With video games dominating the game playing world of youngsters these days, it’s hard to even get them to look at something so low tech as a metal football field rattling from electric currents while little plastic football men randomly move along in an attempt to drive a fabric football across the goal line. And often, ending up congregating in the corner as the field hums with an annoying buzz. But that’s the allure of Electric Football, a classic game that kids all over the 60s and 70s played with both passion and patience.
The game, based on an original ball design from 1947, allowed for kids to line up these tiny plastic football men into exact formations and then click a switch to rattle the metal field with a low current to cause them to move. More advanced versions allowed for the plastic men to be “dialed” left or right to adjust their movement. Passing was done by flicking the felt football from the quarterback piece and if it hit the receiver, it was a complete pass. Hit the defender, it was an interception.
Video in action here –
There’s even an Arena Football version. Now sure, it doesn’t have the bone jarring reality or the ability to control your favorite quarterbacks with realistic graphics like Madden NFL Football, but then again, it’s charm can’t deny that Electric Football is indeed a classic toy.
And you can still buy them! Add the Stadium accessory and you can even play under the lights!
$75 from Amazon.
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i would like to buy a electric football field