Play Action Football
Game Boy · 1990
About this game
Nintendo takes its game to the gridiron with NES Play Action Football.
While Nintendo did not get the NFL license for this one, it did secure the license of the NFL Player's Association, so the 8 teams to choose from (all named after the appropriate NFL cities) are all stocked up with real pro players from the 1989 season.
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You can even substitute second-stringers for the "skill" positions (QB, RB, WR, TE, and FS/SS) when your starters get tired.
Play perspective is very unusual: top-down slightly modified with a three-quarters tilt behind the offense, and the scrolling is diagonal, from the bottom left to upper right of the screen.
Each team has 12 passing and 12 running plays on offense, and the option to reverse play designs effectively gives you a total of 48 potential plays to run.
The defense has 8 cover plays and 8 blitzes to select from.
The kicking and punting games are handled with a fairly typical directional arrow/power meter system.
Games are divided into four 15-minute (accelerated real-time) quarters.
There are no penalties, but referees do appear onscreen to signal touchdowns/field goals, take measurements on short yardage plays, and shout "First Down!" (in audio) whenever a team moves the chains.
Team stats are displayed on a summary screen after every quarter of play.
Highest scoring team wins, which in playoffs mode means moving on to the next round--and an eventual shot at winning it all in the Power Bowl!
About Game Boy
The original Game Boy (1989) proved that handheld gaming didn't need cutting-edge graphics to succeed — its monochrome screen and legendary battery life, combined with Tetris as a pack-in, made it a cultural phenomenon. Game Boy cartridges are famously durable, so this remains one of the more accessible retro platforms to collect, though translucent color variants and complete-in-box copies with the original brick-sized manual add real value for condition-focused collectors.
Gamevaro tracks Play Action Football for Game Boy with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.
Adding Play Action Football to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This GB release dates back to 1990.
Price history
Market values by condition
NTSC-U
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-18 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €10.94 |
| 2026-07-18 | Item only | NTSC-U | €5.65 |
| 2026-07-18 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €72.58 |
| 2026-07-18 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.08 |
| 2026-07-18 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €66.31 |
| 2026-07-18 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €17.48 |
| 2026-07-16 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €72.77 |
| 2026-07-16 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €17.53 |
| 2026-07-16 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.09 |
| 2026-07-16 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €66.47 |
| 2026-07-16 | Item only | NTSC-U | €5.66 |
| 2026-07-16 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €10.97 |
| 2026-07-14 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €17.50 |
| 2026-07-14 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.09 |
| 2026-07-14 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €71.78 |
| 2026-07-14 | Item only | NTSC-U | €5.27 |
| 2026-07-14 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €10.95 |
| 2026-07-14 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €65.47 |
| 2026-07-13 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €65.43 |
| 2026-07-13 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €17.49 |
| 2026-07-13 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.08 |
| 2026-07-13 | Item only | NTSC-U | €5.27 |
| 2026-07-13 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €71.74 |
| 2026-07-13 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €10.94 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-U | €17.49 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-U | €5.27 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-U | €10.94 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-U | €71.74 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-U | €65.43 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-U | €5.08 |
Market insights
Rarity & condition
Play Action Football has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning enough copies circulate to establish a reliable market price.
Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Play Action Football worth?
Play Action Football for Game Boy is currently worth €7.02 loose, €17.48 complete in box, and €66.31 factory sealed. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.
Is Play Action Football rare?
Play Action Football has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning it trades hands regularly and isn't considered particularly rare.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Play Action Football?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. For Play Action Football, loose is €7.02 and CIB is €17.48 — CIB commands a premium because original boxes and manuals are fragile and often don't survive.
Ratings & Reviews
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