I have been playing Hattrick for about 6 years and it is the best game I have found online. That is not to say it doesn’t have its issues, but on the whole I can see myself playing this game for a long time.
Hattrick is a math game the requires management. But unlike some games doesn’t require mountains of your time, but it still might take it.
Positives:
- The math involved is smart and is really good fun to find out.
- Matches against other players can be quite tactical and you really feel those tactics can make a difference.
- Its is free to play and not pay to win.
- The community is very active and engaging. It is not hard to get help.
- There are plenty of support sites to add to the enjoyment, that the game engages with.
- Hattrick has a huge community of players and leagues all over the world.
- The structure and league systems are very well thought out.
- You can literally play for 30 mins a week and be successful (I play much more than that, but it is possible)
- The game is constantly updating and is well supported.
Negatives:
- Supporter is far too expensive for what it is.
- The wiki page is inaccurate/out of date, and can lead to confusion.
- The forums are horrible to navigate.
- The visuals on the match are outdated and need an update. The matches can be quite boring actually. I am not sure why this hasn’t been changed.
- Sponsors are unintuitive and boring. A missed opportunity in this area.
- Fans are just a number, again this could be improved to make you feel you had a relationship with them {Banners in the crowd etc)
On the whole I would say this is a must try for anyone into football management. Despite its flaws I do see a constant desire to improve. I cant say I have thought all the changes were perfect, but you can see real love for the game from those that programme for it, and you can see the thought behind what they are trying to do.
I see this game having a long life (providing AI doesn’t kill us all) and managers that play it have a real affection for it.