1st October 1986
Headcoach
Of all the sports to be imported into the UK over the past ten years, American football has been the most successful. Addictive's Headcoach puts you on the sideline of England's second most popular American sport (after basketball).
As the head coach of an up-and-coming team, you must try and build up a group of muscular meanies tough enough to win their division, get through to the playoffs and, hopefully, make it to the final objective: the Superbowl.
The player can choose to manage any of 24 NFL teams (what happened to the other four?). Teams consist of three squads: offensive, defensive and a special team for kicking. After looking at the players on sale, it's time to select the team for the match (pretty unrealistic, as normally all the players are on hand).
On the field, the player can choose between three offensive and defensive plays, and a field goal attempt (no punt option). This is where Headcoach really tails, as the real sport involves dozens of various recognised plays, as well as scope for specially designed moves.The team in possession is allowed two downs (or plays) in which to make ten yards (there are four downs in the real sport). This supposedly speeds up the game, but inevitably it leads to a very restrictive and (usually) low-scoring game.
Overall, Headcoach is a very inaccurate simulation. Even hardened fans of the sport (like myself) would be better off leaving it alone. Headcoach has a large following already, but with such a lack of realism it is very hard to see how anyone could gain the real pleasure and thrill of American football from playing it.
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