GameBreaker ‘99 doesn’t score big

Reviewed by SCOTT SWINDELLS
Collegian Staff Writer

If you love Penn State football but aren't too fond of the rainy fall weather that comes with it, there is a way to get into Beaver Stadium without leaving the comfort of your living room.

And if you have horrific memories of Joe Paterno calling a running play on third and 12, you can call the plays, too.

NCAA GameBreaker ‘99, a Sony PlayStation game by 989 Sports, features all 112 NCAA Div. I teams and their realistically rendered stadiums.

The sports game market, once dominated by EA Sports, is being overrun by 989 Sports titles such as NHL FaceOff ‘99, MLB ‘99 and Cool Boarders 3, which feature great sound and graphics and realistic player moves.

But while these three games blow away the competition, GrameBreaker ‘99 does not continue this trend, falling far short of Madden ‘99, the latest edition of the Madden Football series that has brought EA Sports great success in the past.

GameBreaker ‘99's stadiums and marching bands are excellent and the voice of college football legend Keith Jackson can be far less annoying than those over-repeated "Maddenisms." But the game just doesn't look realistic.

The screen layout of Madden ‘99, in addition to the play-by-play of Pat Summerall and the color commentary of John Madden (which, thankfully, can be turned off), makes you feel like you're watching an NFL game on TV.

GameBreaker ‘99 players can bound across the field with superhuman capacity and then get knocked as far as 20 yards on some tackles.

Of course, comparisons with Madden ‘99 may seem unfair because GameBreaker ‘99 contains NCAA teams, not professionals.

If you're looking for the best football game, look for John Madden's goofy grin. But if you're a die-hard fan of college football, GameBreaker ‘99 isn't a bad choice. It has high steps, shoulder charges, forearm shivers, total control passing, double spin moves and an actual presentation of the Heisman trophy at the end of the season -- all the elements of college football that are not included in NCAA Football ‘99.

Besides, GameBreaker ‘99 includes only the 1986 Nittany Lions in its slew of all-time great teams. It's almost as if the game were designed by college football pollsters.

Perhaps that would explain the lack of realism.