If you didn’t already know, Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend, which means a few things. For me specifically, it means that I will be in a lavish recliner, surrounded by all the items needed to make up a great Super Bowl experience: Chips, beer, wings, and my mobile device will all be within an arm’s reach. The beer, chips, and wings make sense, but you might find yourself asking, “Why would you need your mobile device so close?” Well, if you must know, Madonna is hosting the elongated half time show, so to help keep my attention focused on football, our friends at Full Fat Productions graciously provided us with NFL Flick Quarterback.

This game is officially licensed by the NFL, which really gives it true sporting credibility. If you go back to my first article for Flick Golf, you’ll know that I love finger-flicking games. Full Fat took this particular finger-flicking game to a whole new level by focusing on the features, sounds, and most of all, the officially licensed NFL teams. Once the player first launches the game, you enter your name and choose the team of your choice. This is important, because when playing the game, your name will appear on the back of the team’s jersey. This feature is particularly enjoyable, as it helps to immerse the player in the experience of being an NFL quarterback, at least as much as a mobile game can.

The single-player mode has five different types of mini-games that place you in the position of your favorite team’s quarterback. The first mode is the Basic Skills Challenge. Here, the player learns the basics of the game, such as how to look around the field, or the use of the hawk eye vision you’ll need to be an elite NFL quarterback. You will also learn how to place a perfect spiral on the ball, dodge an incoming defensive lineman, and to adjust your pass to compensate for the wind. The Basic Skills Challenge, or “training camp” as the professionals call it, is a great place to learn, and it molds the rookie quarterback into a game-ready competitor. 

Up next is the Playmaker mode. The goal here is to throw as many complete passes as you can. You are allowed three mistakes, but once you exceed that amount, the game ends. Mistakes include throwing an interception or throwing an incomplete pass. You start with two defenders and no wind, but as you progress, you’ll encounter extra defenders rushing the pocket and stronger wind. Points are awarded for consistency, distance thrown, and, most importantly, touchdowns. Throw a perfect pass and you will earn additional bonus points. If you complete five passes in a row, you will earn an extra chance to chase your high score. This is a great mode to hone your craft as you strive to become an elite quarterback.

Quick Fire is the next playable mode you will encounter. The goal is to see how many complete passes you can throw in 45 seconds. For each “Perfect Play”, you will earn 5 additional seconds. For each complete pass, you will earn 3 seconds. But be careful: the clock will lose 3 seconds every time you get sacked or for every pass that gets intercepted. This mode is a great challenge, which equals out to great fun.

The next mode is the Trick Shot mode. The goal for this mode is simple: aim for the buckets. The player is given four downs to throw the ball into the highlighted bucket. When a successful attempt is made, the buckets fall over, and your throw is scored. As long as you continue to knock down buckets, the distance grows between the quarterback and the buckets. As the distance grows, wind becomes more of a factor in the game. This is a moderately fun mode. It gives the player a challenge, but lacks the excitement that the other levels give.

Finally, there is the Trick Shot XL mode. This mode takes the Trick Shot mode to the next level. The goal is still to throw the football into the highlighted bucket; however, this mode mixes things up by adding an explosion once you sink the perfect throw. From here, the game resembles bowling, where the explosion helps to knock over other buckets on the field. Sink the bucket, and more are added; the more buckets you knock over, the more points earned. Trick Shot XL is far better than the Trick Shot mode, and is a must play once you unlock it.

Doing well in each mode helps the overall rating of your quarterback. You start out as a rookie and work your way toward being named a hotshot. There isn’t much benefit to the rankings, but it goes a long way for bragging rights. If you finish the mini-games, you will earn a better overall score.

Just like the National Football League, there are so many great aspects to this game. Whether it is seeing your name on the back of your team’s jersey, or just the general look of the graphics, this game is top notch. I experienced no lag time while playing, and I was pleased when I was greeted with fantastic quarterback facts. For example, did you know that Tom Brady has completed more passes in the Super Bowl than anyone else? I particularly liked the soundtrack, and it really got me pumped up to throw a Hail Mary of my own. The game also keeps a number of stats, such as high scores for all levels, completed passes, and perfect plays. Most importantly, however, the gameplay is magnificent. The accuracy of the game is definitely impressive. If your flick is off, then the spiral is off as well. If you do not adjust for the wind, then the ball ends up intercepted. It is aspects like these that make this game great.

Overall, I feel that this game really captures what makes football America’s new pastime. I feel that this game, with its great graphics, modes, and super bowl facts, will become your new mobile game of choice, and I’m sure you’ll be as addicted to it as I am. I give this game a full first down: 10 out of 10 yards.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ 

 

This review is based on a review copy of the iPad version of NFL Flick Quarterback provided by Full Fat Productions

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About The Author

Daniel loves spending his down time by playing games on his phone. From time to time you will find him playing on his beloved Halo 4 edition Xbox 360. If there's any free time after that you can catch him and his random thoughts on twitter. @DANgerousDANdy