I had a chance to run a quick game of GridIron Live yesterday and I have to say, it’s pretty heavy on processing since it’s built in Flash. I was only getting 5-7fps on it but it still seemed pretty cool. Since I’m on a netbook which would explain some of the slowness.

The game’s Ai still needs some work as I was able to run one play and score a touchdown. On my first down of defense I scored a -15 yard sack and then eventually ran one more offensive play to score another touchdown. But that’s not to say that the game isn’t cool, because it is. Since it’s still in beta it’s got some leeway and room to improve. Plus, it’s a 3D game on Facebook. How cool is that?

GridIron Live is giving football fans a whole new way to play football, compete against friends and share their love of the game on Facebook Platform. The innovative new online football game combines the casual, quick play of social gaming with a high level of live action game play and graphics using Facebook Platform. GridIron Live is played on Facebook Platform at http://apps.facebook.com/gridironlive.

In GridIron Live, players assume control of a football team and coach them to victory on the field. They can challenge friends or play against computer controlled opponents, and the choices they make determine victory or defeat for their team on the field. The GridIron Live application on Facebook Platform is:

• Strategic: Call the team’s plays on offense, defense and special teams and watch the action unfold via real time play.

• Fast Paced: Play football on Facebook Platform in seconds, with nothing to download and no lengthy installation process.

• Management: Develop teams by adding new players to the roster and new plays to the playbook.

• Social: Earn achievements and challenge friends to earn virtual bragging rights that can be posted on Facebook.

Challenge Games wants to bring the fun of sports games to the broad audience of football fans that use Facebook Platform.

“We want to blow football fans away by combining the level of detail and action seen in sports games with the interaction of social games,” said Jeff Petry, Vice President of Sports & Licensed Properties at Challenge Games. “We see GridIron Live as a new generation of applications for Facebook Platform that borrow sophisticated elements from traditional gaming to give the player higher-quality, unforgettable experiences. People have never played football on a Facebook Platform like they will in GridIron Live.”

GridIron Live pushes the limits of Adobe Flash Platform with its 3-D game play. It is played on Facebook Platform at http://apps.facebook.com/gridironlive.

Like I said, it’s cool but it needs work. It would also be cool if it were multiplayer so we could totally waste time with our friends while at work.

Correction: Luis (the great AtmanRising on Twitter and PR guy for the game) told me that there is multiplayer and I just need to make a team. Given that it was 5-7fps I was impatient and didn’t do that. So there you go, it’s got multiplayer action even. Sorry about the error.

The dawn of a new era in Facebook gaming? I sure hope so!