Touchdown Fever

Touch Down Fever (タッチダウンフィーバー) is a 1987 Football arcade game developed and published by SNK. Gameplay does not occur over the course of several quarters, but rather only for minutes at a time (one minute by default, with the ability to go up to two minutes and ten seconds) with extra time awarded for first downs and touchdowns. Time cannot be extended with extra credits.

The game relies on the bird's eye view vertical scrolling system utilized by Irem's 1983 arcade game 10 Yard Fight. However, SNK improves upon this formula with better graphics and increased amount of control. Players grip a football-shaped joystick which rotates, just like with SNK's Ikari Warriors. Rotating the joystick changes the angle at which the ball is passed. Players can also increase the speed of the their runners by tapping the run button. Most of the official rules are in effect as well as most major running and passing plays. Field goals and punts are also included, but players cannot make horse collar tackles. Punts and field goals are automatic, although it's possible to interrupt a field goal by pressing the pass button in an effort to earn a two point conversion. Plays for both teams are determined automatically by the computer, forcing the player to recognize the formation in order to determine what the computer chose. Other oddities include the ability to pass the ball down-field long before any teammate could possible be present to receive the pass, only to have a player miraculously appear to catch it.

It was later ported to the Famicom by K. Amusement Leasing and was published in Japan on November 11, 1988 titled as Touch Down Fever: American Football (タッチダウンフィーバー アメリカンフットボール). It was only the second American Football game published for the system, after 10 Yard Fight. It wasn't published in North America until 1991, where it was among a large group of Football games for the NES. The game was published as a PSP Mini title and release in the US and EU in 2012.