The World’s Greatest Football Game from 1985 is a strategic simulation of American football, blending custom play design with top-down animated gameplay. Designed for two players, the game emphasizes strategy over reflexes by allowing users to create, save, and reuse custom offensive and defensive plays stored on a separate “strategy disk.” Once the action begins, players take partial control of key athletes on the field while the rest of the play unfolds automatically. Gameplay adheres to standard football rules, with adjustable quarter lengths and a real-time scoreboard and clock. Although not as flashy as later arcade-style football games, this title was notable for its depth and focus on coaching decisions—more akin to a playbook simulator than an arcade sports game. It’s a niche entry in Epyx’s catalog but one that rewarded careful planning and knowledge of the sport.

A great sports-strategy game for 1985, but with games like EA Madden NFL 25, and their Mobile and College Football offerings, we think the market has moved too far past these original titles.  We’re going to archive it as a very cool niche strategy game.