NFL 2K3 goes for gloss

Sega Sports will make a big impact in the UK and Europe next year, the Japanese publisher/developer hopes. Starting with NBA 2K3 in February, Sega will challenge EA's dominant series one by one. On April 4th, it makes a play for the American football crown with NFL 2K3. Admittedly, this shouldn't be difficult, as not even EA's NFL franchise sells like any recognised form of hotcake - with the 2003 edition amassing less than 10,000 sales across several platforms.

Sega's offering will appear on PS2, Xbox and GameCube simultaneously of course, and we're promised a raft of new (but not altogether exciting) features. Fans of the game, take note. The rest of you, meet us at the end for the eye candy.

Changes to the NFL millennia-K-year series for this outing include; improved player animations, 'convincing' play-calling AI, audible calls system, ESPN presentation (with associated overlays, scores, highlights, etc), various management options (including a transfer system), updated stats, 3D stadiums, and in time-honoured tradition, "so much more".

With this Sega Sports series only a few months away from launch, Sega has released new screenshots of the game on Xbox and Cube. Sega will certainly be hoping for some sales of the Cube version, which stiffed so badly in the US that the publisher considered withdrawing it. Hike the damn ball! [Explanations of the previous sentence welcome - Ed]