NFL Tour is supposed to be a revamped version of the NFL Street series from EA Sports Big. Instead, it's a de-evolution, flawed in nearly every aspect and lacking many of the enjoyable quirks of its predecessor. The arcade fun wears off after a few games, and boredom quickly takes over.

All of the wild wall jumps, special meters, over-the-top hits, and locales are gone. They've been replaced with minor wall jumps, a single meter, a few hard hits, and a single locale with a few different background textures. Also missing is entertainment.

Tour's issues are many, but none are bigger than defense. Simply put, there isn't any. A new counter system which relies on timed button presses to escape tackles or make them is skewered towards the offense. Stopping a simple run or small receiver requires multiple defensive players to even have a chance at making a stop, and after a while, games boil down to who had the ball last.

The simple playbook suits the arcade style of the game, yet is unbearably limited. Four plays of man coverage are all you'll get, and the same goes for the staggeringly low amount of short passes. Scrambling after selecting a long pass is immensely overpowering and making this a focus can beat the A.I. on any level.

The default passing system takes players back to the days of Tecmo Bowl by requiring a cycling through available receivers. This takes time and makes it too easy to toss to the unintended receiver. It's not easier or more accessible, and should be the first thing that changes in the options menu.

Game play modes are limited. Single player options include mildly amusing mini-games and The Tour. Using the anemic create-a-player, your goal is to travel to various NFL cities, beat teams, and earn a NFL contract. Each city presents a different challenge (start a game down by a touchdown, play to 24, etc.), and the increasing difficulty continues to stack the deck when the defense doesn't.

Lack of variety quickly leads to repetition. All of the stadiums look the same, and the city backdrop which is the only difference can't be seen from the gameplay POV. Each team has a preset selection of players, forcing fans to stick with the same squad game in and game out. Bears fans will be without the popular Devin Hester for example. Trey Wingo's commentary is equally pathetic, trying to be a parody of repeating video game commentators, yet ends up being one.

Online play offers extra levels of customization (the same for local play), including expansive sets of game rules and styles. Mini-games are also an option for quick match ups. The lack of any true skill in the game itself rules out deep competition or intense games.

NFL Tour deprives fans of this series all that they've come to expect. It's become simpler than before, and the franchise was already barren in terms of its gameplay. This is a rushed, slapped together football title coming out late in the season without much purpose or value for the dollar.

NFL Tour is rated E (Everyone) by the ESRB for Mild Lyrics, Mild Violence. This game can also be found on: PS3.