TORRANCE, Calif. - It was one of the last games released for the original NES, sort of a curtain call for the system that revolutionized video games. It was a game that could have easily been ignored, become a footnote to history as nothing more than a sequel that improved on the original.
When the original Tecmo Bowl was released in 1989, it was considered revolutionary for its time. Using real NFL player names and teams (but not team nicknames, as the NFL didn't give permission), the game was wildly popular, despite its limitations. For example, there were only 12 teams to pick from, there were only nine players per team on the field at once, and each team could only pick four plays.
What Tecmo Bowl did, though, was set the stage for its sequel. Tecmo Super Bowl was released on December 1, 1991, as the creators were looking to cash in on the popularity of the original. The improvements were staggering. For the first time, a video game used every real NFL team as well as the actual names and abilities of real NFL players. It instantly became the most realistic football video game ever made.
There were more improvements. Super Bowl allowed for 11 players on the field for each team, allowed for eight offensive plays, and even allowed players to substitute players and change the playbook. All of these options seem trivial now, but at the time, they were truly revolutionary.
Perhaps the biggest legacy Tecmo Super Bowl had was in helping enhance the legend of certain players. For example, nobody ever played the game without at least once picking the Raiders and using Bo Jackson for a length-of-the-field touchdown run. Christian Okoye had one great year as an NFL runner, a year that happened to coincide with the release of Tecmo Super Bowl, allowing him to achieve video immortality as defenders bounced off his avatar game after game. Lawrence Taylor will always be remembered as a legendary linebacker, but also as a sure-thing kick blocker in Tecmo Super Bowl.
Tecmo Super Bowl quickly developed a cult following. As one of the last NES games released, its short shelf life gave it little chance to grow stale in the minds of gamers; along with Super Mario Brothers 3, it's one of the most fondly remembered NES games. It has also become one of the most emulated, as copies of the game can be found all over the internet, including versions updated with current teams and rosters. The NES has long since gone away, but Tecmo Super Bowl continues to live on.
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
June 1, 1988: A video game dynasty
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - John Madden never played in the NFL, a knee injury ending his career before it could even begin. He spent nine years coaching at various levels in college football before being hired by the Oakland Raiders at age 32. His NFL head coaching career only lasted 10 seasons, but he had a winning record in all of them, including winning the Super Bowl after the 1976 season.
It's not the playing or the coaching that John Madden will end up being remembered for. It's also possible that he won't be remembered for his broadcasting, though he became arguably America's most famous color analyst in his 30 years behind the microphone.
What will likely stand as Madden's legacy long after his days in the broadcast booth are forgotten will be the John Madden Football series of video games. The first version of the series was released on June 1, 1988, available on the Apple II and the Commodore 64.
John Madden at first agreed to lend his name to the game because he thought it would make for a good teaching tool. When the original designers said there would be 7-man teams, Madden threatened to pull his sponsorship of it, saying he wouldn't support a game that wasn't realistic.
And that might have been the key to its lasting success. There had been football video games before the Madden series, but the Madden series has stood the test of time for its realistic game play and attention to detail. The game has been re-released and updated every year since 1988 and is now far and away the most popular sports video game in America (partially due to a exclusivity deal with the NFL that states it is the only series that can use real NFL teams).
The Madden Universe has grown far beyond what even the game's original designers could have imagined. Now, there are annual Madden tournaments between both fans and NFL players. The question of which player will be on the cover of that year's game has become a regular news event and the release date of the newest version of the game has become an annual holiday among sports fans. All this has helped to make a man who never played a snap in the NFL one of the most recognizable football players of all time.
It's not the playing or the coaching that John Madden will end up being remembered for. It's also possible that he won't be remembered for his broadcasting, though he became arguably America's most famous color analyst in his 30 years behind the microphone.
What will likely stand as Madden's legacy long after his days in the broadcast booth are forgotten will be the John Madden Football series of video games. The first version of the series was released on June 1, 1988, available on the Apple II and the Commodore 64.John Madden at first agreed to lend his name to the game because he thought it would make for a good teaching tool. When the original designers said there would be 7-man teams, Madden threatened to pull his sponsorship of it, saying he wouldn't support a game that wasn't realistic.
And that might have been the key to its lasting success. There had been football video games before the Madden series, but the Madden series has stood the test of time for its realistic game play and attention to detail. The game has been re-released and updated every year since 1988 and is now far and away the most popular sports video game in America (partially due to a exclusivity deal with the NFL that states it is the only series that can use real NFL teams).
The Madden Universe has grown far beyond what even the game's original designers could have imagined. Now, there are annual Madden tournaments between both fans and NFL players. The question of which player will be on the cover of that year's game has become a regular news event and the release date of the newest version of the game has become an annual holiday among sports fans. All this has helped to make a man who never played a snap in the NFL one of the most recognizable football players of all time.
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