When it comes to American football games, the Madden franchise has long been the cream of the crop. However, now it faces competition from EA Sports’ College Football game and mobile game NFL Rivals, which incorporates NFTs. NFL Rivals is a free-to-play, arcade-style mobile football game that offers bursts of entertainment on your smartphone or tablet. It features player-based NFTs, which can be listed on the secondary market to earn actual cash or used to improve your lineup. Here’s a closer look at NFL Rivals and how the optional NFT functionality works.
NFL Rivals is a mobile game available on iOS and Android that challenges you to build a team of NFL players from digital cards obtained from packs in the store. Similar to EA Sports’ Ultimate Team mode, you can play offense-only matches against the AI, take on challenges, progress through leagues, and unlock various NFL players as you advance in the game. Future updates promise to add live player-versus-player matches, enhancing the gameplay experience. However, the current lack of defensive play may limit the excitement of PvP matches.
Playing NFL Rivals is straightforward and easy to learn, with a strong tutorial to teach you the basics. Every snap on offense presents you with three plays to choose from, whether running or passing. Running plays require you to use a virtual joystick and buttons to maneuver your running back past defenders, while passing plays involve selecting receivers and directing the pass with a swipe. Kicks also require precision to make successful field goals or extra points.
The Web3 aspect of NFL Rivals involves NFT cards that represent the players on your team, with some being tradable on the marketplace. These NFTs are minted on the Mythos Chain, a gaming-centric blockchain built on Polkadot technology. By unlocking or purchasing mystery packs of players, you have a chance to obtain rare players, higher quality versions, or limited-time event cards that can be sold on the external secondary marketplace. To engage in transactions, you’ll need Mythos (MYTH) tokens, which can also be used for buying cards directly in the app.
With the game’s Year 2 update coinciding with the new NFL season, there has been increased activity on the external market, suggesting a willingness among players to invest in upgrading their team. While there are no guarantees of finding eager buyers for your NFTs, it’s evident that the market is active. Players have options to purchase cards via premium in-game currency not on the blockchain, allowing them to circumvent the crypto restrictions imposed by app stores. NFL Rivals offers a unique blend of arcade-style football gameplay and NFT integration, attracting both casual mobile gamers and enthusiasts of blockchain technology.
