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| Going back and playing Tecmo Bowl might give you a skewed perspective on the state of sports games from the late 80's. While Tecmo Bowl has stood the test of time and remains more enjoyable than the yearly stream of expensive, derivative, and ultimately uninspired would-be hopefuls to its gridiron crown, it's all the more exceptional given how much every other sports game from the era sucks in comparison. Tecmo Bowl was, is, and always will be the greatest sports game ever made, sequels notwithstanding. |
| If I had to come up with a single reason for why Tecmo Bowl stood so far out from its peers, it would be that it found the perfect balance between simulation and arcade-like action. The designers at Tecmo somehow managed to create a fast paced and enjoyable football game that maintains the feel of the NFL while distilling it down into its most basic elements. Play selection is limited to a paltry total of four, with the defense merely selecting to guard against a play from the opposing teams play book. The flip side is that the small selection gives the game an element of rock, paper, scissors. If the defense guesses correctly the result is a blitz that usually ends in a loss of yardage or worse. |
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| Most teams’ play books are split evenly between running and passing plays but there are a few pass happy teams like San Francisco and Miami that deviate from that norm. It doesn't sound like much, but it's what Tecmo accomplishes within this limited framework that makes the game a standout success. I've never played a football game where running the ball was more intuitive, and that includes any number of Madden or Quarterback Clubs (shudder) that you want to mention. There's no hurdling over diving defenders, no inane spinning or inexplicably effective stiff arm maneuver. You see a defender diving for your knees, you move out of the way. Done. Your offensive line responds exactly as you'd wish, creating gaps for you to sprint through as per the plays design. Mash the buttons hard enough and maybe you'll break a few tackles. It's simple and to the point, but that's the beauty of it. A sneaky running play with a few good blocks can yield up a whole lot of yardage. |
| Passing is nearly as intuitive, with one button switching between receivers as they run their routes, and the other serving to pass. The only problem, or quirk, is that in this game, interceptions are a dime a dozen. Get your defender in front of the receiver and it's an automatic pick, no questions asked. Still, its consistency serves to keep you honest and get the most out of your running game, especially when you consider the impossibility of fumbling. |
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| That defensive oddity is just one of many things that serves to distance Tecmo Bowl from an actual game of football. For one, there's no play clock, and as a result the clock stops after every play. Well, there goes your need for time outs. The clock runs down on kickoffs for no apparent reason. Why? Consider it Tecmo rules, I guess. Penalties are never called, simply because they're impossible to commit. Kicking the ball is a remarkably efficient process, and assuming you aren't blocked in the attempt, (which is extremely satisfying when you're on the defensive end, let me tell you) you can probably hit a field goal from any point within the 50 yard line. There's no aiming involved, just a strength meter. Try for too much power and there's a chance the meter will overflow and you'll fall way short. Much like with the interceptions, it keeps you honest. |
| Still, these minor inconsistencies and the lack of a genuine NFL license (the player names are accurate, but the teams remain anonymous) do not detract from Tecmo Bowl feeling remarkably true to the game of football, while being an amazing videogame in the process. |
Rating |
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8.0 |
 + Player sprites are fairly large, and arrow indicators make it easy to see what's happening onscreen. |
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7.0 |
 +/- While the music is pretty good, it gets repetitive quickly. + Digitized speech. |
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9.0 |
 + Individual player attributes, such as speed and strength, as well as different play books lend each team a distinctive character. ++ Still the most fun I've ever had with a football game. |
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7.5 |
 + Touchdown and halftime cuts scenes. - No NFL license means no real teams, so you get BS logos. |
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9.5 |
 +/- While the game features no true season mode, the single player tournament gets progressively harder as you pass through and is effectively the same thing. ++ One of the best multiplayer experiences on the NES this side of Contra. |
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8.9 |
 ++ Tecmo Super Bowl, along with its sequel, represents the pinnacle of its genre on the NES. |
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