The 10 Best Games Like Retro Bowl

What are the best games like Retro Bowl?

Retro Bowl is an old-school style football game that tests your team building and quarterback abilities.

Although it’s a straightforward and simple game, players can easily spend hours leading their team to numerous victories.

However, if you enjoy Retro Bowl, we’ve got some great games that we think you’ll love just as much!

The 10 Best Games Like Retro Bowl

There are a lot of sports video games, but not all of them are geared toward Retro Bowl fans.

To create this list, we’ve considered the gameplay, popularity, and player reviews of each game to ensure they’re the best.

Now, let’s get right into our list of the 10 best games like Retro Bowl:

10. FIFA Soccer 12

Kicking off our list, we have FIFA Soccer 12, a simulation game that allows players to control their favorite soccer teams.

FIFA Soccer 12 introduced a number of gameplay changes, including tactical defending, precision dribbling, and the impact engine.

The impact engine, in particular, greatly improves the accuracy and variety of collisions as well as preserves momentum.

This helps make FIFA 12 much more organic and dynamic when compared to previous releases.

In Career Mode, players get to take on the role of a soccer manager, with their decisions impacting their relationship with and the performance of the whole team.

A new head-to-head seasons mode of online play is another new addition, and it tasks players with progressing through 10 divisions.

Matchmaking has also been overhauled, providing players with more options, such as choosing a team and line-up before being matched.

FIFA Soccer 12 sold over 3.2 million copies during its first week on the market, making it the fastest-selling sports game in history.

It is certainly one of the best PS3 games ever created and something every fan of Retro Bowl can appreciate.

9. Bouncy Hoops

Like Retro Bowl, Bouncy Hoops is a game for mobile devices, only it revolves around basketball instead of American football.

In this game, the goal is to get the highest score possible in the ultimate basketball challenge, which is easier said than done.

Bouncy Hoops has glorious retro-style graphics, and all you have to do is tap the screen to bounce the ball into the hoop.

Think of it as Flappy Bird, but with a basketball and all of the rage quitting frustration that goes along with it.

While it can be frustrating when you lose a streak, that only makes you want to keep playing more.

It’s simple but satisfying, just like Retro Bowl, and it’s completely free to play, though you can pay to remove ads.

Bouncy Hoops is definitely a great way to waste time, especially if you’ve already played hours of Retro Bowl.

8. NBA Jam

Released in 2010, this game brings the classic 1993 game into the modern age, and it’s an absolute gem.

Several elements return from the original game, including over-the-top slam dunks and the ball literally catching on fire.

However, NBA Jam 2010 also has great 3D visuals with digitized likenesses of actual NBA players.

Although this is in no way a realistic basketball game, it is extremely fun, especially because you can just break the laws of physics.

There are also special codes you can use to input to unlock hidden players that would otherwise never be playable.

While this game was previously released on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and mobile devices, it has unfortunately since been taken down.

However, you can still play it using one of the best PS3 emulators if you missed out on it originally.

That said, there is hopefully a remake in the works that will resurrect this classic for modern, next-gen consoles!

7. FIFA Street

This 2012 street soccer game is a reboot of the series, and it boasts more realistic graphics but the same variety of skills and tricks.

FIFA Street emphasizes fast-paced gameplay set between small teams of five to six players on each side.

There is also a one-on-one mode that you can use to take on your friends and over 3000 teams from the world’s biggest soccer leagues.

Players can also choose to play in a number of locations from across the world, with each arena being unique to symbolize the style of soccer in that area.

This game also has a fun mode that allows players to create their own teams and street games before competing against AI opponents.

Easily one of the best Xbox 360 games ever made, FIFA Street is a lot of fun, and we highly recommend it to fans of Retro Bowl.

6. Madden NFL 17

Madden NFL 17 is the 28th installment in the Madden NFL franchise, and it has a lot to offer fans of Retro Bowl.

Similar to the best games like A Way Out, NFL 17 is a great game to play with friends, thanks to updates that made the core mechanics more balanced and realistic.

While the multiplayer mode in this game really helped it stand out, the solo Ultimate Team and Franchise mode are also very impressive.

This is because the AI has been completely revamped so that bot-controlled players play more organically with better defense.

What’s more, is that players can use new ball carrier UI prompts to learn moves while a path assist feature shows you the best maneuvers.

Although not all fans are fond of using these additions, they do make it easy for those new to the franchise to jump in.

If you play Retro Bowl, you’re most likely a fan of football, but if you’ve yet to play a Madden game, NFL 17 is the best place to start!

5. MLB Home Run Derby

We’ve covered a lot of sports on this list so far, but here is our first and only Major League Baseball pick.

MLB Home Run Derby is a game for mobile devices, similar to the best games like Clash of Clans, only it revolves entirely around hitting home runs.  

In this game, there are three different game modes and over 100 batters to unlock and collect, as well as frequent live events.

The different game modes allow you to compete against others online, try for a high score in the arcade, or compete in a championship to try and win three rounds.

There are also new rewards to earn that cycle daily and limited-time weekly events that can unlock rare batters.

If you love the mobile game, there is even a Home Run Derby VR game for PlayStation, Quest 2, and Steam.

Even if you’re not a hardcore fan of baseball, this game is ridiculously addicting, and you will constantly be trying to beat your high score!

4. FIFA Soccer 23

FIFA Soccer 23 is the latest installment in the FIFA series and the final to be included under the brand’s banner.

This game is a culmination of all of the updates throughout the years that have helped make FIFA Soccer the best-selling sports video game franchise in the world.

In FIFA 23, players can choose from over 30 licensed leagues and play in over 100 stadiums.

There are also over 700 clubs and over 19,000 players in the game, so that everyone can find their favorites.

A lot of changes and updates were also made to the animations and motions to make them more realistic.

These animations were all designed with machine learning based on real matches, so that in-game play is exactly like a professional match.

Machine learning algorithms are a big part of this game, and they influence everything from the animations to the AI-controlled opponents.

This is also the first title to include women’s club soccer, with England’s FA Women’s Super League and the French Division 1 Feminine being included in the base game.

Crossplay between consoles is also featured, though only within the same generation, so Xbox One users can play PS4 players but not those on Xbox Series X.

FIFA Soccer 23 really shows how far technology has come in making sports games super realistic, and it’s definitely worth trying out for yourself!

3. Online Soccer Manager

Online Soccer Manager is for anyone who’s ever wanted to be in charge of their favorite soccer teams!

This game is free to play, and every league, club, and professional player is represented for an authentic experience.

As a soccer manager, you can create your dream team, set your tactics, and decide who you want to sell, trade, or recruit.

All of your players can also be trained to improve their skills, and you can earn money as you play to expand your home stadium or training facilities.

Once you have your team set up, you can take on players from all around the world or go head-to-head with your friends.

There are over 50 million players across the globe, so you will never run out of people to face off against!

Online Soccer Manager is akin to the best games like World of Warcraft in that once you start playing, you’ll never want to stop.

There is always room for improvement, and you’ll find yourself wanting to constantly work on your team until they’re the best they can be!

2. Underworld Football Manager 2022

Like Retro Bowl, Underworld Football Manager is a mobile game all about football, but it isn’t as simple as just managing your team.

In this game, you will have to try and become the best football manager in the world by any means necessary.

This means using your managerial skills as well as bribes, vandalism, and straight-up attacks to give your team the upper hand.

Underworld Football Manager is comparable to the best games like GTA, only set in a world of high-rolling football tycoons.

While maintaining and training your team is still important, the main gameplay revolves around essentially cheating your way to the top.

There are also weekly events to take part in, as well as bi-weekly tournaments that are designed to test all of your skills.

If you want a gritty football game that gives you the ability to use underhanded tactics to rise through the ranks, this is the game for you!

1. Football Manager 2022

Taking our number one spot is Football Manager 2022, a soccer management simulator that features many of the same mechanics as Retro Bowl.

In this game, players can manage one of 123 leagues and work to make them the best in the world.

There are over 500,000 players to choose from, so you’ll always have the option of finding new talent when scouting for recruits.

Football Manager even allows players to implement various tactics on the pitch, all of which are real soccer strategies.

Players can also collaborate with the players on their team during realistic staff meetings, which allows the team to become even better during matches.

While it does have a bit of a learning curve, that’s because this game is one of the most in-depth managing simulations ever made.

It seriously covers everything about the industry you could think of and then some, giving you a greater look into the world of pro soccer.

Everything in this game comes down to your choices, and there are a number of variables to consider, including your budget and the size of your club.

We highly recommend this game if you’re a fan of Retro Bowl, though we will warn you that it’s terribly addicting!

Summary

There you have it! Our list of the 10 best games like Retro Bowl and found a few new ones to check out! 

Sports games like Retro Bowl have been some of the biggest sellers in video game history, and you really can’t go wrong with any of our picks.

If you really want an in-depth experience, though, we definitely suggest checking out Football Manager 2022 before anything else!

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best games like Retro Bowl:

1. Football Manager 2022
2. Underworld Football Manager 2022
3. Online Soccer Manager
4. FIFA Soccer 23
5. MLB Home Run Derby
6. Madden NFL 17
7. FIFA Street
8. NBA Jam
9. Bouncy Hoops
10. FIFA Soccer 12

What’s your favorite sports game? Leave a comment below.