PlayMaker Football 2.1.4
Company: PlayMaker, Inc.
Shareware: $20.00
E-Mail: playmaker@aol.com
Mike: Even the more casual readers of My Mac have probably picked up on the fact that I am a huge football fanatic. That’s why I have always been disappointed with the lack of sports games available for the Macintosh, both in terms of quantity and quality. Since Electronic Arts and Front Page Sports refuse to port their PC games over to the Mac, I’ve always relied on some other platform, such as the Super Nintendo game system, for good sports games to play.
With PlayMaker Football, that reliance on my old SNES has decreased a little. PlayMaker Football has garnered quite a following among Mac football fans, and after spending a few hours with it, it’s easy to see why. Although it doesn’t quite provide the amount of action and features that games such as the John Madden NFL Football series do, PlayMaker does boast a large variety of options, with an emphasis on strategy, and gives Mac gamers a low-cost, quality gridiron offering.
Adam: Before I say anything about PlayMaker Football, I want you to know that I am not a football fan. Far from it, actually. But I do know a good game when I see one, and PlayMaker Football is a good game! I feel that all Mac gamers should know about this great game. Those who don’t already, that is!!!
Mike: You can tell right from the start that this is a polished game. PlayMaker gives a great first impression, with a well-done splash screen and nifty theme music. In fact, the music and sounds are some of the best features of the game. Great sound effects, such as the cheering and booing of the crowd and the crunching tackling noises, really add to the game play.
Adam: When I first launched the game, I was greeted with a great splash screen and music. WOW! I knew this was going to be a great game. After I clicked “game” under the file menu, I began a new game. I got to select my team and play book, a real plus! There were so many options that it was a bit overwhelming! But I quickly figured it out, and started a new game. As I continued to play, I figured out that I have to call my own play each time. Great. What do I know about plays? Here’s one area that was really hard for me to figure out. I wish there would have been a drawing of what each play does! Once you finally figure out what each play really does, that game becomes a lot of fun. You really have to think. The computer’s intelligence is very good, and you have to find the right play to call at the right time, or you will have to punt! (See, I do know something about football!) When the play is over, a window pops up with a reporter guy telling you all the stats on the play. How many yards were lost/gained, etc…
As is true with most games, if there isn’t sound, it’s not fun! The guys at PlayMaker didn’t forget to add sound! The sound effects are awesome. The crowd cheers and boos, the football players grunt and groan, the referees blow their whistles, and the helmets and bodies crunch together. Any football sound you can imagine is in here! Without the great sound effects, PlayMaker Football wouldn’t be as good as it is. As for the graphics, they are nothing to scream about, but they aren’t bad. They’re actually better than I expected.
Mike: Before you start a game, you choose your team and your opponent’s team. PlayMaker comes with five teams, each with their own unique play book, and you can create your own teams and plays with the Draft and Chalkboard Editor options if you register your copy. It takes a little getting used to the naming schemes that each team uses for its plays, but once you figure it out, you appreciate the unique play books, which really add to the realism and variety of the game.
Adam: You can play a two player game, play against the computer, or even let the computer play against itself. Letting the computer do it is really what I like! When I’m tired or really don’t feel like doing anything, I can watch the computer play against the computer. Cool.
Mike: Even better, you can get involved with other football enthusiasts over the Internet. As I mentioned before, PlayMaker Football has garnered nearly a cult following of Mac users around the world, and fans and players alike get together online to compete with each other. There are PlayMaker leagues available on America Online and over the net, and there’s also a PlayMaker Football news group and mailing list. Addresses and information about all of the above are provided in the DOCMaker-based instruction manual, which isn’t flashy, but well done and informative nonetheless.
The play itself is surprisingly realistic, in some ways even more so than leading arcade football simulations. The computer intelligence is good enough that you can’t run the same play all day and get away with it, one of the most glaring problems with other games. Since the game is heavy on strategy, you need to be able to pick the right mix of runs and passes, and call the appropriate defensive formations for each situation, if you’re going to be successful. Even if you’re an armchair quarterback guru, don’t expect to blow out your computer opponents from the start. The game is often a challenge, and if you walk away victorious when the final whistle blows, you do feel a sense of accomplishment, somewhat like what a real head coach might feel after calling a great game and seeing it pay off on the scoreboard.
With a number of options, a variety of teams and plays, good graphics, great sounds, in-depth statistics, and good Artificial Intelligence on the part of the computer, PlayMaker Football is a winner on the Mac-gaming gridiron. While action-oriented pigskin fans may still want to keep their Nintendo or Sega machines handy, anyone who’s ever second-guessed the play-calling of their favorite football team would do well to check out PlayMaker Football. Armchair quarterbacks everywhere will love this game. I advise you to pick it up now, just in time for the Super Bowl.
Adam: I’ve really enjoyed playing PlayMaker Football. Even though I’m not a football fan, this is one game that I can enjoy. If football isn’t your game, you might not like it as much, but for any avid Mac gamer that is looking for a good sports game with great sound and a great concept, PlayMaker Football is a touchdown.
PlayMaker Football is available on America Online by doing a keyword software search for “PlayMaker Football,” and on the internet, at the My Mac Software Library, https://www.mymac.com/software in the games section. The $20.00 shareware price is more than worth it. I actually believe that with some more graphics and a little touch up, that this game could go commercial and sell for $40.00 or more!
Mike Wallinga (mlwall@mtcnet.net)
Adam Karneboge (webmaster@mymac.com)
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