Arena Football (video game)
Encyclopedia
Arena Football is a PlayStation 2
and Xbox
video game developed by Electronic Arts
(under their EA Sports
brand). It was released on February 7, 2006. The cover features quarterback John Dutton, from ArenaBowl XIXs champion team, the Colorado Crush. The game is similar to EA's other simulation football games (NCAA Football
and Madden NFL Football
), but adopts a style of play that is similar to the faster and more frantic paced Arena game. The game includes all the rules, rosters, and teams for the AFL season
.
have been excluded because they have temporarily halted operations due to Hurricane Katrina
. However, their logo is available for use in the game's create-a-team feature. The VooDoo resumed operations in 2007. The Kansas City Brigade
franchise and its colors have been included, but the official name and logo didn't make it in because they were unveiled after the game had gone into production so the team was known as the Kansas City KC in the video game.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
video game developed by Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
(under their EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
brand). It was released on February 7, 2006. The cover features quarterback John Dutton, from ArenaBowl XIXs champion team, the Colorado Crush. The game is similar to EA's other simulation football games (NCAA Football
NCAA Football series
NCAA Football is a football video game series in which you play as any current Division I FBS college team. This game is developed by EA Sports. Because of NCAA rules, current college players are not permitted to be used as the cover athletes...
and Madden NFL Football
Madden NFL
Madden NFL is an American football video game series developed by Electronic Arts Tiburon for EA Sports. The game series is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden, a well-known former Super Bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders and color commentator...
), but adopts a style of play that is similar to the faster and more frantic paced Arena game. The game includes all the rules, rosters, and teams for the AFL season
2006 Arena Football League season
The 2006 Arena Football League season was the 20th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Chicago Rush, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XX....
.
2006 AFL teams
All of the teams that are competing in the 2006 season are included. The New Orleans VooDooNew Orleans VooDoo
The New Orleans VooDoo are an Arena Football League team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play their home games in New Orleans Arena....
have been excluded because they have temporarily halted operations due to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. However, their logo is available for use in the game's create-a-team feature. The VooDoo resumed operations in 2007. The Kansas City Brigade
Kansas City Brigade
The Kansas City Command is a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. The team was founded before the 2006 season. Former Kansas City Chiefs Strong safety Kevin Porter served as head coach...
franchise and its colors have been included, but the official name and logo didn't make it in because they were unveiled after the game had gone into production so the team was known as the Kansas City KC in the video game.
Historic teams
EA included a number of historic teams in Arena Football. Though not every Arena League team in history is represented, a good deal are. They are awarded to the player upon meeting certain statistical goals in a game. Here is a complete list:Teams included
- Albany FirebirdsIndiana FirebirdsThe Indiana Firebirds were a team in the Arena Football League.The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse, also the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball...
- Anaheim PiranhasAnaheim PiranhasThe Anaheim Piranhas were a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League from 1994 - 1997. They played their home games at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The team was originally known as the Las Vegas Sting, prior to moving to Anaheim in 1996. The team was owned...
- Buffalo DestroyersColumbus DestroyersThe Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
- Charlotte RageCharlotte RageThe Charlotte Rage was a team in the Arena Football League.-History:They competed in the 1992-1996 seasons. They played their home games at the Charlotte Coliseum, then also home of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association....
- Chicago BruisersChicago BruisersThe Chicago Bruisers were a charter member of the Arena Football League, playing in the four-team "demonstration season" of 1987. They played their home games in the former Rosemont Horizon, now the Allstate Arena, home of the Chicago Rush.-History:...
- Cincinnati RockersCincinnati RockersThe Cincinnati Rockers were an Arena Football League team that competed in the 1992 and 1993 seasons.-History:They played their home games at Riverfront Coliseum. The team color scheme incorporated bright yellow and green...
- Columbus ThunderboltsCleveland ThunderboltsThe Cleveland Thunderbolts were a professional American football team in the Arena Football League.-Columbus Thunderbolts:Established as the Columbus Thunderbolts and playing its home games at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, the team relocated to Cleveland after a winless single season in the Arena...
- Cleveland ThunderboltsCleveland ThunderboltsThe Cleveland Thunderbolts were a professional American football team in the Arena Football League.-Columbus Thunderbolts:Established as the Columbus Thunderbolts and playing its home games at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, the team relocated to Cleveland after a winless single season in the Arena...
- Connecticut CoyotesConnecticut CoyotesThe Connecticut Coyotes were a franchise in the Arena Football League.-History:They competed in the 1995 and 1996 AFL seasons. They played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center....
- Dallas TexansDallas Texans (Arena)The Dallas Texans was an Arena Football League team that played from 1990 to 1993.-History:The team was based in Dallas, Texas. They played their home games in the Reunion Arena, which they shared with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. The team made the ArenaBowl their...
- Denver DynamiteDenver Dynamite (arena football)This article is about the former Arena Football League franchise. For the Professional Arena Soccer League soccer club, see Denver Dynamite ....
- Detroit DriveMassachusetts MaraudersThe Massachusetts Marauders was a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League in 1994.-Detroit Drive :...
- Florida BobcatsFlorida BobcatsThe Florida Bobcats are a defunct Arena Football League team. They had been previously known as the Sacramento Attack and the Miami Hooters.-Sacramento Attack :...
- Fort Worth CavalryFort Worth CavalryThe Fort Worth Cavalry were an Arena Football League team which operated for a single season, 1994. The league did not want to abandon the idea of having a franchise in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, a major media market, after the demise of the Dallas Texans , and granted a new franchise to an...
- Houston ThunderbearsHouston ThunderbearsThe Houston ThunderBears were a team in the Arena Football League that operated from 1996-2001. The team was based in Houston, Texas. Home games were played at the Compaq Center. The team was known as the Texas Terror their first two years in existence before changing the name to the Thunderbears...
- Iowa BarnstormersNew York DragonsThe New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
- Las Vegas StingAnaheim PiranhasThe Anaheim Piranhas were a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League from 1994 - 1997. They played their home games at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The team was originally known as the Las Vegas Sting, prior to moving to Anaheim in 1996. The team was owned...
- Los Angeles CobrasLos Angeles Cobras-History:The Los Angeles Cobras played in the 1988 Arena Football League season only. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, which they shared with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association...
- Massachusetts MaraudersMassachusetts MaraudersThe Massachusetts Marauders was a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League in 1994.-Detroit Drive :...
- Memphis PharaohsOklahoma WranglersThe Oklahoma Wranglers was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League that had previously played as the Memphis Pharaohs and Portland Forest Dragons...
- Milwaukee MustangsMilwaukee MustangsThe Milwaukee Mustangs were an Arena Football League team. They played from 1994 to 2001 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Bradley Center.-History:The team was founded in 1994 amidst rumors that the Green Bay Packers would soon stop playing games in Milwaukee, something they'd been doing since 1936...
- Minnesota Fighting PikeMinnesota Fighting PikeThe Minnesota Fighting Pike were an American football team that played one season in the Arena Football League. The team played at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
- New England Sea WolvesToronto PhantomsThe Toronto Phantoms was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League, that also operated in New York City and Hartford, Connecticut.-New York CityHawks :The team began in 1997 as the New York CityHawks...
- New England SteamrollersNew England SteamrollersThe New England Steamrollers were a former Arena Football League team that played in the AFL's 1988 season. The Steamrollers were one of four teams to enter the AFL in 1988, and along with the New York Knights and Los Angeles Cobras were folded following the season.The Steamrollers were based out...
- New Jersey Gladiators
- New Jersey Red Dogs
- New Orleans NightNew Orleans NightThe New Orleans Night was an Arena Football League team that competed in the 1991 and 1992 AFL seasons and were based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The team was officially announced at a press conference on March 18, 1991...
- New Orleans VooDooNew Orleans VooDooThe New Orleans VooDoo are an Arena Football League team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They play their home games in New Orleans Arena....
- New York CityhawksToronto PhantomsThe Toronto Phantoms was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League, that also operated in New York City and Hartford, Connecticut.-New York CityHawks :The team began in 1997 as the New York CityHawks...
- New York Knights
- Oklahoma WranglersOklahoma WranglersThe Oklahoma Wranglers was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League that had previously played as the Memphis Pharaohs and Portland Forest Dragons...
- Pittsburgh GladiatorsTampa Bay StormThe Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
- Portland Forest DragonsOklahoma WranglersThe Oklahoma Wranglers was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League that had previously played as the Memphis Pharaohs and Portland Forest Dragons...
- Sacramento AttackFlorida BobcatsThe Florida Bobcats are a defunct Arena Football League team. They had been previously known as the Sacramento Attack and the Miami Hooters.-Sacramento Attack :...
- San Antonio ForceSan Antonio ForceThe San Antonio Force was an Arena Football League team that competed in the 1992 season only. They played their home games at HemisFair Arena, then the home of the San Antonio Spurs...
- St. Louis StampedeSt. Louis StampedeThe St. Louis Stampede was a team in the Arena Football League. The Stampede competed in the 1995 and 1996 seasons, playing their home games in the Kiel Center , also the home of the St...
- Texas TerrorHouston ThunderbearsThe Houston ThunderBears were a team in the Arena Football League that operated from 1996-2001. The team was based in Houston, Texas. Home games were played at the Compaq Center. The team was known as the Texas Terror their first two years in existence before changing the name to the Thunderbears...
- Toronto PhantomsToronto PhantomsThe Toronto Phantoms was the final name of a team in the Arena Football League, that also operated in New York City and Hartford, Connecticut.-New York CityHawks :The team began in 1997 as the New York CityHawks...
- Washington CommandosWashington CommandosThe Washington Commandos were an Arena football team that operated from 1987 to 1990.-Inaugural season :The Washington Commandos were a charter member of the Arena Football League, playing in the initial four-team "demonstration season" of 1987....
Teams not included
- Carolina CobrasCarolina CobrasNot to be confused with the Los Angeles Cobras, who played in the 1988 AFL season.The Carolina Cobras were an expansion franchise in the Arena Football League...
- Chicago PoliticiansChicago PoliticiansThe Chicago Politicians was a team formed in 1986 by Arena Football League founder Jim Foster to play an initial "test game" in Rockford, Illinois at the MetroCentre. They were defeated by the Rockford Metros, 30-18...
- Detroit FuryDetroit FuryThe Detroit Fury were an Arena Football League team. The team began play in 2001 and was based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, at The Palace of Auburn Hills, also the home of the NBA's Detroit Pistons. The team was co-owned by William Davidson, who owned the Pistons, along with...
- Indiana FirebirdsIndiana FirebirdsThe Indiana Firebirds were a team in the Arena Football League.The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse, also the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball...
- Maryland CommandosWashington CommandosThe Washington Commandos were an Arena football team that operated from 1987 to 1990.-Inaugural season :The Washington Commandos were a charter member of the Arena Football League, playing in the initial four-team "demonstration season" of 1987....
- Miami HootersFlorida BobcatsThe Florida Bobcats are a defunct Arena Football League team. They had been previously known as the Sacramento Attack and the Miami Hooters.-Sacramento Attack :...
- Miami ViseMiami ViseThe Miami Vise were an arena football team formed by Arena Football League founder Jim Foster for the purposes of playing a "test game" on February 26, 1987 at the Rosemont Horizon against the Chicago Bruisers...
- Nashville Kats (1997-2001)Nashville KatsThe Nashville Kats were an Arena Football League team, located in Nashville, Tennessee. They were last coached by Pat Sperduto, who coached the team's original incarnation to two ArenaBowl appearances prior to the original franchise's move to Atlanta in 2002...
- Rockford MetrosRockford MetrosThe Rockford Metros was an Arena football team formed by Arena Football League founder Jim Foster for the purposes of playing a "test game" in Rockford, Illinois in the spring of 1986 at the MetroCentre. The team was named after the MetroCentre itself. Players were taken from different semi-pro...
- Manchester WolvesManchester WolvesThe Manchester Wolves were a professional arena football team, based at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, which folded at the end of the 2009 season along with the rest of the league...
Soundtrack
- 7 Seconds - "Big Hardcore Mystery"
- AnberlinAnberlinAnberlin is an American rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band has consisted of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young.Members of Anberlin originally formed...
- "Never Take Friendship Personal" - Avenged SevenfoldAvenged SevenfoldAvenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
- "Blinded in Chains" - BloodsimpleBloodsimpleBloodsimple is an American heavy metal band from New York City that formed in 2002. They were signed to Warner Bros. Records.The band's name, Bloodsimple, comes from a term coined by detective novelist Dashiell Hammett. The term apparently describes the addled, fearful mindset people are in after...
- "What if I Lost It" - British Beef - "Without Me"
- Day of Contempt - "The Ghost of Tragedy"
- EmeryEmery (band)Emery is an American four-piece post-hardcore band from Rock Hill, South Carolina currently signed to both Tooth & Nail Records and Solid State Records and based in Seattle, Washington. Emery was founded in Rock Hill, South Carolina with the original lineup consisting of Toby Morrell, Devin...
- "Studying Politics" - From Autumn to AshesFrom Autumn to AshesFrom Autumn to Ashes was a NY melodic hardcore band that formed in Long Island in 2000. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark , Scott Gross , Benjamin Perri , Brian Deneeve , Mike Pilato , Rob Lauritsen , and Jeff Gretz From Autumn to Ashes was a NY...
- "Inapprope" - Ill NiñoIll NiñoIll Niño is an American six-piece metal band from New Jersey founded in 1998. The band has sold over 3.3 million units worldwide; they have 5 studio albums and 10 music videos.-History:...
- "What You Deserve" - KornKornKorn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
- "Twisted TransistorTwisted Transistor"Twisted Transistor" is a song written and recorded by American nu metal band Korn and The Matrix for Korn's seventh studio album, See You on the Other Side...
" - Left AloneLeft AloneLeft Alone is a punk rock band from Wilmington, California. They were formed in May 1996 by lead vocalist and guitarist Elvis Cortez. Cortez formed his own label, Smelvis Records, to release Left Alone's records, and has since expanded the label to include numerous other underground bands. Cortez...
- "My Whole Life" - Orange - "Affirmation Song"
- Project 86Project 86Project 86 is an American Christian rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1996. The line-up consists of bassist Steven Dail, vocalist and songwriter Andrew Schwab, and guitarist Randy Torres. The band has released seven studio albums, which have collectively sold over 500,000 units...
- "All of Me", "The Spy Hunter" - StaindStaindStaind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
- "Paper Jesus" - Still RemainsStill RemainsStill Remains is a metalcore band from Grand Rapids, Michigan. They formed out of previous local bands Shades of Amber and Unition. They released two studio albums, Of Love and Lunacy and The Serpent, both to positive reviews, and had minor UK chart success with the single "Dancing with the Enemy"....
- "White Walls" - Story of the YearStory of the YearStory of the Year is an American rock band formed in St. Louis, Missouri in 2000. The band was initially named 67 North but was then changed to Big Blue Monkey...
- "We Don't Care Anymore" - The Prom KingsThe Prom KingsThe Prom Kings was a rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Their first single, "Alone," started getting played on American rock radio stations in January 2005. Their self-titled debut album was released in August 2005. Their song "Blow" was featured in the movie The Island...
- "Down" - Thousand Foot KrutchThousand Foot KrutchThousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
- "Absolute" - UnderoathUnderoathUnderoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
- "Reinventing Your Exit" - Peter Lehman - "8 Yards", "Psycho Linebacker"
- Jesse Allen - "Avatar of Fury", "Dr Pizza Pie", "Shake Your Moneymaker", "The Beast Within", "Thrash Trance"
- Rob Warren - "Eucalyptus People", "Meat Mittens", "Purple Monkey Dishwasher", "Rocket Fuel", "Satellite Symphony", "wHOSyERdADDY"
- Gene Rozenberg - "Grenade Anthem", "My Little Two by Four"
- Aubrey Hodges - "Primal Nation"
History of AFL video games
Unbeknownst to some, Arena Football is not the first videogame to feature the Arena Football League. However, it can be considered the first simulation (as opposed to arcade-style) Arena Football League game. Other Arena Football League games are:- Kurt Warner's Arena Football UnleashedKurt Warner's Arena Football UnleashedKurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed is a sports game developed and published by Midway for the Sony PlayStation. It was released in North America on May 18, 2000.-Gameplay:...
(2000) - PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
- Midway GamesMidway GamesMidway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
- A completely arcade-style video game that was based on the NFL BlitzNFL BlitzNFL Blitz is a series of American football themed video games by Midway featuring the teams of the National Football League. It began as a 1997 arcade game but was eventually ported to home consoles and spawned several sequels...
game engine. Considered the first true Arena Football League game. - Arena Football '95 (1995) - Atari JaguarAtari JaguarThe Atari Jaguar is a video game console that was released by Atari Corporation in 1993. It was the last to be marketed under the Atari brand until the release of the Atari Flashback in 2004. It was designed to surpass the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Panasonic...
- V-Real - Unreleased game that made it about half way through development before cancellation. - Arena Football (1988) - Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
- Chris R. Bickford III - Independently coded text-based game for the C64 back during the early years of the AFL.