Mini meme
MOBILE
FOOTBALL
MANAGERS
Not even Christmas and your real-life
team is already flirting with relegation?Think you could do better? Prove it
with these tactical games...ONew Star Manager
This follow-up to the acclaimed
New Star Soccer is potential
bliss for any armchair manager
who gets frustrated whenever
some idiot fluffs a shot. Here,
not only do you get control over
a beleaguered team, but you’re
also hands-on during key
on-pitch moments, guiding
players into position and tapping
the ball in precisely the right
place to ensure it ends up in
the net. No pressure, then.
£free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
OFootball Drama
This one isn’t just concerned
with what happens on the pitch.
You spend time in CYOA-style
sections working on your
relationship with the club owner
(and, er, his wife), winning
tactical cards to use during
matches. Sharp humour
presents a cynical take on
the game, although matches
drag a bit – you’ll wish there
was more drama and less
football. Still, worth a shot.
£4.99 / Android, iOS
OKevin Toms
Football * Manager
Should you fancy something
really retro, this one takes you
back to the source. Kevin Toms
was responsible for the original
Football Manager, released in
1982 on the Tandy TRS–80.
This isn’t a pure port, but it
echoes the original’s simplicity
and idiosyncrasies (such as
the way player skill levels vary
season by season), and even
includes crude highlights.
£3.29 / Android O £2.99 / iOSOSSC 2019
Harking back to the 16-bit era,
this one recalls Player Manager
and Sensible Soccer. You
manage a team but also play
entire games, hoofing the ball
between dinky teammates.
Gameplay’s not as fast as in
those old classics, giving you
a fighting chance; and your
phone’s pocketability is an
obvious plus over hauling about
an old Amiga and CRT telly.
£2.99 / Android
£free or £3.99 / iOSORumble Stars
Football
The notion of unruly footballers
being akin to animals might
belong to another era, but the
players here are literally lions,
pandas and the like (along with
the odd explosive device). Your
task is to fire them into play at
the optimum moment, to thwart
your online opposition’s plans. It’s
Clash Royale meets Subbuteo
meets The Jungle Book. This
really is a funny old game.
£free (IAPs) / Android, iOSOFootball Manager
2019 Touch
If you’ve played Football
Manager on PC you’ll know
what you’re in for here, since
this is effectively the same title.
It can be a bit spreadsheet-tastic
but there’s no denying the
sheer depth of this sim, as
you dig into everything from
tactics to transfers. You’ll need
a powerful tablet... or try the
stripped-back Football Manager
2019 Mobile for half the price.
£19.99 / Android, iPadTESTED APPS