Last week we told you about the co-op features that will be in the new iteration of NFL Blitz. Well this week, it’s all about “Elite Leagues”. The third and “deepest” online mode. Very reminiscent of the Ultimate Team mode in Madden NFL, Elite Leagues looks to add a little more arcade flare. You’ll be able to use the “Blitz Bucks” you’ve earned from online games to buy card packs that will contain new players and power ups for your team. Both players and power up have contracts that will deplete after every game. Using your Blitz Bucks, you’ll be able to renew that players or power ups contract. Pro Players and Ultimate players feature infinite contracts, and can be received by trading in a full team of cards. It looks as though Elite Leagues takes what’s great in the Ultimate Team mode in Madden NFL, and what’s great in NFL Blitz, and makes a fun, addicting mode for gamers. More information about the mode can be seen below.

Develop Your Team:

  • You’ll be able to acquire new players by purchasing card packs in the Blitz Store
  • Customize your lineup and focus your team around specific strengths.
  • Try to build and Elite League by collecting teams of players.
Collect Them All:
  • Complete a team collection and trade it in for any player with better skills and infinite contracts.
Risks and Rewards:
  • Challenge other online players to see who truly has the best team.
  • Put it all on the line and risk a player for the chance to take someone else’s.
  • Play against your friends and compare your respective records.
Unlock Players:
  • Collect a team of players and trade them in to unlock a special “Pro Player” from that team.
  • Collect a division or conference of teams to unlock Ultimate players
  • Pro and Ultimate players have better rating and infinite contracts
But that’s not all, this mode will also feature its fair share of power ups, but just like the players, they have a contract. But by collecting all of the power up (found below), you can then trade them in to unlock special “Ultimate Power Ups”.
Offensive Power Ups:
  • Speed – Affects the way your Turbo Bar drains and refills
  • Power – Affects the ball carrier’s chances to break more tackles
  • Skill – Affects the ball carrier’s chances of fumbling the ball
  • Recovery – Affects a receiver’s chances of faking out a defender
Defense Power Ups:
  • Speed – Affects the way your Turbo Bar drains and refills
  • Power – Affects a defender’s chance of causing a ball carrier to fumble
  • Skill – Affects the chances of your CPU defenders pushing, diving and attempting interceptions
  • Recovery – Affects the likelihood of a defender biting on a fake

The new iteration of NFL Blitz is scheduled for release on January 4th, 2012 for 1200MSP. You can check out some new screenshots from the Elite Leagues mode below.

Source: NFL Blitz blog