Retro Rugby is an Android game that wants to celebrate the great sport of Rugby while also offering players a little nostalgia to go along with it. The aim of the game is pretty simple, players need to draw a line, curve or squiggly path to goal line in order to score a Try. Of course, it’s not as simple as that however, as there are increasingly-difficult Rugby Players standing in your way. Timing your run as well as drawing the right path, all while a timer is counting down, is crucial to whether or not you end up scoring a Try, and the repetitive gameplay will be something that people with either love or hate, much like the sport of Rugby itself. So, let’s give the game a spin and see what it’s like, shall we?
Budding Rugby stars will need to download Retro Rugby from the Play Store in order to get started.
Players can choose from a few options here, but new players are perhaps best in choosing to view the tutorial first, this neatly explains how to play the game.
The controls are pretty straightforward in Retro Rugby, all users need to do is draw a line or a curve, or path, to their end destination. There’s a constant timer at the bottom of the display that makes this a little more difficult though.
Getting around the defenders can be pretty tricky, but it’s rewarding when you get to a higher number at the Try line, and the little animation helps in this regard, too.
Similarly, a different sound effect and animation can mean that it’s lights out for your Rugby ambitions.
When you run of time before scoring a Try, that’s it – Game Over – but you’ll be given a score, which you can share online on Facebook and Twitter and such.
There are some other options to work with here, such as the ability to choose your team from a variety of different color combinations.
Aside from the simple, yet somewhat addictive gameplay, the real selling point of Retro Rugby is of course the retro aesthetic, I mean even the loading screen looks cool:
Retro Rugby is a fun game that should appeal to American Football fans as well as Rugby fans, as the draw a path mechanic feels very much like drawing a play in American Football terms. This gameplay is good fun, but it does feel a little shallow at the end of the day, as it’s essentially the same thing each and every time you attempt a level. It does become quite challenging as time goes on, but the only real thing that makes the gameplay more challenging is the timer, otherwise it would just be a matter of biding your time. Still, there is some fun gameplay on offer here and Rugby fans will definitely enjoy a casual little game like this during the Rugby seasons, and there are even trophies to be won inside of the game itself.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – There are no problems with the performance of Retro Rugby and the fast-paced action is great, too.
- Features (3/5) – While the gameplay does start off as good fun it can quickly become quite repetitive, unless of course you’re looking for a solid challenge and then Retro Rugby will have a lot to offer you.
- Theme (4/5) – These retro graphics, along with the pretty great retro sound effects, won’t appeal to everyone but they are good fun and will offer some nostalgia to a lot of older players out there.
- Overall (4/5) – It might not have a lot to offer in terms of gameplay features, but it’s a free game that’s a lot of fun and presents players with a genuine challenge, something people definitely tend to enjoy these days.
Pros
- Runs nice and smoothly on pretty much any Android device out there.
- Fun and simple gameplay has a lot to offer those looking for a casual game with a little challenge to it.
- Rugby fans will really appreciate having a fun, nostalgic game to play on their phones and such whenever they want.
- Great game to keep installed for a little fun here and there to pass the time.
Cons
- Might become a little too repetitive for some users out there.
- Doesn’t offer much more beyond the draw a path gameplay.
All-in-all, Retro Rugby is a game that will appeal to Rugby fans and casual gamers looking for something a little different. It is however, a shame that there isn’t any more features on offer besides its core gameplay. Nostalgia and addictive gameplay seem to be the leitmotif for Retro Rugby and while it will appeal to some, it might not appeal to everyone.