Missing Those Old-School ‘Madden’ Vibes? Give ‘Maximum Football’ a Try

Games like Maximum Football remind me that simplicity is sometimes the king of the ring. While Madden is constantly striving to evolve — for both better and worse — Maximum Football focuses on what it does best: raw football. Sure, it’s in Early Access and has plenty of little issues that could still be ironed out over time, but right now? I can’t put this football simulator down.

Remember ‘Backbreaker’? This Is a Better Version of That Game

Back in the Wild West of football games, I remember my time with Backbreaker rather vividly. Sure, it may not have worn the official NFL moniker on its sleeve, but it was a fun arcade-style football game that had a few tricks Madden couldn’t claim. Using the Euphoria physics engine, it was the first football game that didn’t have pre-scripted tackle animations, making every hit feel unique and, frankly, more realistic. Maximum Football is bringing that back into fashion, with hits that feel like they should be leaving players gasping for air on the field.

Maximum Football is another attempt at bringing physics-based football to the mainstream. Games like Football Simulator can ramp this up to the most hilarious and unrealistic levels possible, while Maximum Football is hoping to hit that perfect middle ground. It’s pure, dumb fun at the moment, and reminds me of the times I spent playing old-school Madden on the Sega Genesis with my brother.

But, here’s the thing: Maximum Football is pretty good overall. It’s got a lot of potential, and can only go upward from here. It’s free-to-play, letting players jump into matches against the CPU or a Dynasty at no cost. There are plenty of unique teams you can choose from, and they’re all pretty well-balanced. The speed is also much faster-paced than the most recent Madden games, so every play feels like a quick scramble. There’s a lot to like here. But, there’s still work that can be done to make this into the proper competition it deserves to be.

‘Maximum Football’ Is Fun, but It Still Needs Some Polish

The fun factor is in Maximum Football‘s corner, but the polish crown still goes to Madden. It’s easy to see that this one is still in Early Access. Repetitive commentary, some stiff and janky moves that detract from the realism. The fact that my catchers miss more often than I’d like. It can be rather frustrating. But overall? I’ll pick up Maximum Football when I’m craving some sports action, rather than the newest Madden game.

I think that the pick-up-and-play nature of Maximum Football is its greatest strength. You could hand off the controller to just about anyone and they can get into this game without much practice. It’s just pure fun, through and through. You don’t need to know how to juke and spin to tear up the field. Let the physics engine take control of you as you trod your way down for a touchdown.

Since it is free-to-play, some parts are locked behind transactions. Thankfully, nothing is game-altering or necessary behind these purchases; they’re mainly to support the developers. I do hope they remove the 2-year Dynasty cap for F2P users in the future, but otherwise? Everything else is available at no cost to players.

With some additional TLC, Maximum Football has the potential to be a legitimate contender for the Football King. But right now? It’s the perfect kind of game to blow off some steam with a few friends, or just to goof around and nail some big tackles. I’m genuinely excited for this one to come to consoles so my brother and I can jump onto the gridiron together for something new and different.

Oh, and this game still has a proper coin-toss cutscene, so it’s automatically the GOAT.