NFL Tour is what I assume is the replacement name for NFL Street on the next generation consoles. What makes this franchise different from the Street games you ask? Well it's not played in the street... and ummm... that's really about it. What EA has cleverly done is taken two fledgling franchises like NFL Street and Arena Football and combined them into one game. You have the big names from the NFL, including teams, franchise players, and logos, but set in a small arena atmosphere including no helmets, over the top game play, and pyro effects after lead changes.

Visually NFL Tour does not look next gen at all. Sure it's in HD, but the textures and lighting effects look carried over from the Xbox or PS2 as if the game was originally intended for these consoles. The presentation is very "sports entertainment" as you will see pyro effects, blur streams in the running game, and even warping ripple effects on big stops. This is actually a good thing as it brings a bit of flare to what could have been an overall drab title. What I was surprised to see was a bit of summery FMV in the game, which made me think of Madden of old when you would go to James Brown in the studio or see Madden and Summerall talking in the booth before the game. Who knows, with a little luck we could see this again as it does bring a bit of authenticity to the game and feels more like an actual telecast. Sue me, I like FMV.

The game's audio is lackluster to say the least. The soundtrack, with the exception of MXPX and a couple other bands is generic and plays 30 second snips throughout the entire game. Sound effects are so-so with you expected booming hits, grunts, groans, etc. What is most annoying is the commentary. While it seems at the start that you might get something interesting when he starts making jokes about repetitive commentary, you soon realize that you will hear these phrases several times over the course of a 10 min game. It's sad when you hear a joke like, "My contract only allows me so many lines to speak in this game," and this turns out to be true, the joke is unfortunately on all of us.

Game play is the games only real saving grace as it does play a solid game of arcade football like Necessary Roughness, NFL Blitz, or of course the formally named NFL Street. The mechanics are simple, choose from a limited playbook, run the route, try to score, and defend. The A.I. is tough, but thankfully doesn't have the old arcade rubber band effect when they come back no matter what. The game even allows for some crazy tackle breaking and special moves, but unfortunately these, like the play book selection, is very limited. What you get here is some fun smash mouth football, with very little in the frills department, much like an aforementioned arcade game.

Where NFL Tour hurts the most is the lack of depth and complexity in the options themselves. You have Play Now, Exhibition, online play, and a NFL Tour mode where you make a player and try to make him a superstar. While this is supposed to be the heart of the game, the create a player is limited to a few selections, your stat improvement is limited to your winning not your performance, and the season is very short, especially when no game will take you past the 15-20 min mark. Many gamers will have their fill of everything this game has to offer in a couple hours, which is too short even for the game's 40 dollar "budget" price. I'm just happy to see EA knew this as they did release the game at a fraction of a regular priced title.

Is NFL Tour going to be a "new" franchise that will replace the street game, or is it just filler material while hardcore gamers wait for Madden. If EA wants to continue this title, they certainly have some serious building to do as far as providing options and depth for games who want to have enjoyment beyond a rental period. NFL Tour does play an exciting and fun game of arcade football, but in the end it feels as if it was meant for a stand up arcade machine rather than in the home.