Little Kitty, Big City
Little Kitty, Big City
Game
Game2026
NUTMEG! A Nostalgic Deckbuilding Football Manager
Developer Sumo Digital, Sumo Digital Academy
NUTMEG! is a nostalgic football manager game with a deckbuilding twist, set in the '80s and '90s. Relive the days when the tackles were as hard as the mullets were long and football was about football. From the Steam store page
243 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 6, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
89
LovedLoved
214 positive · 26 negative
95% range 85–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 214 | 26 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
3 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
423 of 474 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
A nostalgic deckbuilder that delights most players, despite some criticisms about depth and bugs.
Players overwhelmingly praise the game's nostalgic retro aesthetic and addictive gameplay loop, with many calling it a love letter to 80s and 90s football. One reviewer notes, the retro aesthetics are excellent, the core gameplay loop is much more complex than it seems at first blush. Others highlight the fun of climbing divisions and the satisfying card-based matches. [3][5][8][21]
However, some players find the game lacks depth as a deckbuilder or management sim, and note issues like a steep learning curve, confusing tutorials, and occasional bugs. One critic says, the tutorial and visual indications are utterly rubbish, while another feels the gameplay becomes repetitive after a while. [11][17][34][35]
Praised Nostalgic retro aesthetic · Addictive gameplay loop · Fun deckbuilder/management hybrid
Criticised Lack of depth · Confusing tutorial · Repetitive after many hours
Summary drafted by an AI model from the 36 reactions it cites ([n] links open each post), then checked by code: every paragraph cites real posts and every quote is verbatim. Written Oct 8, 2026. Method
Reactions
60 of 243 · most liked first12+ hours played (plus demo) I’m a football coach working at a Premier League club, (hardly important I just wanted to gloat😅) and I play a lot of management and deckbuilding games. Just for context. I’ve now got about 12 hours in, and the more I play it, the more I think a lot of the reviews are off. The main thing I keep seeing is people calling it shallow or saying the gameplay loop isn’t engaging. I don’t agree with that at all. A lot of the negative reviews are from people with very low…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really hoped this game would be good, it combines card games, which I love, and football, particularly football management games, which I grew up with, and the whole thing very much lives up to it's nostalgic tag. From the flavour of the Ceefax style TV, to a lot of familiar player names, it largely succeeds in that regard. The interface is a little confusing sometimes, in the name of keeping that feel, but that can be forgiven. Unfortunately, when you get in to the meat of the game, the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Full disclosure: I was a play tester (unpaid/voluntary) for this game in 2025 and earlier this year. I did not, however, receive a free key - I bought it like everyone else, and I have no biases/loyalty towards the game or the developers. And I bought it on release day for a reason - this game is a gem. It's a totally unique deck-builder that's a love letter to retro football, but it doesn't require you to have any knowledge of football to enjoy. The first thing you notice is the aesthetic,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is almost there. The retro aesthetics are excellent, the core gameplay loop is much more complex than it seems at first blush (sometimes you don't want to play every card!), and the thrill of already being at the gates of promotion at the end of my second season is addictive. Even in the current state, I would absolutely recommend this for the many of us who fall into the gap between overly simplified FC career modes and the overwhelming spreadsheets of FM. But there are some QOL…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →NUTMEG! A Nostalgic Deckbuilding Football Manager (Steam) is $13.18 on Gamebillet buff.ly/Jg1n4QX Deck verified
unlabelledView post →This is filling the hole that FM26 has left. So there's a card game here sure, but that's not the X factor here. The devs have created a database that spans from the early 80's through to the 1990's. It's incredibly fun to be able to sign Ronaldo, Schevchenko, to your academy alongside Jamie Clapham in the same save you signed Sam Allardyce to play at CB. There's a couple of things I'd like to see tweeked. Some of the player ratings are just objectively wrong. Maradona A-?! Figo A-? But Jamie…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can almost smell the Panini stickers. Really great game, lots of nostalgia and a cracking card game to boot!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Having played a full season of the demo, I've quickly blitzed several hours of Nutmeg today and I'm pleased to see it's still great fun. For me this fills a great semi-casual niche - not deckbuilder-y enough to detract from being a football management game, but still unique. As such this is NOT the FM replacer some might have hoped. though why should it be? This is a nostalgic vision of football long since passed, and for some spotting Neville Southall while Teletext mentions the new show…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very satisfying to climb out of Division 4. Card game is fun, and optimizing your team is rewarding. PSA: your scouts can headhunt players once a month in addition to their normal scouting ability. Headhunting is probably the most effective way to improve your squad. You can headhunt when you broadcast a match: in the pregame screen you can look at the opponent's team and choose the player/s you want to headhunt. They will become available to view/sign next month when everything refreshes.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a FUN game. The fun factor isn't really mentioned in game reviews. This is fun. You lose track of time. It's very addictive and well presented. For the price, you really can't go wrong if you love football and deck builders.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly, this is probably my favourite approach to a football manager game in all time, I am one of those, who prefers a much more casual approach without all the extra micro managing & advanced details though... That dude who just quits every football manager after season 1-2 feeling burnt out, so if you're after that CV reference for when you want to manage Barcelona, maybe stick to the OG for that full experience, as it's much more chill over here with a nice slice of deckbuilding. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For the price its a decent enough game. Plays like a solo board game more than anything else.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i think there is something special here. the vibe is unmatched and the core gameplay elements are all there, so if the retro aesthetic and/or managerial games appeal, then you can't go too wrong with this. however, i feel like there needs to be more control/information about your players and more information about what potential cards your hand + boosters generate so you can lean more into the deckbuilding aspect - i.e. a dedicated screen that shows your hand, potential cards generated from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wonderful game that works flawlessly on steam deck. Do the tutorial and learn the ways around and then just jump in and have fun. Love the retro vibes combined with my favorite sport in a unique deck builder management experience. Thumbs up big time. For future updates I would want even more random events connected to the deck building mechanics: - insured players midgame - penalty shootout - cup games - international tournaments - more tactics - upgrade the office settings from lowest to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is really fun and addictive. The mix of football and a rogue-lite deckbuilder works very well. There’s a bit of a steep learning curve at the start since you begin with Division 4/5 clubs and weak players, but building your squad (deck) and climbing up or unlocking new clubs at the end of each season is a part of the rogue-lite mechanism. Maybe the mechanics will start to feel repetitive after around ~10hrs but it’s definitely worth the price. I was a bit surprised there are only a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The demo was fun and the concept was intriguing but in practice the game doesn't really scratch the itch of either a deckbuilder or a football management game unfortunately. It launched with an error message and wouldn't allow me to open the game without switching off a Windows security feature, so the experience didn't start well. You're given a handful of scenarios to play through with increasing difficulty, ranging from a single pass/fail match to extended runs. With such a limited number…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to get on with this game but i just cant recommend it. I did get sold on the retro aesthetics and the deck building aspect of it. But every single game where you have a high chance not to lose, you lose almost 90% of the time. If youre a lower tier prem side, even with decent players and making new signings, their keeper always gets a 100% save boost. Not to mention, if you have a high chance of shooting, they will almost always defend it. The opposition team also seem to get…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really enjoying the game. I'm a fan of deckbuilders, roguelikes and managers. Perhaps deckbuilder is a bit farfetched, it's more of a hand builder for a specific match. The management side is fine, the random elements are ok. The gameplay is really enjoyable, but progression and sense of addiction is through the roof for me. Downsides i noticed are: - No way to manually adjust your line up for sim matches. You have the use the "prioritise player for lineup" and hope for the best, while trying…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This might be my first review prompted by seeing other reviews containing some odd misunderstandings and weird complaints. TLDR: this is for fans of SI's Football Manager who wants a quick easy management game to bash through seasons with. The card battling aspect is not really the main thing about it at all. It has a solid take on the 90s office interface like Football Manager 3 on the ZX Spectrum, but actually has enough depth to grab you like both of those games. Some of the concepts and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Idea is good, art is somewhat good, but the tutorial and visual indications are utterly rubbish. I don't even know what the stats are used for when you start a game. When you introduce some new mechanics other than Attack, Defend and HP, like Control and Long shots, you have to explain how they influence the match. Why do you introduce a lot of things that does not relate to the match itself before a match? I will totally forget them. Why don't you explain the mechanics? How do I know which…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the first game I have ever bought for PC, it ticks every box for a football manager game. It's loads of fun and as nostalgia oozing from every pore, fantastic!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played about 5 seasons thus far - really incredible game. Ignore anyone who says the game is grindy - whole point of the game is to take a division 4 team and help them reach the top. Beginning of the game is hard, you'll be losing most of the games you play. But the more you play, the better cards you get for your matches, the more money you'll have to buy players, the more your players will develop... This is just the sports game I needed. To hell with 2K and the yearly FIFA releases, this is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just finished 20-season career and here are the pros and cons: "+": - Simple and fast game - Real players names - UI/UX is really great "-": - Awful rating drops without reason(I had Scholes at 99 rating, he got injured and in several months he dropped to 74 out of nowhere, same with Redknapp). - Youth academy players are basically useless unless they are born with 80+ ratings so it would be good to loan them out for improvement. - RNG is really unfair and percentages are written totally…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I would recommend this game, but with some caveats. It very nicely captures the feel of the era, and there are nice visual changes and news stories that make you feel like you are progressing through the 80s (then 90s I presume but I didn't get there). I feel after 11 hours I've seen everything I'm going to see with this game, and any more would just be more of the same. It's a pretty simple gameplay loop of managing a squad, stadium upgrades, playing some games with the lite deck builder…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun deck builder, scratches the itch for a more casual football manager game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After playing over 30 hours of the game I'm ready to give my thoughts on it. VISUALS / ART / STYLE / SOUND This is where the game really excels. They have truly captured the nostalgia and feel of the 80's and 90's. You can feel the passion and effort that has gone into ensuring that even the smallest historical details have been accurately replicated. They deserve a lot of praise for this. The game just looks gorgeous and really is a love letter to that era of football. I love the way they…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nutmeg is neither the deepest deck-builder you'll ever play, nor the most sophisticated football management game. Yet somehow, this beautiful, nostalgic genre mash-up is an insane amount of fun and totally nails that 'just one more go' feeling. This is going to provide many hours of delight!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Captures the nostalgia of football perfectly with a fun gameplay loop. I wouldn't class it as a deck-builder though as there isn't that many different cards.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really fun game that combines TCG elements with light football sim gameplay, all wrapped in an 80's inspired ribbon.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So I'm not a soccer fan, in fact, I don't really like soccer, but I know the rules, and I do like this game. It's a cool balance of cards, rng, and Management. There are some bugs, but it's worth a buy for a relaxing game. Now they just need to make a hockey DLC,
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As someone that couldn't get into Football Manager, I found this game incredibly fun and addictive. Much more beginner friendly yet still has depth to it. The stylization is wonderful too
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A LOT of fun! Quite a bit of information to take in initially, and there are moments that feel like things will not go your way regardless of your input, but for football fans and gamers that enjoy deckbuilding, this is a no-brainer See the opening sixty minutes here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnX9nykYEk8&t=741s
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Lost my interest pretty quickly. The gameplay loop is pretty simple but in my opinion not interesting. The card game vs management sim themes blend well, but on each end of the game they are just very shallow and there are not any interesting decisions to make. And the UI is just a disaster. It's fine once you get accustomed to it but it is initially quite frustrating, and unfortunately takes away from the immersion if anything. I don't want have to click into the computer and navigate a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good concept, but every part of the game is subpar. The deckbuilding just influences RNG meaning your choices don't really matter. If you get slightly lucky you can reuse your cards, but if you are unlucky you are punished twice, because every card played lowers your players stamina making your RNG even worse. For the management part: You can not train all of your players skills, there is a hard cap forcing you to click every week to switch training. You can upgrade your stadium, but added…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very nice game, please add more content! Like cup games, European games, stats like assists etc., more moves like header, bicycle kick etc.. Its a really really nice game, but please add some more content!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A game hasn't disappointed me like this in a while. It feels like everything is seeded, your choices don't matter, and even if they do, you barely control anything of the game. The design is cutesy and a little in your face, but decent. But the managing aspect itself is just bad. Unless further updates come to do anything with this, I would not recommend anyone play this ever. (Unless you like the fantasy of spectating your own club lose without you having any power)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's not quite Football Manager, It's not quite Slay The Spire, but it fits into a perfect little niche. There's a little thrill to nicking a win with a well-saved card in your hand. It reminds me of playing Championship Manager as a kid and I do enjoy getting through seasons quickly. I'd been looking forward to this one for a while and it's full of little surprises. I was stunned to see the amount of depth in the pre-programmed transfers. I genuinely didn't realise when I purchased that real…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a gem this game is, it's challenging, fun and rewarding. The game design is awesome and changes as you go through the years. This game breaths a breath of fresh air into an excellent but somewhat stale genre
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game. Already addicted, just wish I could be leeds from the beginning. My biggest gripe with the game is how much time in the game goes by in one possession. Also feel like there should be a bigger variety of cards and plays. Also wish I could make the starting lineup for games I dont play in
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →so far i love this game but i do hope there are some updates in the future for starters why do the cup competitions appear in scenario mode but not career mode? it'd be great as a way of earning a cash bonus money when your team is low on funds furthermore i feel like items on your desk should be able to help you more like asking the board or bank for a 1 time extra money injection or choosing to resign from a job early and maybe the commercial director could help you boost fan attendance…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played hours of the demo and have seamlessly slid into the full game. It's the most lovingly realised game I've played in a really long time - it looks and feels glorioua... a powerful and beautiful love letter to 80s and 90s English football that stirs up powerful nostalgia. But it's also a really tight and enjoyable management sim - all the fun of the heyday of the genre with none of the a**e ache. Beneath is a really fun deckbuilder and card battle game, which feels like it has plenty more…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very approachable Football Manager game. You build up your skills over time, the card game is fun, managable and also rewards you for being careful with deploying cards. Would recommend to anyone on the fence, and anyone who longs for the days of the early 80's. (I also appreciate that the teletext updates with time accurate news articles, such a nice little touch)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A wonderfully addictive game that's clearly built with a ton of passion and has a unique charm all of its own. I actually think it's deceptively simple at first, and then you realise there's a lot more going on under the hood. The interface is so nostalgic, the team management aspects are well thought out, the matches themselves are great fun to play, and ultimately I just think this is a really enjoyable title that I'm going to put many tens (and quite possibly hundreds) of hours into. I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm sharing some impressions of the game. It's a beautiful, nostalgia-driven experience, but it's very confusing, and I feel like the success or failure of the season is based more on questionable statistics than on my ability to play the limited cards the game gives me. I also didn't quite grasp the training mechanics, since I can't train whomever I want. Another discouraging thing is not being able to play as much as I'd like. I have to complete most of the games so the computer decides my…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the type of game that will keep you occupied for hours !! I used to have a board game called BBC TV Match of the day, its from the 80s, this game has a similar concepts . The game is not too deep, not overwhelming, it does not take hours to understand and it does not take too long to master exactly what you have to do. It is not a football management sim game, its more of an arcade type card game, the matches are exciting and the UI is more of a retro comic style, it gives it some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →UI is well designed, it looks good really. The transition, card movement animations, etc, all done well without making the game feels sluggish (which often happen to card/deckbuilder games). Visually this game is great. Also need to appreciate that this is such a niche game at this moment, deckbuilder but football management. It is light but not that shallow, I would appreciate a much deeper tactical gameplay but this is as far as I could ask for this caliber of game at the moment. The sound…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A delightful love letter to the good old days of football, extremely tactile, and getting a goal always feels incredible. Come for the vibes, stay for the nail biting victories.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So happy that this game has finally come out. Really great idea, super smooth and very engaging
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was so excited to play this game, having completed the demo 4 times. To find the scenario mode so incredibly lacking was such a disappointment, from all of the amazing moments in the 1980s and 1990s to chose from, so many modes focused on specific games is rubbish. The RNG within the game is on another level. The training function has been entirely broken from the demo. How has the game gotten worse when compared to the demo? To top it off its now crashing at the end of the season. Avoid,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The fact that I'm more interested in playing this game than watching the World Cup says it all, I think. Reliving my own youth through the 80's sure helps. Now excuse me, I need to bite my nails for the next match!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ultra-streamlined stats-based footy management with a heavy dose of nostalgia. Individually, all the mechanics are very simple, but when combined they provide enough complexity to keep you thinking & planning ahead. Being able to influence the flow of a match by playing cards is a great idea, leading to some nail-biting moments and satisfyingly glorious outcomes. That said, a big selling point is the nostalgia, which is spot-on. And having period-flavour audio commentary to matches is a big…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love this game! So crazy I played 10hours in 2 days imao Need Chinese plzzzzzz And if possible plz add cards pictorial book, will be very helpful
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here are my impressions after X hours of playtime: 1-2 Like this game. Like the design. Football and deckbuilding, how can you go wrong? 3-4 Not sure anymore. I’m confused about the game's mechanics. 5-6 Starting to get the hang of this and understand this game better. It’s fun! 7-8 Wait, this game is way deeper than I thought. 9+ I’m hooked!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Weird game. Beautiful UI. Awesome setting. Clear knowledge of football, the period of history etc. The match engine in particular is an awesome invention. However, the game suffers from a serious lack of depth. After three seasons, you've seen it all. Tasks repeat themselves and the football you play is always the same: long ball, target man, flick on, one on one, goal. Positive review as I did enjoy the game and might play a few more seasons whilst listening to something in the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →⚽️ NUTMEG! A Nostalgic Deckbuilding Football Manager is out now! 🃏 Football tactics meet card-battling strategy. 🚀 40% off launch price – don't miss it! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3590560 #NutmegGame #Deckbuilding #FootballManager #SteamDeals #IndieGame
unlabelledView post →Very fun and nostalgic game, love it to dive deep into building my team and stadium. Maybe there will be other leagues available in addition to England only. Would be nice :) Performance is rock solid on the steam deck.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Scratches an itch for football management and board games. I also really like being able to take a team from the bottom all the way to the top.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Let me start by saying that this game is - no doubt - in my personal top 20 games of all-time. Consider that when I say, I'm really NOT a fan of card games, or roguelikes (in-fact, I don't really know what that means, but I've seen it written when talking about this game). So for me to love this game as much as I do, is some indicator as to how special I think this game is. I played the demo, and it didn't click with me, because I just couldn't understand the matchday gameplay and had no idea…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nutmeg is an extraordinary blend of football management and card games, and I absolutely love it. It is rare for a game to make me completely lose track of time, but this one has done it repeatedly. The idea of choosing the staff members and some players based on the card combinations they unlock is the one that makes this game so unique. You aren't just buying or developing the best players like in most football management games. You have to carefully pick your squad so you can build the exact…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game, man... something about the gameplay loop is really up my alley. I'm really enjoying this. The one thing I would change is that, in my opinion, they should change the navigation system in the menu. Clicking back to the main screen everytime just to go into a different screen is a bit daunting. But other than that - this is an incredibly fun, underrated gem.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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