Coach mode
Pick offensive plays and defensive counters each down. Use the box score and player ratings to learn what your roster does well.
THE COACH’S HANDBOOK
How to play
Poké Bowl.
You call the play. Your Pokémon handle the football. A free browser game for desktop and mobile, with simulated action and a roster full of Kanto personalities.
01 / KICKOFF
Your first match, in three steps.
Pick your starting 22.
Select PLAY NOW on the title screen. Keep your saved team, reroll a Quick Draft, or choose a gym club. Your lineup has 11 offensive and 11 defensive starters, with each Pokémon appearing once on your team. Use BUILD MY TEAM to swap players and name the club.
Meet the eight gym teams →Choose a CPU rival.
Scout the rival’s starters, ratings and style, then kick off. On a first visit, choose your country and continue as a guest. Guest results are not saved to the leaderboard.
Call it. Watch it happen.
On offense, select a play and press CALL PLAY. On defense, predict the rival’s offense and press CALL DEFENSE. Passing, running, blocking and tackling happen automatically. You do not steer individual players.
02 / THE PLAYBOOK
Ten plays. A fresh five each down.
Each down deals five offensive calls: two runs and three passes. Your five defensive counters are randomized too. The choices stay fixed while you browse, pause or lock a call; the next down brings a fresh mix. Use short passes to release quickly, deep routes to stretch the field, and runs to attack the middle or edge.
| Offensive call | What it does | Defensive counter |
|---|---|---|
| Inside run | Power through the middle. Win the short yards. | Gap blitz |
| Quick pass | Short routes. Get the ball out quickly. | Press blitz |
| Deep pass | Stretch the field. Bigger risk, bigger reward. | Deep trap |
| Play action | Sell the run, then find the crossing route. | QB spy |
| Outside run | Race to the edge. Let your speed do the work. | Edge blitz |
| Double slants | Two sharp cuts inside. Hit the receiver in stride. | Inside shade |
| Bubble screen | A fast throw wide. Let the receiver create yards. | Screen crash |
| Delay draw | Show pass, then hand it off behind the rush. | Patient front |
| Power sweep | Follow your fullback around the left edge. | Force left |
| TE seam | Send the tight end between the safeties. | Seam bracket |
A correct counter uses one ready defender’s signature ultimate to sack the QB for a random 5–10-yard loss. If all defensive ultimates are spent, a correct read cannot trigger that special. Punts and field goals cannot be ultimate-countered.
03 / SIGNATURE MOVES
One Pokémon.
One ultimate.
Each of the 151 Pokémon has one fixed signature move. The simulation activates it automatically when that player is involved in a relevant play; there is no second move slot or ultimate button.
A Pokémon can use its ultimate once per set of downs. First downs, possession changes and the halftime kickoff recharge both teams. An ordinary down or quarter change does not. Active moves boost relevant ratings by 12 for that play, capped at 99.
04 / THE SCOREBOARD
Move the chains.
Find the end zone.
Gain 10 yards for a new set of downs, or reach the goal line. Touchdowns score 6. Choose a one-point kick or a two-point play from the 2-yard line. Stop the extra-point arrow in the green center zone to score. Field goals score 3, and safeties give the defense 2.
Start with a coin toss; its winner chooses kick or receive. Use the kickoff power meter to set kick distance, then watch the return. After a conversion attempt, the scoring team kicks to its opponent. The team that kicked first receives after halftime. Fourth-down punts and field goals are handled automatically by field position. A match has four two-minute simulation quarters and can end in a tie. Scoring triggers a celebration and Dance Cam; Skip replay moves past the following highlight.
05 / YOUR WAY TO PLAY
Coach, watch, or challenge a friend.
Auto broadcast
Turn AUTO on to let both teams call plays. Watch at 1×, 2× or 4×, pause the match, and control music and effects separately.
Private friend duel
Invite friend · 1v1 creates a private link. Both coaches lock their hidden calls, then watch the same resolved play. Invites last 12 hours; guest duels are unranked.
On phones, use portrait or landscape and swipe the playbook sideways to see more calls. Music and effects begin after a click or tap.
CALL YOUR FIRST PLAY ↗Before you take the field.
Is Poké Bowl free?
Yes. You can play CPU matches and private friend duels in a modern desktop or mobile browser without installing an app. Guest results are not recorded.
Which Pokémon can I draft?
The 151 Kanto species are available. You can compare every species at each of the 16 football positions in the player ratings guide. Football projections are fictional and change with position.
Do I control the quarterback or receivers?
You choose plays and build the team. The simulation controls movement, throws, catches and tackles. Turn on Auto when you want the computer to make the coaching calls too.
Can I share my team without starting a duel?
Yes. Use Share team in the game. Your friend can preview the team name and starting 22, then choose whether to load that roster.