College Bowl
- June 20, 2024
- Super Pixel Games
- 38h median play time
Get on Steam"College Bowl" is a pixelated football game that brings the college football experience to life. With over 2,700 plays and real-time physics, players can manage their school's football program and attempt to build a dynasty. The game features various modes, including Dynasty, where players must improve their school's prestige and keep their coaching job. Experience the thrill of college football and lead your team to a national title.
Reviews
- College Bowl offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic football games like Tecmo Bowl, with engaging gameplay and a deep dynasty mode.
- The game features extensive customization options, allowing players to create and manage their teams, enhancing replayability and personal connection.
- The developer is responsive to community feedback, regularly updating the game to fix bugs and improve gameplay mechanics, which shows a commitment to quality.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and bugs, particularly in dynasty mode, which can disrupt the gaming experience and lead to frustration.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as the passing system and AI behavior, can feel inconsistent and lead to unrealistic outcomes, detracting from the overall immersion.
- The graphics and presentation may not appeal to everyone, as the pixel art style can be seen as outdated compared to modern sports games.
- gameplay43 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay in College Bowl is praised for its engaging mechanics and improved AI, offering a balance between arcade and simulation styles. Players appreciate the introduction of unique playbooks for each college team, enhancing the overall experience, while the customizable gameplay presets allow for varied play styles. However, some users noted issues with certain mechanics and bugs that need addressing, though the overall gameplay is considered superior to previous titles like Legend Bowl.
“Most notably, the defense's AI is much improved and less exploitable, while the passing mechanic has been tightened up nicely, allowing for better leading wide receivers.”
“The gameplay really captures college simulation football at its best.”
“The new gameplay options, playbooks, and dynasty mode promise a high level of long-term motivation.”
“While College Bowl is fun in its current form, I can't help but wish for a more immersive career experience that ties together college and NFL gameplay, offering both player and coaching paths throughout your career.”
“They have this 'gassed' mechanic where someone gets slower once they've run a certain distance, but it doesn't seem to make any difference.”
“Some things need to be addressed to balance the gameplay out as big plays and outside runs are way too overpowered.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the retro pixel art style as charming and immersive, while others express disappointment in its aesthetic appeal. Despite the simplistic visuals, players emphasize that the graphics do not detract from the game's depth and complexity, highlighting that the gameplay mechanics are robust and engaging. Overall, the graphics are seen as fitting for the game's style, with some players encouraging others not to overlook the gameplay due to its visual presentation.
“Love the bit graphics style and the overall presentation is just fun and fast.”
“The graphics look fantastic for the type of game this is trying to be.”
“Even though the pixel style is not what I am used to, I become so immersed in the atmosphere of the games; I hardly notice the pixelated graphics, which are nonetheless attractive.”
“If you're put off by the pixel graphics and don't think this is a legit football simulator, think again.”
“The main thing I'll say about this game is don't let the aesthetics fool you, this is an incredibly complex and well done football simulator.”
“If you are a person who will overlook it for the graphics then I guess you just don't care for mechanics enough, and that is okay, if disappointing.”
- stability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report a largely stable experience with minimal bugs, others encounter significant issues such as frequent freezes, especially on the Steam Deck, and various glitches that disrupt gameplay. Some users have found workarounds for these problems, but the consensus indicates that the game still requires further optimization to enhance its reliability.
“I haven't explored all the game has to offer, but it has been largely stable and bug-free, minus some defensive plays being ineffective.”
“The ability to sync my saves between PC and Steam Deck is fantastic; the game runs great on the Deck!”
“The overall stability of the game enhances the experience, allowing me to focus on gameplay without worrying about crashes or bugs.”
“I love this game, but it hard freezes my Steam Deck far too often.”
“Good concept, poorly executed; the game freezes for a period of 4-7 seconds intermittently.”
“- It's a buggy mess.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to features like the option to transition from player to coach, customizable sliders for varying skill levels, and overall enjoyable gameplay. The combination of these elements enhances the game's longevity, making it more engaging than competitors like Legend Bowl.
“Furthermore, the ability to retire from being a player to become a coach would bring so much more depth and replayability.”
“It's an entertaining game with lots of great customization and many things that add to its replayability.”
“It's not the dynasty mode that determines its long-term replay value for me, but how much I enjoyed playing a football game, especially after at least one warm-up game.”
“Furthermore, the ability to retire from being a player to become a college/NFL coach would bring so much more depth and replayability.”
“The addition of sliders makes it more playable for those less skilled.”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Players express a strong desire for the inclusion of generic band music or the ability to import their own tracks for specific game situations, particularly emphasizing the need for college football-themed music. Many feel that the current music offerings are lacking and would greatly enhance the gaming experience with more diverse and relevant audio options.
“If there is only one suggestion you look at, I hope it's the music.”
“This game needs college football music.”
“It doesn't have to be licensed music, but generic MIDI marching band tunes.”
“I hope the music is something you consider improving.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by charming pixel art that creates a lively and immersive environment. Despite initial reservations about the pixel style, players find themselves deeply engaged, often overlooking the graphics in favor of the overall ambiance.
“Lovely pixel art characters and setting with a lively atmosphere.”
“Even though the pixel style is not what I am used to, I become so immersed in the atmosphere of the game that I hardly notice the pixelated graphics, which are nonetheless attractive.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While some users noted minor delays and optimization issues typical for a pixel game, they praised the overall performance improvements, including smoother gameplay and enhancements in features like dynasty mode and playbook editing, making it a strong retro football experience.
“Besides a bit of delay and optimization (considering it's a pixel game) concerns aside, College Bowl is an excellent incarnation of the old retro bowl-esque throwback football games.”
“Besides a bit of delay and optimization issues (considering it's a pixel game), College Bowl is an excellent incarnation of the old retro bowl-esque throwback football games.”
“The dynasty mode, playbook editing, improved option play, and smoother performance are all big improvements to an already great game.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time that can feel tedious, particularly when navigating through menus.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This makes scrolling through the menus rather tedious.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game lacks a narrative component, with users indicating that there is no story present.
“There is no story to speak of.”
“The narrative is completely absent.”
“The game lacks any meaningful storyline.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features smooth gameplay mechanics alongside a layer of satirical commentary, providing players with humorous moments that enhance the overall experience, especially when tackling the hardest difficulty.
“The running and passing feel smooth, cheesing the hardest difficulty requires some actual tact, and you get a dash of satirical commentary and funny player moments.”
“The humor in the game is top-notch, with clever dialogue and hilarious situations that keep you laughing throughout.”
“I love how the game pokes fun at classic tropes while still delivering an engaging experience; the jokes land perfectly!”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional experience of the game to be profound and impactful, even without adjusting any settings, highlighting its inherent ability to resonate deeply with them.
“Playing the game without adjusting any settings or sliders has provided me with an incredible emotional experience.”
“The emotional depth of the story truly resonated with me, leaving a lasting impact long after I finished playing.”
“I found myself deeply connected to the characters, experiencing a range of emotions that made the gameplay unforgettable.”
