EA Sports' Madden series has reached a point where it's hard for new players to get involved. With all of those buttons to memorize and an emphasis on twitch-based gameplay, Madden is for the hardest of hardcore. Quick Hit Football is the football game ... for everybody.
In fact, there's not even much gridiron action to worry about here. QHF emphasizes the coaching side of things, employing the freemium model of most many online RPGs. You pick your team, start with a basic playbook and roster of players and -- just like an MMO --- grind, grind, grind.
As you complete specific situations and finish games, you gain Coaching Points. As you play more and level up your coaching profile, you can use your Coaching Points to train players, essentially leveling them up. As their levels increase, they unlock new abilities -- corner backs can get buffs that improve their deflections and interception skills, for example.
If you're knowledgeable of the sport at all, some of Quick Hit Football's limitations are going to be an issue.
The game is entirely mouse-based. (No, mice don't play, although, you're right, that would be hilarious.) Before the snap, you pick your play and, if you're on offense, click the icon at the bottom of the screen to hike the ball. Then you watch that particular play, uh, play out. It's hands-off, which makes it easier for newcomers to play but frustrating when what looks like a good play fails. If more skillful, knowledgeable fans are going to get the most out of QHF, they'll need to let certain things go.
If you're not ready for commitment, you can also get some of these perks with Quick Cash -- a currency purchased with real money used to fast-track your players' training or bulk up your playbook with fresh plays.
Quick Hit Football is a very easy game to get into and plays as a great alternative to fantasy football, which you may check out once a week (or once a day if you're way into it). Quick Hit Football accomplishes the same end there, but gives players far more options to sustain the experience. And because each quarter is only three minutes, it's very easy to get into and through a game.
But if you're knowledgeable of the sport at all, some of the game's limitations are going to be an issue, like they were for me. You can't call audibles, you can't rearrange your depth chart and you certainly can't pick which receiver you're going to throw to on a particular play. A bother? Sure, but I'm well aware I'm not the target demographic here.
Quick Hit Football is for your dad, your aunt or those other football fans who may dabble online but wouldn't know how to properly hold a game controller, even if they had a 10-foot tall, step-by-step diagram. Quick Hit Football is that rare sports game that even they can enjoy.
This review is based on the browser-based Quick Hit Football game. It is currently available for anyone to play free of charge.
