Tecmo Bowl

So I decided to move back to the Nintendo Entertainment System and start off the football celebration with Tecmo Bowl.  Developed and published by Tecmo (now you know where it got its name), Tecmo Bowl was released on the NES in February 1989.  Though originally in arcades, Tecmo Bowl became increasingly popular when ported to the Nintendo. 

The game does have a limited roster, only have twelve of the twenty-eight teams of the time.  It didn't even have two of the teams with the best records of 1988 (Buffalo and Cincinnati), the year which the teams are based on.  But the teams it does have some well known players from the era: including Lawrence Taylor, Joe Montana, Mike Singletary, Ronnie Lott and Bo Jackson.  Tecmo was unfortunately unable to procure the rights to use the NFL teams, so the teams are only use the home town and no actual team name.  Nor does it use real mascots or colors, but it doesn't really matter. 

And now it's time to play.

I've choosen Washington to start my game (I'm a Redskins fan) and the computer randomly decides an opponent and picks New York.  So the game starts with a kick off and I'm off.  New York's kicker is pretty weak so I get a shot kick and am stopped on my own 45.  So at this point it's time to choose a play and there aren't that many to choose from: four.  Yes, there are only four plays for each team on offense and defense.  Each team has two running plays and two passing plays (the exceptions are San Francisco and Miami, who have three passing and only one running).  But I decide to start the game slow with a run and here we go. 

It isn't bad but isn't great and I pick up three yards and it is second and seven.  I decide to try once more and break off a solid run for my first first down.  The running seems to be pretty good, so I continue it and get hit hard behind the line to go to second and twelve.  So I might as well try to pass and get another first down and I'm on the twenty five.  And the game goes sort of like that, I get hit trying to run and then get a huge pass for a first down and eventually a touchdown. 

After scoring I get to kick off the ball and begin my defensive game.  It's much like offense, only four plays, but you get to choose from your opponent's plays and you will set up a defense to answer that play.  So it's a guessing game, but it's still enjoyable.  New York tries two passes up from and get sacked twice, but then break a run to get a few yards before punting it away.

As they punt the ball away, there isn't much time left on the clock and I'm greedy and want to be up 14 to 0 before the end of the first quarter.  So I'm passing to try and move down the field, but this game gives you an advantage because the clocks only moves when the play is being run.  So I throw my first pass and move down to the 50 (I got a first down, but that hardly matters at this point).  With only 24 seconds left on the clock, New York decides that they don't want to guard my receivers and leave them wide open to let me get to the five yard line.  One quick run later (yeah, I changed it up) I go up 14 to 0 and New York is all but done for. 


So another game is played and another day is done.  It's about to be a nice weekend for football and the Super Bowl will be a good game (I hope).  You all have a good weekend though, I will continue gaming as it goes on.  Adios for today though.