The glory days

The potential return of a Tecmo Bowl game got me thinking about video games again. It doesn’t take much. I was addicted to video games for much of my life and am still drawn to my digital mistress from time to time. However, I believe many people of my generation long for the simplicity of the old days. Games turned more and more complex and “realistic” as technology advanced/improved. I, for one, didn’t need the changes. The best, most enjoyable games I’ve ever played were far from realistic.

Best football game: Tecmo Super Bowl
Pros: Nearly everything, Wayne Haddix
Cons: Not good for player vs. player


Best basketball game: NBA Jam
Pros: Create players, outstanding player vs. player, Grandpa
Cons: Dino Radja


Best baseball game: Baseball Stars
(narrowly edges out Baseball and Baseball Simulator 1.000)
Pros: Create Players, When It Is., prestige
Cons: Baseball Stars 2


Best hockey game: NHL ‘94
(beats out Nintendo Hockey)
--Okay, so this one breaks my “realistic” argument, sort of.


Best other sports game: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out
Pros: Little Mac, Doc Louis

Cons: Mike Tyson

Best non-sports games:
1) The Legend of Zelda
2) Super Mario Bros.
3) Tetris
4) Pitfall!

Zelda was more complex than any sports game, but my bet is that the newer versions were/are not as fun as the original despite all the technology upgrades.

I’m not sure that I have a point here…other than you can take your Wii and your X-Box 360 and your Halo and shove it. Or shove them. Give me pixels and the basketball players with big heads and the running backs who can’t be stopped.