Even though we are experiencing one of the most active periods on the sports calendar, it’s the doldrums for sports video games. While we are waiting for the next big release (MLB 17: The Show), here are a few mobile sports games that might make the time go more quickly.

Retro Winter Sports 1986

This title is a pure nostalgia trip; taking that into account, it’s a fun little game that offers a lot for a small price.

Basically, this is an updated, yet intentionally retro version of the old Epyx published Winter Games title that was available on multiple consoles in the late 80s. In this one, you have access to six Winter Olympics-style events: Slalom (skiing) races, speed skating, ski jumping, bobsled curling and the biathlon.

All of the events have had their controls translated to the modern touch screen -- none rely on virtual buttons or joysticks. Though a few of the control inputs are confusing at first -- slalom took me a while to grasp and speed skating is just plain hard -- all of the events are quick and fun to play. Most of the skill is timing-based, which is perfect for quick plays on the bus or at lunch.

Retro Winter Sports 1986 includes a tournament mode where you try to set a high score across all of the events. It even adds hotseat play, which was the best way to originally play these titles (pre-internet, remember?). Local leaderboards in the app keep track of your best performances.

The graphics really capture the original title’s look, including reducing the playing screen to a near 4:3 ratio. This has the added benefit of allowing your thumbs to operate on the sides without obscuring the graphics. Sound is likewise “old school.” From a presentation standpoint, this title nicely acts as a nostalgic time machine.

For just $2, it would be hard to go wrong with this title. Yet for the price, I think it offers a lot of fun, regardless of whether you approach it as a veteran or a newcomer.