NFL Flick Quarterback Impressions
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The line of “Flick” games from Full Fat on iOS and Android have become really popular this year. Though simple they are well designed and have the quick and addictive nature that is critical for success on mobile devices.
NFL Flick Quarterback arrived for the iPad ($4.99) and iPhone and Android ($2.99) in late November and since then it has become one of my go-to-games when there are a few minutes to burn. Right now a holiday sale is ongoing and all versions are 99 cents!
The game features the NFL branding in the way of team logos, colors and uniforms (though they aren’t very accurate). Mobile and PC are the only platforms where the exclusive license with EA Sports is not applicable so any company that chooses to pay the licensing fee can obtain them. Most companies though choose to pay only for the league rights and not for the players. In the case of Flick QB there are no real-life players in the game which is similar to what others like NFL Rivals from earlier this year have offered in that regard.
There are three different modes after breezing through the tutorial and they are unlocked once certain thresholds are met which happens relatively quickly. “Playmaker” in which a receiver is covered by an increasing number of defenders (and even some who rush the QB) with scores earned by completing passes with bonuses for execution, “Trick Shot” which is a challenge that involves throwing the ball into a bucket that gets further away and more affected by wind, and “Trick Shot XL” which groups together buckets that must be all knocked down through the bursts by landing in them to move on.
Because it is a score driven game there is always a reason to go back and attempt to beat the previously set high marks. All of the different modes are enjoyable and challenging without being frustrating. I’ve found myself alternating between the three pretty evenly.
The biggest problem with the game is that the actual “flick” to throw the ball can sometimes be unresponsive. This can be troublesome most in “Playmaker” as the window to complete passes is constantly changing. There are occasions where I’ve had to swipe multiple times for it to register. Beyond that though the actual results that come about from throwing speed and direction and manipulating the ball while in the air has been quite reliable.
NFL Flick Quarterback is a simple but fun set of mini-games that isn’t really enhanced in value because of the NFL branding though it is still nice to have. If an update can come that would improve the “flick” responsiveness it would then become highly recommended. Even with that one issue for the price – particularly right now when on sale – it’s well worth considering.