ball, but catch it as well! Players can also jump and dive to improve their chances at making the reception.

Another feature designed to offer you more control is Pin-Point Passing; users can determine how hard or soft a pass is thrown by adjusting a vertical meter showing the strength of the throw. Want to lob the ball so a receiver has a better chance of getting there in time? Simply push down on the analog stick and press the corresponding button to carry out the throw. You’ll then have more time to run toward the ball marker and (hopefully) make the reception.

Fans can also create their own playbooks with the aptly titled Create Playbook Mode, which involves choosing 128 plays on both offense and defense to place into one of two playbooks. Players can also create profiles to influence how certain teams react to certain situations. Three areas are involved with a profile: preferred offense and defense formations, pass/run percentages and “shock.”

For example, a team like the San Francisco 49er’s can be set to pass 70% of the time, while a team such as the Chicago Bears could emphasize running the ball. While obvious passing or running situations will be automatically carried out, shock plays can also be set, which means running the ball when its third and 20 or passing when its third and inches! These plays are designed to keep the defense on its toes.

General Manager options include creating players (up to 22 can be saved), signing free agents, managing the salary cap (each team has a limit of 51.5 million dollars) and embarking a Fantasy Draft with up to three other players. For those owning an Expansion Pak, the game also lets you toggle how much graphic detail you want to see in order to improve the on-screen presentation (such as shadows and visible referees).

By reducing the detail, the game will be able to run faster for those who find the action too slow for their tastes. You can also choose from 16 camera angles (including a Create-a-Cam view) and an option to have a player’s energy decrease as fatigue sets in (which can lead to injuries). Other settings that can be adjusted include weather, quarter length (one, two, five, ten or fifteen minutes), time of day and clock speed (realistic, accelerated or turbo). As with the two previous games in the series, complete statistical tracking as well as season progress can be saved to a Controller Pak.

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