More than two decades ago, a football video game on the Sega Genesis that featured robots, aliens and skeletons became a cult classic.



Released in 1993 and published by Electronic Arts, "Mutant League Football" was a game in which victory could be achieved not only by outscoring an opponent but by killing off enough players to force them to forfeit. The fields were filled with a variety of dangers and referees could even be bribed. Fans have long awaited a successor to the game — and that day is finally near.



In an interview on the Press Row Podcast, the creator of the original "Mutant League Football" as well as the now in-development "Mutant Football League," Michael Mendheim, joined to discuss the new game, the history of mutant football, development challenges now compared to the early '90s, and plans to engage fans and reach new ones in the current ultra-competitive market for entertainment dollars.

MORE: "Madden," "NBA 2K" face early eSports growing pains

"Mutant League Football" wasn't just a popular game; it became a part of pop culture at the time. Now that the number of arcade-style sports video games has dwindled to near extinction, "Mutant Football League" looks to offer something completely different from other options on the market.



"The original game was a No. 1 hit, spawned a television show and a sequel called 'Mutant League Hockey,'" Mendheim said, going on to explain how it has always had a strong fan base. "The community has wanted us to bring the game back."



There have been other sports games remembered fondly in the past that have attempted remakes and reboots to mixed success, from "NBA Jam" to "Tecmo Bowl." What will be the strategy with "Mutant Football League" to break through a difficult gaming landscape?



"We decided we were going to re-envision this game, and bring it back as an 'NFL Blitz'-style game," Mendheim said. "We re-imagined the whole product, a different game for a new generation. It's on steroids compared to the older game."

https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/ef/70/mutant-football-league_18oqq5nmkw6a21wvhmw6922sig.jpg?t=1633304914&w=500&quality=80



It's not easy to make a video game these days. Not only has the cost of development soared, and publishers have been forced to minimize risk with that in mind, but licensed properties dominate the market. Without the backing of leagues such as the NFL and NBA, it can be near impossible to get on the radar of consumers who are themselves less likely now to take a chance on an unknown commodity.



"Mutant Football League" is trying something unique by introducing a crowdfunding campaign that not just tries to sell the project but also gives those interested a chance to actually play the game now in an early state.



"We literally put the game that's not done in people's hands. You can test drive the game and feel the mechanics. It was a very risky move on our part, but it was very successful and people like the game and are having a lot of fun even though its just a little preview," Mendheim said.

MORE: The NFL's most improved players, according to "Madden NFL 17"

This is actually not the first attempt at crowdfunding. In 2013 an ambitious goal was set to raise $750,000 to fund the initial vision of "Mutant Football League." By the end of the campaign, only 19 percent of that had come in — meaning all pledges were returned in full, as is Kickstarter's policy.



"We originally were pitching a mobile game and we had no technology to show; it was basically just concept art," Mendheim said. "The direction of the game was much more cartoony. The 'MFL' community in no uncertain terms let me know that was not the game they wanted."



Mendheim had to respond to that failure by changing the entire scope of the game. The response from fans now is very different from those years ago. It took only three days for the new goal to be achieved and officially funded.



"I started reaching out to the community and spent about six months just talking and listening and taking notes" he said. "We hit our goal on Super Bowl Sunday as the Patriots took the game into overtime."

https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/b/36/mutant-football-league_1kpjvnb3pgbvn1m5c0n3ngofm7.jpg?t=1633319930&w=500&quality=80

With consumers as value-conscious as ever, how will "Mutant Football League" attempt to deliver sufficient content and keep players engaged over a long time? To begin with, pre-ordering the game through Kickstarter costs just $25 rather than the standard $60.



"We have a variety of different character species in the game, we are planning to have a season mode in the game," Mendheim said. "Because of our development strategy, the plan over time is to allow people to create their own teams and compete against other custom-made teams and then go into the eSports market. That's a longer term strategy for us, but the ultimate of what everyone wants and where the game needs to go."

MORE: NFL players who've declined the most, according to "Madden"

The freedom from the restrictions and requirements that leagues place on those representing their respective brands creates enormous challenges, but can be liberating too.



"We can be as outrageous as we want," Mendheim said. "We've actually walked away from a publisher because they wanted to tone down the game."



Mendheim is aware that nostalgia will only mean so much unless "Mutant Football League" delivers as a good football game, with excellent mechanics, depth and a high fun factor.



"The most important thing is it's got to be sound football. But we've got a lot of comedy and humor, which separates us from any other sports game."



"Mutant Football League" is looking to release on PC this October and follow in early 2018 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The Kickstarter campaign will be active through March 6 and the more money it brings in, the more will be added to the game through its series of stretch goals.



Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is co-founder of the sports gaming site HitThePass.com, hosts the "Press Row Podcast" and be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.