NFL Retro Bowl 25 is a welcomed, refreshing and significant update to a well established franchise that is worth the fee for the Apple Arcade subscription.
“Retro Bowl” created by New Star Games in 2020 is a highly respected series among mobile games. The game portrays a classic 8-bit style football game with fun and simple mechanics that feel like a blast to the past. The game was then followed up in 2023, releasing a refreshing college version of the game, releasing a different and more difficult game that puts player’s coaching and playing skills to the test as the requiring better players becomes more difficult and you have your stars for only 4 years maximum. But one clear fact that is noticeable when you first load up the game is the fact that it’s just a football game. Not an NFL game. That changed in September 2024, when New Star games released NFL Retro Bowl 25.
NFL Retro Bowl 25 offers a fresh coat of paint to an already timeless game. And that coat of paint being an NFL license. This is very clear as when first loading into the game, it shows very recognizable players like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Justin Jefferson in a cool 8 bit art style that the series is known for.
There isn’t much to talk about the gameplay itself as it follows the traditions of the simple yet addicting mechanics that has been shown in both previous successors. One thing the games are known for is the very simple way the game plays. The game will set up a formation for you and you have the choice to either pass, run the ball, or even scramble. This is still very much present in the new game. But who can blame them? There has never been a big looming issue with any of the games. Why fix what’s not broken?
Even then the game adds something new to give it some more identity. The game has added a feature where you can either start with a team like the other teams, or you can now sign your own players and create a team that fulfills your desires and dreams. The game also automatically includes the unlimited perks like weather and more from the previous games without having to buy it separately.
So you’re thinking this might sound good?
Well unlike most of the other games, it’s not free. NFL Retro Bowl 25 is located in the Apple Arcade game catalog, giving only access to those who purchase and have the Apple Arcade subscription. This means in order to be able to access this game, you’ll need to fork over 7 dollars a month to keep the game in your library. Even though Apple Arcade does feature a huge variety of games that can be accessed from a giant catalog, many of the games present are often lackluster and might even be seen as a waste of money. This also means that people who don’t even have an Apple device like Android can’t even play this game! I’m lucky Apple gave me a free 3 month trial or else I would’ve not been talking about this game.
This also comes back to the copy and pasted game mechanics. Unlike NFL Retro Bowl 25, both of the previous successors are free, which might turn off others who already have the other games and are content with them.
This could make people think “Why pay 7 dollars a month when I can get a very similar game for free?” Fortunately, I feel like there are enough enjoyable games part of Apple Arcade to keep people entertained in some way to at least subscribe initially and try NFL Retro Bowl out.
Overall, NFL Retro Bowl 25 is a beautiful and refreshing addition to the Retro Bowl franchise that is unfortunately locked behind a monthly paywall that not even everyone can access. Even though I don’t recommend going all in on Apple Arcade, subscribe for a month or try to get a free trial to give this game a chance. It’s a shining star in a dark cave.