Spring Break
NFL Head Coach 09 offers real-world
Justin Pacheo
Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: Entertainment
09/12/08 - The original NFL Head Coach 2006 was widely regarded as a failure. Its confusing interface and tedious tasks the game called for ruined whatever potential for enjoyment there was for an NFL coaching simulator. Two years later, NFL Head Coach '09 for the X-Box 360 completely revamps the gameplays mechanics to create an engrossing NFL management simulator.
The first thing anyone who played the original Head Coach will notice is the lack of clutter on the menus and the ease of navigating through the many options. This is no small feat given that, at its heart, NFL Head Coach '09 is a text-based game.
Nearly all of the game's action originates from the on-screen clipboard. From there you can check your team's rosters, season statistics, health and nearly anything else that comes to mind.
From here you will also be notified of time sensitive tasks that need to be completed, ranging from trade or contract negotiations, upgrading your coaching staff's skills or setting the day's practice regimen.
The clipboard is the key to this game's success, as it keeps everything organized and in one place. It makes it impossible for you to miss any key decision, while enabling you to skip things you do not want to do. (For example, if I don't like to handle the practices I can set the computer to handle it.)
The off-season is one of the game's biggest strengths - in particular, the way the game handles the NFL Draft is remarkable.
Any fan of the NFL knows how big an event the draft has become, garnering at least two full days of coverage on multiple ESPN channels. This is the first NFL game to recreate that sense of importance.
The draft is set up almost exactly how you would see it on ESPN. This includes tickers and statistics showing every team's biggest needs, in addition to the players they have on their roster. After each pick, a poll of fans will come up showing their satisfaction with the choice. The poll has no real impact on anything, but it is a nice touch.
The first thing anyone who played the original Head Coach will notice is the lack of clutter on the menus and the ease of navigating through the many options. This is no small feat given that, at its heart, NFL Head Coach '09 is a text-based game.
Nearly all of the game's action originates from the on-screen clipboard. From there you can check your team's rosters, season statistics, health and nearly anything else that comes to mind.
From here you will also be notified of time sensitive tasks that need to be completed, ranging from trade or contract negotiations, upgrading your coaching staff's skills or setting the day's practice regimen.
The clipboard is the key to this game's success, as it keeps everything organized and in one place. It makes it impossible for you to miss any key decision, while enabling you to skip things you do not want to do. (For example, if I don't like to handle the practices I can set the computer to handle it.)
The off-season is one of the game's biggest strengths - in particular, the way the game handles the NFL Draft is remarkable.
Any fan of the NFL knows how big an event the draft has become, garnering at least two full days of coverage on multiple ESPN channels. This is the first NFL game to recreate that sense of importance.
The draft is set up almost exactly how you would see it on ESPN. This includes tickers and statistics showing every team's biggest needs, in addition to the players they have on their roster. After each pick, a poll of fans will come up showing their satisfaction with the choice. The poll has no real impact on anything, but it is a nice touch.
