News Post

NFL Head Coach 09 is an Underrated Sleeper

03:01 PM - May 7, 2009 by RaychelSnr

It is a good time to be a sports fan. I mean just look at the sports calendar -- we are a month into the MLB season, the NBA and NHL Playoffs are in full swing, and there is also a litany of soccer, MMA, boxing, tennis, golf, F1, NASCAR and yes, even horse-racing events going on as well.

But even though all these events are going on, I have been ignoring my copies of NHL 09, NBA 2K9 and FIFA 09. The current sports season dictates that I should be digging into those titles right now, but I have not touched them at all lately, not one bit. Instead, I have spent the last few weeks playing NFL Head Coach 09, a game about a sport that ended play months ago. So why this game, what makes it so unique?

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Game: NFL Head Coach 09Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 64 - View All

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Member Comments

# 1 Vermin @ 05/07/09 03:24 PM

A very well written perspective. I haven't touched much of HC 09 in months, but now I'm feeling the itch to get back in there and try to make my Chiefs respectable again.

# 2 boxboy99 @ 05/07/09 03:26 PM

I did really like the game. I havn't played a ton, because I had to restart my career twice. The first time was before the injury bug was discovered and the second time is because I accidently deleted my Xbox profile and lost all my game saves....... that was a nightmear. Anyways just havn't found the heart or time to start for a 3rd time. I really loved all the off the gridiron stuff in the game, but the in game elements were pretty rough. I really didn't care for the playcalling/subs interface. The games were fun but the out of game stuff was better. Sometimes it just felt like I was watching electronic football. I wish the game planning let me pick the plays I wanted to work on, I didn't like that I could pick my top 5 run defense play but maybe those were all good and I really wanted to develop the next 5 plays but didn't really have a way to without taking a risk and calling them in the game. Overall this is a great game though. Your thoughts are dead on. I really hope they make another head coach at some point or they intergrate most of this into Madden and give us a coach mode. This game just needs a couple more tweaks and it would be an excellent game, right now I would say it is very good.

# 3 Bumble14 @ 05/07/09 04:12 PM

In a perfect world Madden 10's dynasty would be just as deep and well thought out as HC 09.

We can only dream.

# 4 The Clairvoyant @ 05/07/09 04:19 PM

I remember last summer when I saw a preview of NFL Head Coach 09 at IGN.com, I said to my self this thing is not going to work, man I was wrong, very wrong.

I downloaded the demo on xbox live to just see if was any good, I loved the demo, Since that moment I was hooked to this game. This game is the most addicting and fun sports game that I’ve ever played, kudos for Donny Moore and Josh Looman.

# 5 MrNFL_FanIQ @ 05/07/09 04:49 PM

The game is like crack, and I played it pretty hardcore all of football season into March. I stopped for a month, but of course I'm back to being addicted after the draft came.

# 6 sportyguyfl31 @ 05/07/09 05:13 PM

Im thinking of picking up a copy..ill download the demo first though

# 7 DJ @ 05/07/09 05:50 PM

I think the reason the replays are limited (is there even a replay option) is because if you really are the Head Coach, you don't have access to that stuff during the game, aside from watching the Jumbo-Tron between plays.

What would be cool is if you could save plays that worked and didn't work and then during week go back and watch the clips to see what happened.

I bought this game on a whim a couple of months ago and really love it.

# 8 deltroy @ 05/07/09 06:08 PM

Great read and i couldn't agree more love me some Headcoach!!

# 9 gr18 @ 05/07/09 06:15 PM

Good article.I like the game alot but would also add the need for CAP's before you start a franchise and it would be nice if you could tweak ratings.

Probably the most aggravating thing to me is the poor sim engine.For instance,Alex Smith shouldn't be anywhere close to MVP quality and halfway through my current season T.O. has 65 catches for over 850 yards and McNabb has thrown 18 ints.!!!

# 10 stlstudios189 @ 05/07/09 06:23 PM

I bought the Madden collectors edition to get Head Coach 09 and I have ended up playing that more than Madden.

# 11 GlennN @ 05/07/09 07:33 PM

Yeah, I think it is kind of surprising that this one flew so far under the radar (given how few quality sports games) we see these days. I have gotten tremendous enjoyment from HC 09. I agree completely with stlstudios189 - I did the same thing!

# 12 xblake16x @ 05/07/09 08:17 PM

i loved the game and got it with the collector's edition of madden this year, but i had no idea there was a demo lol.

im suprised you didnt mention the trades... where it was pretty good, but i felt that there should have been more customizable options during the trade negotiation. I really liked how it was possible to request for more in a trade and then trim down teams that arent giving any value.

also adding to the draft, was the draft day trades that occured. in nearly every round you had an opportunity to move up or down which was nice. you could be the jets, or the browns of this year.

# 13 Clarke_311 @ 05/07/09 09:32 PM

I am just like you, boxboy99, I always have to restart my career too, I feel really uninspired.

# 14 Sanchez_Mareno @ 05/07/09 10:52 PM

My favourite game ever

# 15 ThrillzNSkillz @ 05/08/09 09:58 AM

My Favorite Football game of all-time. I even call every play and watch the game, awesome... very sad no HC 2010...

# 16 JeffHCross @ 05/08/09 05:46 PM

I completely agree with all of your pros, and all of your cons. The draft resurrected a similar interest for me, and I'm currently debating giving the CPU control of all the on-field gameplay aspects so I can simulate the game and just get to another offseason. The offseason was absolutely great.

# 17 shnuskis @ 05/11/09 06:03 PM

I hadn't touched this game in months when I finally sold my Madden Collectors edition two weeks ago. Reasons being:

1. Play editor didn't work as promised.
2. There were certain plays that were vertually unstoppable, and others that just never worked.
3. Blocking physics of Madden ruin game play experience.

The good you hit right on. But I found Sportsims.net to be a good substitute and the reason I sold the game.

# 18 sgtspit @ 05/11/09 06:25 PM

might pick this up in a few,ps3 or xbox360?

# 19 afro_dogg20 @ 05/12/09 03:42 AM

I've only heard good things about this game.....maybe i should buy it.

# 20 DreadedSteeler @ 05/12/09 04:34 PM

Definitely one of my favorite games ever.

On the field play suffers from many shortcomings of the Madden engine, but off the field and the off-season is football nirvana.

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