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.
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.
When I started my studies back in 2002, one of my roommates played Hattrick. He was really excited when he explained the game to me, so I started playing. In the first year of playing, I got an HT-mail from someone who was living nearby. At this moment he is still one of my best friends. We both started playing again when we first stopped playing somewhere in 2008.
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.
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!
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.