''NFL'' is a 1989 football

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

, developed by

Atlus is a Japanese video game developer, video game publisher, publisher, Arcade game, arcade manufacturer and distribution company based in Tokyo. A subsidiary of Sega, the company is known for video game series such as ''Megami Tensei'', ''Perso ...

and published by LJN exclusively for the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...

Gameplay modes

This game was the first since ''

NFL Football The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

'' - released in 1979 for the

Intellivision The Intellivision is a home video game console released by Mattel Electronics in 1979. The name is a portmanteau of "intelligent television". Development began in 1977, the same year as the launch of its main competitor, the Atari 2600. In 1984, ...

- to get an official

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ma ...

license. Intending to loosely represent the 1988-89 season of the National Football League, the game uses the teams and play formations of that particular era while avoiding usage of the players' names, due to a lack of an

NFLPA The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director De ...

license, which was given to

Tecmo , was a Japanese video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or ...

Tecmo Bowl is an List of American football video games, American football video game developed and released by Tecmo. Originally released as an arcade game in 1987, the game features a large dual screen arcade cabinet, cabinet with up to four players betwee ...

. The player could play one of four options, either Interconference,

AFC AFC may stand for: Organizations * Action for Children, a UK children's charity * AFC Enterprises, the franchisor of Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits * Africa Finance Corporation, a pan-African multilateral development finance institution * A ...

and NFC game or the Super Bowl (specifically

Super Bowl XXIII Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) ch ...

). Along with the option to choose a package to play during the game, players can directly control the entire team at once. This game was one of the first NFL video games on a gaming system. The game employs a

Top-Down Top-down may refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Top Down", a 2007 song by Swizz Beatz * "Top Down", a song by Lil Yachty from '' Lil Boat 3'' * "Top Down", a song by Fifth Harmony from '' Reflection'' Science * Top-down reading, is a part of ...

system for the actual

gameplay Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...

and allows players to assign handicaps to a human opponent that is not equally skilled as they are.

Reception

Allgame RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel. Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publ ...

gave the game a 2.5 out of 5 rating in their overview.

References

1989 video games Video games developed in Japan LJN games Atlus games National Football League video games Nintendo Entertainment System games Nintendo Entertainment System-only games North America-exclusive video games Professional football games set in the United States Top-down video games Video games scored by Hirohiko Takayama Video games set in 1988 Multiplayer and single-player video games {{Amfoot-videogame-stub