NFL Street 3 review

At least, the CPU will. Those without finely-honed reflexes and timing will find several moves harder than expected to execute, making it a little too likely that you'll go careening into a brick wall or an onfield trash can (obstacles are new this year) instead of trampolining off of it and making a circus catch high in midair. This was a concern in the previous game, and it remains one here - many of the best moves are just too tough to pull off reliably. Another reappearing injury is that running plays are still far preferable to passing, thanks to easier special moves and the computer's uncanny knack for interceptions - especially with the new "lock-on interception" Game Breaker move.

Speaking of which, the visually explosive Game Breaker moves are toned down and renamed Power Moves, which feels right to us. Granted, effects like a lock-on tackle or a super-stiff-arm aren't always as exciting or effective as the moves in NFL Street 2 - double leaping and landing with a thunderous BOOM! may look great, but defenders who aren't close enough to get blown back by the impact will still manage to stop your run. But they're a little more balanced than last game's breakers, which seemed like automatic "I win" buttons.