Those who think that the EA Sports label is too serious for its own good, you might be right. For years, the company has churned out sport simulation games that have been top of the line, from the top-selling Madden franchise to the recent rise of Tiger Woods PGA Tour games to the slowly returning NBA Live franchise. But if that is a bit much, you'll want to reacquaint yourself with EA Sports Big, a team dedicated only to the most extreme of sport thrills, packing the kind of visuals, style, and gameplay that you don't see in typical efforts. Def Jam Vendetta took a wrestling engine and blended it with a hip-hop style for stunning results; the NBA Street games took arcade basketball to a level that hadn't been seen since the old days of NBA Jam; and the SSX series has slowly but surely evolved into the supreme leader of snowboarding games, with its latest chapter, SSX 3, still wowing me to this day.

But the company's not done. Not even close. Enter NFL Street, EA Sports Big's take on football. It was probably something that didn't need to be thought about, since Midway was already making a name for themselves with their arcade-y NFL Blitz Pro. But EA decided to press on anyway, and it's a good thing they did. NFL Street is a blazing way to start the 2004 gaming year, and you can bet your bottom dollar that you'll be playing it so long, the next NFL season is likely to surface just when you think multiplayer mode is starting to get old. Seriously.

The game has arcade elements like this. There is no kicker. On fourth, you basically go for the first down or suffer a turnover. There's no wussy field goals, just going for the six every time and then trying to hit on a conversion. The game is all about offense and defense, so you're either struggling for the score with running and pass plays or taking on the team and trying to stop them with some killer defense. Think Madden, but retweaked to the point that the Blitz flavor seems to be incorporating the whole thing.

But this is no Blitz. NFL Street has a style all its own that's merely on the "trash talk" level. The game features players in torn shirts and pants, no helmets or official uniforms to speak of. They're in it to win it, taking on a number of players and specializing in showing off or trash talking. You know, the kind of thing that the NFL will likely pass a fine on for in a matter of milliseconds if it happened in a real game. The arenas vary, from a typical NFL field in front of the company's Hall of Fame to street courts to a beachside field, complete with beach balls and waves splashing in the background. There's plenty more to be unlocked as the game progresses.

The game looks fantastic, from the animation of the players (some of these tackles look HARSH) to the beautiful, 60 frames per second details (the players almost look like the real thing) to small things like the sway of the legs on a celebration run or the spinning of a ball after the score of a touchdown. There's no slowdown and the loading time is swift. Consider it a polished product, although not even close to looking like your typical football game.

NFL Street also packs a mean soundtrack, complete with bands like Korn and The Wylde Bunch. It's a mix that works well, but Xbox owners have the exclusive advantage of popping in their own tunes with Custom Soundtracks. So if Bravehearts aren't your speed, feel free to add your own. Sound effects rock the house, complete with well-placed trash talk, thunderous tackles, and other little things. No announcer, but, really, was one needed? Especially after Al Michaels and John Madden put you to sleep in that "other" game?

Where NFL Street has a boisterous advantage is in its gameplay, and it's incredibly addictive. There's pass plays, trick plays, and running plays to take on, as well as general plays to sum things up if you're in a hurry. Defensive plays are all over the place as well, so you can keep your focus on either stopping a running back or keeping passers in check so you have a chance at a key interception. Typical moves are included, like spin/juke, turbo, and even a "style" button that lets you add a little flair to a key play. But what I really like is the use of the "lateral" button, where you can toss the ball to a nearby teammate if you feel that your player is coming down way too quickly. This adds a great element to the game and I absolutely dig it. It doesn't really have too much simulation feel to it, but, hey, if you want simulation, you probably wouldn't be reading this review, right?

As for extra modes, this game's not exactly overflowing but it has some nice ones. You can challenge some friends in multiplayer and see who the king of the Street really is, or take on the NFL Challenge, where a number of tasks await you and your team as you make your way across the board to gain a championship. These modes are a blast and a lot of fun, although, again, an online mode is only limited to the PS2 edition. Sorry, Xbox Live owners. Maybe with next year's edition, we'll finally get what we want.

The game doesn't really have many flaws at all, aside from its lack of online features and some plays looking downright unbelievable, like a pass under the leg that looks like it still has an amazing sense of power. Right. Regardless, NFL Street is the new king of arcade football and definitely the title to beat right now. It has stylish gameplay that never really gets old (LATERAL CITY!), graphics that are stunning, sound that fits the mood, and extras aplenty. Don't hesitate to get a copy while you're out and about prepping Super Bowl goodies today. You'll like being a neighbor on this Street.