A live football cartoon
Football Maniacs Manager lets you take control of a soccer team. So, is it just another management sim like Football Manager? Well, yes and no - because it distills and stylizes everything down into pure fun.
Create a club and play
Football Maniacs Manager begins with you forming your club: select a name, crest, kit, and you're ready to go.
The next order of business is to decide the formation, alignment, and tactics for your team. But this is not Football Manager, here the usually arduous task of managing your players made streamlined and simple.
You just have to drag the players to the correct position (goalkeeper, midfielder, etc.) and the game takes care of the rest. The same goes for formations, with you able to choose from presets like the classic 4-4-2.
Your first ability to really influence your team is in its Tactics. You can choose up to two tactics and one strategy, which will then outline your team’s actions: attack up the wing, push for goal, etc.
But the fun of Football Maniacs Manager is in leveling its players. Improving your team by applying the ability points you earn while you play.
As all players have a maximum level there is no huge pressure during transfers. With players’ prices clearly and fairly measured, so you can feel free to buy and sell without worrying that you are making a horrible mistake. No unfair transfer market or surprise contract terminations!
Live football matches
Once your team is ready, you can jump onto the pitch. Football Maniacs Manager has three game modes; Party (which pits you against other players), League, and Cup Tournament. These last two can be played once a day to earn rewards.
To encourage you to play more, Football Maniacs Manager has challenges. These offer simple goals to meet, such as winning X games or signing a certain number of players. Completing these earns additional rewards.
Once your team takes to the field it is all up to them, with the decisions you made before the match dictating their strategy and play style. All you can do is sit back and wait, which is fine because watching a match of Football Maniacs Manager is great.
You have the option to watch the match play out, just see the result, or watch the highlights. I recommend choosing this final option because it creates a simulation of the game’s key plays, all shown in wonderful comic panels. Each movement and attack is recreated in fantastically unrealistic fashion, with spectacular plays by expressive players - pure cartoon!
While the animations are all preset, that doesn’t stop matches all playing out differently, as Football Maniacs Manager allows you to edit the look of players. So, with a little patience, you can recreate your dream team... including a club where both Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi play together.
This simulation compensates for the game’s more limited tactical options, making it more entertaining, simplified, and affordable for young audiences.
A gateway management sim
Football Maniacs Manager is a great choice if you like soccer but aren’t yet ready for the complex world of a full-fledged sports management sim. Although it is light on options, it nails its progression system - even if you decide not to make any in-app purchases.
In addition, animations Football Maniacs Manager are very fun, making it an ideal app for football manic kids.
