Joe Montana Football Overview
The game simulates American football with real rules and scoring across four five minute quarters. Teams are identified only by city names without referencing actual NFL franchises or individual athletes. Players can compete against a friend or face the computer opponent at beginner, normal, or professional difficulty levels.
Control shifts between offensive and defensive phases. On offense, a play selection screen offers seventeen preset tactical plays alongside options to punt, attempt a field goal, or turn the ball over. The quarterback can pass to a receiver, switch the intended target, or attempt to run. On defense, six different plays are available. During active play, the user directs a single athlete, cycling through available players or automatically selecting the one nearest the ball.
Joe Montana, a celebrated NFL quarterback, is featured providing basic advice. His tips often suggest an optimal play, which the game can default to. All play selections are visible to the opponent, prompting the CPU to adjust its own choice accordingly. The two player mode functions identically to single player, simply replacing the computer opponent with another human.
