NFL Street 2 - E

Players of all ages will want to take their game to the street.

Publisher: EA Sports Big Games Category/Genre: Video Games - Sports Platform: PlayStation 2, Xbox Price: $46.95 Graphics: Superb Playability: NFL Street 2 is a game that first-timers can pick up and play with few problems. However, in order to move to more advanced stages of the game, players must master some of the more complex maneuvers that can only be perfected by spending hours playing the game. It doesn't take long to figure out that running north and south is easy, but spinning off tacklers, hurdling defenders and catching fade routes takes some talent and a good feel for the game. Reading Level: 6+ Release Date: 12/29/2004 ESRB Rating: E

Common Sense Note

The game does feature plenty or hard-hitting action, but it's not nearly as violent as a live NFL game--even though much of action takes place on unforgiving surfaces like concrete. Players do not wear pads or helmets, but are able to quickly bounce back off the ground without blood and without even the slightest injury.

Parents may wish to address the amount of trash-talking that happens after nearly every play. Taunting and putting down the opponent is a big part of the game, but may be a bad example for youngsters that may try to emulate their favorite superstar in their next pee-wee football game. Parents with younger children may want to address this aspect of the game. Ask: How would you feel if you were taunted like that? What does good sportsmanship look like?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Chris Saunders

EA Big has once again delivered another "big" hit with the release of NFL STREET 2. The over-the-top street football game allows players to participate in a hard-hitting, high-flying pick-up game with some of the top stars of National Football League. As in the original version, players trade the field for the streets –- playing on concrete and dirt surfaces -- and there are no helmets, no refs, and no injuries.

NFL Street 2 offers many updates from the original that was released just a year earlier. Characters make some amazing moves in this version of the game, some of which you'll never see from even the top stars in the NFL, including the ability to fly 15-feet in the air to make off-the-wall catches, hurdle walls and defenders and dive for the end zone 10 yards out. The soundtrack that plays throughout the game will also keep your adrenaline pumping, thanks to music from top rap artists like Xzibit, Nas and Ying.

Visually the game is also a step above NFL Street. Players look more realistic, with ripped muscles and facial features that make it easy to distinguish your favorite NFL star. The playing fields are also more detailed in NFL Street 2, with ten new fields and two bonus environments that include fences running along the sidelines, buses parked in the end zones and a variety of other obstacles that make scoring quite a challenge.

A wide variety of playing levels make NFL Street 2 stand head and shoulders above many sports titles that are on the market. Even the most skilled players will need some time to conquer the seven unique challenges that are featured in each level, and younger players may get frustrated because they must win at each level before you're able to take over the neighborhood and advance through the game. Whether you're playing in single player mode, or with a partner, the basic controls of the game are straightforward, but advanced moves like running off the wall to make a one-handed catch require tons of execution and understanding of the button layouts.

Mostly, though, the game is well suited for kids. While the action is intense throughout the game, the violent nature of professional football doesn't hit home because of the ability of players to quickly recover from bone-jarring hits without a scratch. The only negative that may cause some concern for parents is the amount of taunting and trash-talking that takes place on the field.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence Players are tackled, tossed and thrown to the ground, but quickly bounce back up and are ready for the next play. Unlike an actual NFL game played on grass, you'll find no blood, no broken bones and no injuries here.
Language Mild language and trash talking after every play.
Message
	Social Behavior Parents may wish to discuss taunting.
	Commercialism Other than authentic team uniforms, no other advertisement.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
	Educational Value