NFL Blitz returns early next year from EA Sports

For nerds that enjoyed power bombing other players instead of obeying onside kick rules, NFL Blitz was the football game through most of the 90s, whether on home consoles or arcade. Then came the dark times, when EA got exclusive rights to make NFL games, leaving Blitz publisher Midway out in the cold, despite trying to rebrand it with new M-rated style and extra Lawrence Taylor. But happy days are here again, as EA picked up Midway’s fumble by announcing a new NFL Blitz that will arrive as early as January 2012.

Revealed via EGM, EA surprised many with this series reboot, though after successfully bringing back NBA Jam, Blitz seems like a logical follow-up. Early footage showed off the game’s 30-yard first down and two minute long quarters, with late hits all over the place. NBA Jam commentator Tim Kitzrow is on hand for the play-by-play, and for those missing the irreverence of EA’s Mutant League titles along with Blitz’s sillier elements, zombies, Bigfoots, and robot teams are around to play against all the standard NFL teams.

It’s being developed by Madden team Tiburon and is planned for a retail release January 3, 2012. No specific consoles were mentioned, but we feel pretty safe in guessing the title will come to PS3 and 360.