Play Football Online

Game Overview

Football on the Atari 2600 is exactly what it sounds like—a stripped-down, top-down take on the sport where you and a friend can duke it out in pixelated glory. You pick from five offensive or defensive plays using the joystick, and then things get chaotic fast. The first mode lets you control every move, the second gives you the option to let the AI handle the players (which, honestly, is a mercy sometimes), and the third is basically coaching from the sidelines while the computer does all the work.

The clock starts at five minutes but only ticks during actual plays, so no sneaky time-wasting here. It’s simple, a little janky, and exactly the kind of thing you’d expect from an early sports game. Just try not to throw your joystick when your buddy scores on the last play.