Walkthroughs

Retro Bowl: Three reasons why you might like the American football game

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| Retro Bowl
Retro Bowl: Three reasons why you might like the American football game

A small football game with a big punch.

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Retro Bowl is one of the deeper football games you'll find on mobile. It features a classic, arcade aesthetic while still being modern with its depth in features. You can start off with a roster and adjust it too to improve your squad before, during, and after the season. 

On occasion, some football games might limit you to only do certain things but in Retro Bowl, you can play all areas of the game whether it's offense, defense, or special teams. And, although it's not an NFL licensed game, there's a way to give the game an NFL vibe which we'll talk about later. 

But aside from the fact that the game is free to play, what are a few reasons why a football fan such as yourself might enjoy the game? Whether it's on the field or off it, there is plenty to dive into in this throwback gridiron game. 

Click Here To View The List »

Smooth, Old School Gameplay

Retro Bowl takes you back in time to the days of arcades and old home consoles. The design may remind you of an iconic game like Tecmo Bowl. And as you take in the wave of nostalgia on your phone, you can appreciate how smooth the gameplay is.

In particular, the offense is a lot of fun. Sure, everyone loves to score points, so offense always seems like fun in most sports games. However, the controls in the game on offense are very interesting specifically when running passing plays during a game.

You will need to control an aiming arc in order to throw to a certain target. This essentially gives you full control at the quarterback position which is cool. It's not just a quick tap of a button and your QB throws it. It's up to you to aim your throw properly. You don't need to be 100% on point, but it's good to get it as close to your tended target as possible.

That's just one area. The running game is also great, with satisfying juke moves to avoid getting tackled. The defense is solid and even kicking is pretty fun overall too. So really, the gameplay is well-rounded.

Management Abilities

One of the cool things you can do in Retro Bowl is that you have complete control over your team, kind of like how you see in Franchise modes in other sports games. It's up to you to make the moves that you feel are best for the team.

Is a player underperforming? Then maybe you should release them. One area of the offense or defense weakening your team? Then maybe you should look into free agency or consider making a trade or two. The power is in your hands.

Then, you have the draft which is a lot of fun. You can look at the players' attributes and see if they'd be a fit for your squad. It's possible that you may find a diamond in the rough too (I had actually drafted a kicker and he's been a beast overall and better than my previous one). Like in real football (and in basketball as well), a great draft can really bolster your team if you get lucky.

NFL Teams

OK, so we kinda brought this up in the beginning but you can actually get NFL teams in Retro Bowl. You won't be able to get the players unfortunately due to the game not having the NFL Players Association license, but you can still get the team names, colors, and cities.

In order to gain access, you need to purchase access for $1.99. I know, microtransactions can suck, sometimes but once you purchase it, it's there for good. If you buy the Unlimited Version of the game for $.99, then you will be granted access to edit the teams.

So this will let you truly create that NFL-like experience. If you want Russell Wilson at QB for the Seattle Seahawks then you can certainly do that now. The purchase overall is a package, as not only will you be able to edit teams, but you change the weather and set up dynamic difficulty which will get harder or easier based on how you play (MLB The Show utilizes this if the player so wishes).

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Colin  Mieczkowski
Colin Mieczkowski
MOST PLAYED GAME: Golden Tee Mobile Colin has been in media and content creation for close to a decade, focusing on a balance of sports (golf mostly) and gaming. He's also a big fan of the Chicago White Sox, Bulls, Bears, and the sport of golf. He can be reached via email at [email protected] and can be followed on Twitter @GhostPandaColin.