Football

Football was the most complex game included in the Odyssey — and closest to a modern sports game. The American football field overlay with yard lines was applied to the screen, and players used secret play cards (pass, run, blitz) to determine actions before each down. The on-screen ball had to be guided past the opposing defense. It was a mix of analog strategy (the cards) and digital skill (ball control), anticipating Madden and FIFA by decades. The 6-page manual explained elaborate rules with penalties, fumbles and field goals — impressive complexity for 1972.