Nutmeg: A Nostalgic Football Deck-Building Game That Scores Big in the Match, But Fumbles Elsewhere

Nutmeg is a football management game that immediately grabs your attention with its retro charm and pure nostalgia. For anyone who grew up in the late ’80s or ’90s, the title screen alone is enough to sell the experience. With a flaming football streaking across the screen and the bold “Nutmeg!” title, it’s a love letter to the era when English football was transitioning from the old First Division to the Premier League.

A Love Letter to ’80s and ’90s Football

Nutmeg doesn’t just recreate the football of that era—it captures the entire culture surrounding it. From the sticker albums and replica kits to the iconic moments that defined the game, Nutmeg is steeped in nostalgia. The game even lets you view your squad, backroom staff, and transfer targets through the pages of a sticker album, which is a brilliant touch for anyone who remembers collecting Panini stickers.

However, the game has a few quirks that might feel a bit off. For instance, while the sticker album concept is great, the player stickers are represented by silhouettes rather than actual likenesses. This creates an odd balance, as the game uses real player names and club names for the most part, but occasionally throws in fictional ones like “Mersey Blues” instead of Everton. It’s a small detail, but it adds to the game’s unique charm.

Gameplay: A Deck-Building Football Experience

At its core, Nutmeg is a deck-building game of chance, split between strengthening your team cards and deploying strategy cards during matches. The matches themselves play out from left to right, with each play unfolding over an average of four to six situations. In each situation, you’re presented with a brief description of what’s happening on the pitch, along with three possible outcomes and their respective success percentages.

This is where the strategy comes in. You can use cards to boost your chances of success, whether it’s a defensive “clearance” card to stop an opponent’s attack or an attacking card to increase your chances of scoring. The game does a great job of making you feel like every decision matters, and there’s a real sense of satisfaction when you chain together a series of plays to score an unlikely goal.

The Good, the Bad, and the Clunky

Nutmeg excels in its core gameplay, particularly during matches. The card system is intuitive, and the matches themselves are engaging and fast-paced. However, the game stumbles when it comes to the management side of things. Nutmeg asks you to manage everything from merchandise sales to stadium upgrades, and while these systems are mostly light-touch, they can feel like a distraction from the main event.

The game’s UI is another area that could use some improvement. Navigating through the various menus can be clunky, and the giant blue-and-purple arrows don’t always make it clear where you need to go. It’s a shame, because the core gameplay is so strong, but the surrounding systems and UI issues can detract from the overall experience.

A Game of Two Halves

Nutmeg is a game of two halves. On one side, you have a fantastic matchday experience that captures the essence of football in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The card system is engaging, and the matches are fast-paced and exciting. On the other side, you have a management simulation that feels a bit too cluttered and distracting.

If Nutmeg had focused more on the matchday experience and less on the peripheral systems, it could have been a truly great game. As it stands, it’s a game that will appeal to fans of retro football and deck-building games, but it might frustrate those looking for a more streamlined experience.

Tags and Viral Sentences

• “Nutmeg is like football Balatro, but with a retro twist.”
• “Eric Cantona kung-fu kicked a Crystal Palace fan, and Nutmeg captures that era perfectly.”
• “John Sitton’s half-time rant is the stuff of legend, and Nutmeg brings that chaos to life.”
• “Nutmeg is a love letter to the ’80s and ’90s era of English football.”
• “The card system in Nutmeg is intuitive, but the management side feels cluttered.”
• “Nutmeg captures the magic of football in the late ’80s/early ’90s, but the UI could use some work.”
• “Nutmeg is a game of two halves: fantastic matches, but a cluttered management sim.”
• “Nutmeg is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up with Panini stickers and replica kits.”
• “The silhouette stickers in Nutmeg are a quirky touch, but they add to the game’s unique charm.”
• “Nutmeg is a deck-building football game that scores big in the match, but fumbles elsewhere.”

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