Thump Football Puts Your Predictions to the Test

Thump Football is a true original, so it requires more explanation than your typical iPhone app. Let’s start with what it isn’t: Thump Football isn't fantasy football, and it isn't a football video game. It is, however, a fun way to follow a game with friends, online or in real life, and a great way to introduce a spirit of friendly competition to the typically passive experience of watching a game.

Here's how it works: During any NFL or NCAA game that's playing live on television, use Thump Football to predict what your team will do next. Choose between options like Run, 1st Down, Sack, etc. For every move that you correctly predict, you earn points. Thump Football knows the likelihood of each play, so the player will earn more points for daring, improbable predictions that come true.

If you’re playing with friends, then the player with the most points at the end of the game wins. If you’re playing alone your score will be rated against other players online.

The developer has thrown some more tricks into Thump Football to make it more interesting. Six times a game a player is permitted to use a Double Dog or Triple Dog to double or triple the odds of a given play, and potentially earn even more points. There's also a built-in football trivia game that a player can use to earn more Double Dogs and Triple Dogs in a game. Thump Football comes with Twitter and Facebook integration and a global leader board. More add-ons are sure to be on the way, and there's even a chance Thump Football will be incorporated into your local sports bar.

While Thump Football is free to play and plenty of fun, the app has its limitations. First and foremost is the fact that it is not a genuine, native iPhone app. Thump Football is actually a simple WebKit browser that displays content from the Thump Football website, meaning that it is a little slower, a little clunkier, and a little less aesthetically pleasing than it could be.

All the same, Thump Football is the only social game that allows players to make real-time football predictions— there's nothing else to compare it to. So it's easy to forgive whatever faults it has. The game is free to download and play, but registration with the site is required. Thump Football is recommended for anyone who loves football, but especially armchair defensive coordinators.