Legend Bowl

A hail mary that tries to thread the needle between Tecmo Bowl and Madden and falls short of the goal line.

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Legend Bowl brings you back to the glory days of pixel-style football games of the past! Enjoy a hybrid of arcade-style football and simulation aspects on and off the field. Fully customize players and teams to create an endless amount of variety in your league. Sim-based controls with challenging gameplay mechanics bring the fight to your doorstep! Legend Bowl includes Exhibition Mode, Tournament…

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Play Modes

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 790 reviews

gameplay96 positive mentions

stability13 negative mentions

Legend Bowl offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic football games like Tecmo Bowl, with modern gameplay mechanics.
The game features extensive customization options, allowing players to modify teams, players, and even create their own logos.
The developer is highly responsive to community feedback, regularly updating the game and addressing bugs, which enhances the overall experience.

The passing and kicking mechanics can be frustratingly difficult to master, often leading to inconsistent results.
The AI can exhibit poor decision-making, particularly in critical game situations, which can detract from the overall realism.
Currently, there is no franchise mode, limiting the depth of gameplay and long-term engagement for players.

gameplay
237 mentions
41 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fun, engaging mechanics and retro aesthetic, while others criticize its lack of depth and frustrating controls, particularly in passing and kicking. Many players appreciate the balance between arcade and simulation styles, noting that while the gameplay can be challenging and requires a learning curve, it ultimately offers a rewarding experience. However, issues such as predictable AI and convoluted menu navigation have been highlighted as detractors from the overall enjoyment.
- “Best football game on the market - fun and challenging gameplay with a nice franchise mode too.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, the controls feel deft and responsive, the art style is endearing, it's almost perfect.”
- “Legend Bowl provides the nostalgic feel of Tecmo Super Bowl, the SNES Madden games, with a NFL 2K5/APF 2K8 approach with the gameplay.”
- “The AI is incredibly predictable and easy to cheese, but even with this in mind, the deck is so stacked against you mechanically that it doesn't matter.”
- “Unintuitive or lacking menus, ridiculously bad (at times) gameplay, and I never once made it through a whole game without it crashing.”
- “The gameplay is just bad... everything for me or the CPU are long touchdown passes or no yards.”
graphics
94 mentions
36 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming pixel art that evokes nostalgia for classic 16-bit titles, appealing to fans of retro aesthetics. While some players appreciate the depth and gameplay mechanics that lie beneath the simplistic visuals, others find the graphics dated compared to modern standards. Overall, the art style is well-received for its fun and engaging presentation, though it may not satisfy those seeking high-resolution graphics.
- “The pixel graphics are beautiful and made with much care, but do not let the SNES/Genesis aesthetic deceive you; this game has great depth and is a must-play for anyone looking to go back to the golden era of simulation-style football.”
- “An excellent and challenging retro-styled game, with a lot more depth than you would expect based on the (beautiful) pixel graphics.”
- “The graphics are pixel art, and good pixel art at that.”
- “Graphics: 0/10”
- “The old Commodore 64 games had better graphics and gameplay mechanics.”
- “Well, I was hoping for a game with more emphasis on action and fun gameplay like Tecmo or Blitz, but I feel like what we have here is just Madden with worse graphics.”
music
15 mentions
60 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its nostalgic 8-bit style, reminiscent of classic sports titles like Tecmo Super Bowl, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Reviewers appreciate the well-crafted soundtrack, which not only sets the mood during matches but also adds charm to the menus, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the sound design and music contribute significantly to the game's appeal, with many considering it a highlight worth exploring further.
- “Animations and sounds are great, and the added music really puts you into the mood as you're driving the football down the field to try and win the game or hold onto the lead before time runs out.”
- “Sound design is great, music is also top notch with 8-bit bangers everywhere.”
- “Music is subtle but fits well and has a distinct charm that is obviously inspired by the classic sports games of old.”
- “The game music is very reminiscent of the old Tecmo Super Bowl games; I like old Tecmo music.”
- “There's a reason why the soundtrack is being offered as DLC; it slaps!”
- “The soundtrack.”
stability
13 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits significant stability issues, including frequent random freezes, particularly at the end of matches, which can lead to lost progress and frustration for players. While it features enjoyable gameplay and appealing graphics, the presence of numerous bugs and glitches detracts from the overall experience. As an early access title, there is hope for improvements, but current stability remains a major concern.
- “This is very entertaining, super colorful and funny, but sometimes suffers from random freezes after a game has just finished, without the chance of saving the current state, which translates into a waste of time equal to the duration of an entire game, including any achievements eventually unlocked during the last ride.”
- “The game repeatedly freezes at the end of games, meaning that I regularly play a game 2 or 3 times before I can actually complete it.”
- “After every attempt to save my season while exiting the game mode, the game freezes and won't accept input.”
humor
12 mentions
92 % positive mentions
-17 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, featuring entertaining tutorials, hilarious AI play calling, and amusing in-game ads that parody NFL sponsors. Players enjoy the quirky retro aesthetic and find the player chatter and unexpected bugs to be genuinely funny, contributing to a lighthearted gaming experience. However, some critiques mention that the tutorial dialogue can be poorly written and unfunny, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “Ai play calling is hilarious!”
- “The in-game ads are funny parodies of actual NFL sponsors.”
- “Even the fake parody sponsorships scattered throughout the game are funny and a nice touch.”
- “The tutorials spend a lot of time with poorly written, unfunny dialogue about why things are explained in video game terms, but then fail to explain how to actually play.”
- “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making the experience more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
- “I expected witty banter, but instead, I got a series of tired jokes that didn't land at all.”
optimization
8 mentions
13 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing occasional stuttering, particularly on older hardware. Recommendations for improving performance include disabling replays and virtual fans. While it runs well on the Steam Deck and is optimized for controllers, users on less powerful systems may struggle without community guidance on performance tweaks.
- “Optimized for controller (Xbox, PS, Nintendo), but very playable on keyboard (which I'm using).”
- “About franchise mode, player progression has nothing to do with the prior year's performance.”
- “If you are having performance problems, be sure to turn off the replay, which helped overall performance. Do you really need those virtual fans in the stands? That's another way to improve performance.”
- “I didn't read the community board for this game much, but if there isn't something focused on how to improve performance, it would have been helpful. I was about ready to not recommend this game at this point due to performance issues on an old HP laptop with a GeForce GT 740M GPU along with a quad-core Intel CPU.”
story
8 mentions
13 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is seen as lacking depth, with some players expressing a desire for more dramatic narratives and interactive elements that could enhance the franchise mode. While the graphics may not appeal to everyone, the gameplay experience is appreciated by those who value classic gaming elements. Overall, the absence of a compelling story detracts from the potential for a richer gaming experience.
- “No, it isn't Madden (thank god) and it's not 2K5; it's in its own lane doing its own thing, and that's great. People see graphics like this and are turned off, but as an old-school gamer, I believe the looks don't tell the whole story of how great this game is!”
- “We want the storylines and the drama!”
- “Also, some options to interact with players, like improving low morale or convincing a star to take a pay cut, would really help franchise mode feel like an ongoing story.”
- “☑ no story”
monetization
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The monetization in this football game is criticized as a cash grab, particularly in comparison to Madden's recent controversies, with players expressing a desire for a more genuine gaming experience without intrusive microtransactions. However, some users appreciate the humorous in-game ads that parody actual NFL sponsors, suggesting a lighthearted approach to monetization. Overall, the game is seen as a nostalgic throwback rather than a serious competitor in the genre.
- “Weak, mediocre nostalgia bait football game using Madden's recent hate bombing as a lazy cash grab.”
- “I hate EA and microtransactions.”
- “If you are looking for a football game that delivers the gameplay and in-depth mechanics of Madden without the monetization BS, get this game.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its engaging gameplay and extensive customization options, particularly enhanced by community mods like the NFL mod. While the user interface for customization could be simplified, the overall experience remains enjoyable and encourages players to return when seeking something fun to play.
- “A great football arcade/sim unlike modern Madden games. The great customization depth, although it could be a lot simpler with the UI when customizing colors and other options, makes it much more replayable with an NFL mod and other tools. Overall, it's a really solid and fun game to come back to when you have nothing else you want to play.”
- “A great football arcade/sim unlike modern Madden games. Great customization depth, although it could be a lot more simple with the UI when customizing colors and other options. It becomes a lot more replayable with an NFL mod and other tools. Overall, a really solid and fun game to come back to when you have nothing else you want to play.”
- “Gameplay is fun, and the ability to customize teams adds to the replayability.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring a significant time investment that feels overwhelming.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's just unnecessarily tedious.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its impressive quality, particularly given its genre. Reviewers express a desire for enhancements, such as more detailed crowds, cheerleaders, and mascots, to further enrich the immersive experience.
- “The overall atmosphere in the game is amazing, especially considering the style of the game.”
- “The atmosphere feels empty and lifeless, lacking the energy that makes a game truly immersive.”
- “Despite the potential, the environment is dull and uninspired, failing to draw players into the experience.”
- “The lack of dynamic elements in the atmosphere makes the game feel flat and unengaging.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of emotions, highlighting a sense of personal growth despite feeling distant from mastery. The experience of friendly competition, such as a close match with a friend, adds a layer of wholesome enjoyment that enhances the emotional connection to the game.
- “In only a few games, I can feel myself improving, yet I feel very far from 'good.' Remote played my buddy for the first game and we clobbered each other 58-52; it was wholesome good fun.”