<s>
NFL	B-Application
Blitz	I-Application
is	O
an	O
American	B-Application
football	I-Application
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Midway	O
Games	O
for	O
the	O
arcade	O
in	O
1997	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
NFL	B-Application
Blitz	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
team	O
was	O
headed	O
by	O
Mark	O
Turmell	O
and	O
Sal	O
Divita	O
,	O
who	O
were	O
known	O
for	O
being	O
behind	O
NBA	B-Application
Jam	I-Application
,	O
and	O
NFL	B-Application
Blitz	I-Application
was	O
a	O
deliberate	O
attempt	O
to	O
translate	O
the	O
exaggerated	O
arcade-style	O
approach	O
of	O
NBA	B-Application
Jam	I-Application
to	O
the	O
football	O
realm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
64	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Color	I-Device
in	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
cover	O
athlete	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
then	O
Pittsburgh	O
Steelers	O
quarterback	B-Application
Kordell	O
Stewart	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NFL	B-Application
Blitz	I-Application
is	O
based	O
on	O
seven-on-seven-man	O
American	B-Application
football	I-Application
teams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
diverges	O
from	O
traditional	O
rules	O
of	O
American	B-Application
football	I-Application
in	O
that	O
there	O
are	O
no	O
penalties	O
,	O
no	O
substitutions	O
,	O
and	O
players	O
can	O
perform	O
illegal	O
attacks	O
on	O
each	O
other	O
such	O
as	O
dropkicks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Divita	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
decided	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
support	O
just	O
two	O
players	O
instead	O
of	O
four	O
"	O
because	O
in	O
a	O
football	O
game	O
,	O
there	O
just	O
is	O
n't	O
enough	O
gameplay	O
between	O
the	O
quarterback	B-Application
and	O
the	O
receiver	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
fun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
's	O
not	O
like	O
NBA	B-Application
Jam	I-Application
,	O
where	O
teamwork	O
can	O
really	O
be	O
a	O
factor.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
64	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
versions	O
received	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
received	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
GameRankings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
same	O
magazine	O
later	O
said	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
in	O
its	O
November	O
1998	O
issue	O
,	O
"	O
The	O
only	O
real	O
knock	O
we	O
have	O
on	O
Blitz	O
is	O
that	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
,	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
play	O
variety	O
can	O
get	O
stale	O
after	O
a	O
while	O
,	O
especially	O
in	O
single-player	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameFan	O
gave	O
the	O
N64	B-Operating_System
version	O
a	O
positive	O
review	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
N64	B-Operating_System
Magazine	O
gave	O
the	O
N64	B-Operating_System
version	O
87%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Even	O
though	O
it	O
has	O
nowhere	O
near	O
the	O
depth	O
,	O
control	O
,	O
or	O
strategy	O
of	O
Madden	B-Application
or	O
QB	B-Device
Club	I-Device
,	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
most	O
satisfying	O
quick-thrill	O
game	O
I	O
can	O
imagine.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Likewise	O
,	O
Christopher	O
Michael	O
Baker	O
gave	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
four-and-a-half	O
stars	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
should	O
satisfy	O
just	O
about	O
anyone	O
looking	O
for	O
a	O
different	O
type	O
of	O
football	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Scott	O
Alan	O
Marriott	O
gave	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
64	I-Operating_System
version	O
four	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
hands-down	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
best	O
playing	O
arcade	O
game	O
for	O
1998.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
NFL	B-Application
Blitz	I-Application
was	O
"	O
Arcade	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
at	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
1997	O
Editors	O
 '	O
Choice	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	O
version	O
won	O
the	O
award	O
for	O
"	O
Best	O
Sports	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
at	O
IGNs	O
Best	O
of	O
1998	O
Awards	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Sports	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
award	O
at	O
GameSpots	O
Best	O
&	O
Worst	O
of	O
1998	O
Awards	O
,	O
which	O
ultimately	O
went	O
to	O
FIFA	B-Application
99	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
64	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
a	O
finalist	O
for	O
the	O
Academy	O
of	O
Interactive	O
Arts	O
&	O
Sciences	O
 '	O
1998	O
"	O
Sports	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
award	O
,	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
1080°	B-Application
Snowboarding	I-Application
;	O
and	O
for	O
Best	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
64	I-Operating_System
Game	O
at	O
the	O
1998	O
CNET	O
Gamecenter	O
Awards	O
,	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ocarina	I-Application
of	I-Application
Time	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
won	O
the	O
award	O
for	O
"	O
Most	O
Unrealistic	O
Sports	O
Game	O
"	O
at	O
the	O
1998	O
OPM	O
Editors	O
 '	O
Awards	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
the	O
"	O
Best	O
Sports	O
Game	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Best	O
Arcade	O
Conversion	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Multiplayer	O
Game	O
"	O
awards	O
,	O
all	O
of	O
which	O
went	O
to	O
Hot	B-Application
Shots	I-Application
Golf	I-Application
,	O
Tekken	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Devil	B-Application
Dice	I-Application
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
