🏈 Why Retro Bowl became a big hit with new & old school gamers.
Published: April 21, 2025
When Retro Bowl was created in early 2020, it brought back memories of those oldschool football games. Two buttons, simple plays, and the graphic style was pixel art. When I first saw my son playing Retro Bowl, I thought, “WTF — that looks like something I played as a kid because the consoles weren’t capable of more.”
He said he liked it because it was simple and fun. “It’s easy to play on my phone.” That’s the point. Retro Bowl hits the nostalgia button but delivers something new.
The Rise of Retro Bowl
Retro Bowl launched in 2020 with pixel art graphics, quick play sessions, and light team management. Built by Simon Read, it was designed to be mobile-first and instantly playable. No bloated menus. There is no complex learning curve, although exiting the game on my iPhone is always a challenge. (There needs to be an exit game button)
It took off — especially with younger players discovering it on unblocked game sites and TikTok. It reminded older gamers of Tecmo Bowl and gave newer players something they could just tap and play.
Retro Bowl vs. Classic Football Games
If you played Tecmo Bowl or Madden ‘94, you’ll feel right at home when playing Retro Bowl. It has the same arcade-style controls. There are no long tutorials. You pass, you run, you score.
Retro Bowl focuses on offense. No defense. That was intentional — it keeps things fast and fun. You still draft players and manage a team but without the grind.
Where to Play Retro Bowl (and Similar Games)
- iOS & Android: Free with optional unlocks.
- Unblocked Games G Plus: Play it in a browser. Easy access at school or work.
- Retroid Pocket & Anbernic devices: Great for playing old football games like Tecmo Bowl on the go.
I tried the browser version, and it works fine, but I expect pop-ups. Stick to mobile if you want smooth play.
The Franchise Keeps Growing
After the success of the original, the Retro Bowl franchise has expanded with two notable spin-offs that build on the same charm:
- Retro Bowl 25 – The officially licensed NFL version for the 2025 season. Real teams, authentic rosters, and a sleek update to the classic formula — all while keeping that iconic pixel art style.
- Retro Bowl College – Focuses on the college football experience, letting you manage recruiting and relive those Saturday game day vibes. A fan favorite, though it hasn’t received the same yearly update treatment (yet).
Retro Bowl Trivia You Didn’t Know
- When was Retro Bowl created: From the look of the game, you'd think it's a 30-year-old classic — a competitor to Tecmo Bowl or Madden '94. But Retro Bowl was actually released in January 2020, bringing old-school vibes to modern mobile gaming.
- It started as an RPG: Simon Read was making a game about a high school kid managing grades and relationships. The football mini-game became the full game. (source)
- Made by one dev: Simon built it solo, then brought on a pixel artist John Savage Pixelnfl to polish the visuals.
- The Developer learned football on YouTube: Simon’s from the UK. He binge-watched NFL replays to learn the sport.
- No ads, no promo: It hit #1 on the App Store with no paid ads. TikTok and Apple features drove the growth.
- Defense might never come: Fans want it. Simon prefers keeping it simple. If it comes, it’ll be in a sequel.
Some of these facts came up while I was writing trivia questions for my own game. I love seeing how small projects like this blow up organically.
🔗 Read the full Simon Read interview on PocketGamer.biz
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