Wildcard Football is a game that is set up to offer something different to each type of fan of football. Give an escape to the Madden veteran, while offering a taste of NFL Blitz and NFL Street to those who want to reminisce, while also scratching the itch of gamers who just want to see people run fast and hit people really hard. Did Saber Interactive manage to pull it off? Let’s find out.
Wild Card Football Review
When you hop into a game of Wild Card Football, you are greeted with a sort of throwback to NFL Blitz (and for the younger crowd NFL Street) days. Just with a smidge less promotion of possible concussions this time around, in favor of a card-based twist that creates a weird 7-on-7 combination that ends up working somehow.
One of the biggest surprises is because of the license, there are actual NFL players’ faces in the game. So that can create a nice bridge to help younger fans learn players across the league, while not simultaneously having to worry about stopping the hottest passing play in Madden. But, because the license is just with the players, there are no actual teams in the game. Although they’re all organized by their correct team thankfully.
Gameplay
Gameplay-wise, the game knows what it is and gives it to you in spades. With the short quarters, 7-on-7 play, and no audibles, you’re off to the races in a way. I’ve had a lot of fun running the ball that’s for sure, even though I find the little prompt you get before you receive the ball to gain a speed boost a little too hard for the type of game this is.
The Passing game is harder to execute consistently, but with all that you have against you throwing the ball properly in this game are we surprised?
Wild Card System
Now on top of the gameplay, the game’s main attractions are the Wildcard system and the chess match that’s going on with it between the offense and defense between plays. You can deploy a card each snap to gain advantages over the other and counter certain cards being used as well. So it’s a side game, that can have major implications on the field. Cards allow you to gain speed, turn invisible, or throw moving objects onto the field of play, it’s a lot of fun.
Now there is an energy system you will be battling against when using these cards, and certain cards (the most powerful ones) will cost more energy to use than others, and your energy bar will deplete after each use and regain energy after each play.
Presentation
Presentation-wise, they do a good job with the fact that they don’t have any real NFL Stadiums, bringing to life the atmosphere surrounding each field and the field itself when you load up a game.
Game Modes
Season Modes
Now It’s Season mode is definitely lacking and is as bare bones as you can get. If it didn’t include standings, I wouldn’t know I was a part of a season mode in the first place.
Dream Squad
Now their shining mode and probably where the majority of gamers are going to be spending their time is in their Dream Squad Mode. Which is exactly as it sounds, It’s Wild Card Football’s version of Ultimate Team Mode that you will find in every other sports game. Only they dare do something that no sports game has done in years and that’s not include microtransactions! You will be dealing with a loot box-type system, but I’m willing to give it a pass all things considered.
Playing the mode for a bit though, I will say the strength is in its customization. From creating your logo, figuring out your uniforms, cycling through your wildcards, and lineup construction I’m impressed with how deep this mode gets in that department. Now they start you off with lower-level cards that you have to build up to better versions over time, playing through the different modes within Dream Squad.
Wild Card Football Review Verdict
Wild Card Football is able to walk that fine line of being cartoonishly fun with having surprisingly enough depth under the hood where I can see it having decent longevity as a game to pick up and play for 15 minutes with friends and a nice change up for those who get pissed at Madden that random Tuesday night. Having players’ faces and names in the game also offers this as a perfect first game for those wanting to learn the sport without the complexities of Madden. It will also be a nice change up to a sport whose dominating game could start to become stale during the spring.
Want to talk sports and/or games with the fastest-growing community in gaming? Join the conversation by joining us on Discord, and check out our Twitter and Facebook pages as well as our growing YouTube Channel!