Hands on with Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff on DS

EA may have a lock on the NFL, but that isn't stopping Tecmo from getting a piece of the pigskin. Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff is a serious attempt to score some portable points without the brand. It has a particular appeal, as we discovered in our hands-on, that probably won't convert skeptics.

Head-to-head multiplayer definitely takes the spotlight in Tecmo Bowl, especially when you highlight support for Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection play. You can square off against an opponent online using a friend code or a randomly selected stranger. Of course, local wireless games are supported as well if you have a friend with a copy of the game, too.

American football feels natural in multiplayer for sure, but there's plenty here on the single-player side to keep things interesting. Beyond the Quick Start mode that allows you to jump right into a match up, you'll find a pre-season and full season set of campaigns and an All-Star Bowl. The full regular season serves up the bulk of play, spanning a lengthy 17 weeks complete with playoffs and a bowl game. A calender informs you of the match-ups for each week, as well as standings for every team and individual players in the league. The goal, obviously, is to rise up those rankings and enter the playoffs with a chance of taking the national title.

Winning takes a lot, though, demanding careful management of your players. A full team editor allows you to tweak your roster and even set player attributes to match your favorite players. There's even a slate of options to change your team uniform and name so you can win and look sharp.

Most importantly, however, is your performance on the field. Tecmo Bowl combines use of the touchscreen and buttons for easy play calling and movement on the field. Tapping one of eight different plays before the snap allows you to designate the play; alternatively, you can enter the designated button combination. We found it easier to tap the desired play and then place our fingers back over the buttons for controlling our players after the snap.

Before the snap, you can switch among your players by tapping the B button. Once the ball is in play, though, you're locked to that player. Thankfully, the computer is more than capable of handling your team on the field so if you fall short of making the play, your competitor isn't likely to rush in for an unlikely touchdown. We're not happy about the lack of player switching mid-play or the lack of a sprint button.

Kicking is handled via a meter that pops up along the bottom of the touchscreen whenever you take a field goal opportunity or decide to punt the ball. As the meter moves quickly between full and empty, tapping it sets the power of your kick. It's a rudimentary mechanic to be sure, but works given the game's simple appeal. The cutaway scenes for kicks, scoring, and other notable moments in the game also contribute to that appeal.

While the wi-fi multiplayer is a boon to the game, we have reservations about Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff. The controls may be simple, but they lack a number of key mechanics that cause gameplay to suffer considerably. Arcade-style football has a specific appeal and that comes across here, even if there are some questionable omissions.