Some of my Hattrick friends I've known for more than a decade now, which is longer than quite a few of my real-world friendships. You build up trusting relationships with them, and meet people you'd normally never meet. That's also what I really enjoy about the federations in Hattrick - some are really places where you can share your personal stories. A federation in Hattrick was one of the first places where I disclosed I was going to become a father!
I ended up playing Hattrick because I used to play some MMORPG in the past (like Dark Age of Camelot or Ultima Online) but they were totally absorbing and some of my friends described Hattrick as "easy and casual", and I believed it (lol). I couldn’t really guess, at that time, how much time and passion I would end up putting into this game.
One reason I play Hattrick is because I like the cyclical nature of the game. You start with an idea about what kind of team you want to build, then you train long-term (up to 3 years in real life!). While you build, you can test and try to comprehend the aspect of the match simulation that you want to master. I also like the tactical choices you have to make for each match. But the most important component is the community.
What I like about the Hattrick community is that there are real people and you don't just compete against the computers. You play against each other, but you can also help each other in the forum and talk about everything.
I like that Hattrick is a slow game. Here, I have time to think everything over. I also appreciate that Hattrick gives everybody the chance to be the best because you can't buy in-game advantages.
I play Hattrick because it’s an addictive game. The game can be enough on its own … But by adding the community part, it borders on perfection!