NFL Tour (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

Add NFL TOUR to the long line of "casual" football games that already includes NFL Blitz and the NFL Street series. NFL Tour is sort of NFL Street reborn, but EA hasn't changed or improved the gameplay enough, resulting in a mediocre experience at best.

The game boils football down to a more manageable 7-on-7 (in Madden, for example, it's 11-on-11). It also throws out much of that pesky playbook and gets rid of the kickoff (instead the QB tosses the ball down the field). The game takes the most famous from every team, removes their helmets and pads, and lets them go at it, including some tackles that are over-the-top. With its simplified controls, you should be able to play fairly well from the start -- the trouble sets in after you've played awhile and realize that the gameplay is shallow and unbalanced. In Tour mode, you create your own player and pit him (along with your favorite team) against the rest of the NFL on fields that include walls (players can run up the sides to avoid hits). There's also exhibition mode and two minigames. All are fun, but they won't occupy you for very long.

NFL Tour fails where the cleats hit the fields. The game might be worth a play or two, especially with casual players, but anyone who spends some time playing will notice the huge advantage the offense has, the ineffectualness of the defense and defensive stars, and realize that the game needs significant tuning up for next season.