Sega Genesis
Released in 1993 by Tecmo
Grade: B
I don’t go nuts for the real old-school Tecmo Bowl games, but this is an undeniably good time in short spurts.
Where it falls in the series
After two famed releases on the original Nintendo, this is the first on Genesis and SNES, featuring the same classic gameplay with 11-man squads and all NFL teams and players. I’m in the minority of dorks who prefer the followups, Tecmo Super Bowl II and Tecmo Super Bowl III: Final Edition, which have slower action, slightly more depth, and updated graphics. Unlike most sports games, Tecmo Bowl is better on SNES than Genesis.
Praises and gripes
The game looks like it originated in 8 bits, with a sky-high, horizontal view and simplified players. It’s easy on the eyes, but the Genesis graphics are muddy compared to SNES.
The action is arcade-friendly and easy for the offense. There always seems to be a receiver wide open, often far down the field.
Tecmo’s trademark playcalling is cute but problematic. On offense, you’ve got just eight plays, but you can swap out different ones if you choose.
On defense, you actually pick from the other team’s eight plays. Guess right, and you bulldoze the offensive line for a surefire sack. Otherwise, your players are theoritcally defending a play that isn’t happening. Consider, also, that you can’t switch players after the snap, so defense can be frustrating. I suppose someone who’s hellbent on excelling at this game would figure out which play puts his players in a conservative defense and try to knock down the pass.
So, this game is all offense, and it’s easy to beat the CPU. It’s best enjoyed against a friend in short spurts. Luckily, games move along quickly, usually with final scores like 35-28. Little cutscenes add some charm, as does the music happening during plays.