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prfsnl_gmr
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by prfsnl_gmr Sun Aug 04, 2019 7:51 pm

It’s also on the Xbox if you have Tecmo Classic Arcade. Like Contra, though, it’s one of those games where the NES port blows the arcade original out of the water.

Speaking of the NES port...I’m going to try to play a full season in Tecmo Bowl...finally. I played it against friends growing up, but I’ve never actually “beaten” the game, I intend to rectify that, and I’m off to a good start. My L.A. Raiders(?) ran all over the Miami Dolphins in week one.

I’m also laying Hot Shots Golf 2 (PS1). It’s a really, really solid golf game, and my man Mort just one another round of match lay t unlock another character. Does anyone else on the forums have experience with the Hot Shots Golf series? I dropped a ton of time into the third game years ago, but I haven’t sent much time with any of the other games.
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Markies
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by Markies Sun Aug 04, 2019 8:49 pm

I spent a few hours this afternoon and I beat Maximum Pool on the Sega DreamCast.

Really enjoyable pool game.

Here is my review:
viewtopic.php?p=1148944#p1148944
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Nemoide
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by Nemoide Sun Aug 04, 2019 8:56 pm

I attempted the Sega Bowl in Joe Montana Football today. I actually got to the third game (and it was STUPID CLOSE) and I THINK there might only be four games in the mode, TOTALLY DOABLE WITH SOME MORE PRACTICE. I hope. If nothing else, I think I'm actually understanding how to play the game now!

I also played some Punch-Out!! on the NES Classic last night and got up to King Hippo.
I previously played this game once as a child at a cousin's house and didn't like it: the opponent seemed way too huge, and the gameplay was totally unlike what I expected (ie something like a Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat-style fighting game). Playing it now, knowing the game is about reading the opponent and timing attacks/dodges is actually a lot of fun!
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noiseredux
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by noiseredux Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:42 am

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My first exposure to the NES was at a babysitters house one summer. I'm trying to do some internet sleuthing to pinpoint the exact summer, and I think it would have been 1987. There's a very specific short list of early NES games that I can remember being exposed to at the time: Super Mario Bros, Excitebike, and Ice Hockey. So that being said, Ice Hockey has always had a certain level of nostalgic importance to me. After playing those three games I remember going home and pleading my case that I needed a NES. Dear Parents, this 2600 just isn't gonna cut it anymore.

Of course we all know the problem with nostalgia. It's the problem that creeps into being a fan of retro games. More often than not, going back and replaying these old games that have high levels of nostalgia attached to them tends to highlight that our memories aren't quite accurate. As much as I still appreciate Super Mario Bros, I'd much rather play 2 or 3 on NES for instance. And Excitebike? I'm really not a fan in my older years. So I had to wonder if Ice Hockey would still hold up. The answer is, "kinda."

What's interesting about the game is that you can tweak your team. They are three player types: a skinny weak dude that's fast, a big giant slow dude that's strong, and a totally average dude. And what's fascinating is that Nintendo has sort of stuck with this Goldie Locks philosophy ever since. I mean, some of us like to play as Toad in Mario Kart - a little weak fast dude. And some of us like Bowser who's a big slow strong dude. Others might just pick Mario who happens to be totally average. And so our picks can cater to our style of play. It's pretty neat to see this in such an early game.

The visual representation of hockey works fine here. The horizontal view of the rink; the fights; the Zamboni. It's good stuff. The controls are certainly serviceable as well. I never really had a tough time figuring out what was going on or anything. So in the big picture, I'd say sure, Ice Hockey still feels good to play today. But taking the game out of its original context... I don't feel like I have much reason to keep playing it. It's fun for a single game, but given that there's no season mode or anything, it's really kind of meant for a quick game. I guess it'd probably be a lot more fun against a friend rather than the computer, though.

What it ultimately comes down to is while it's simple and fun, there's been better hockey games since. And I'm not even talking about this year's entry. The truth is that if I'm in the mood for a hockey game (as rare as that might be) I'm thinking that I'd EA's 90's games would be something I'm far more likely to think of than this game. So hey, Ice Hockey was fun for a sitting but I'm in no rush to get back to it.
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Ack
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by Ack Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:03 am

Recently a friend sent me a wedding present, which happens to be around 40 SNES games, most of which I did not already own. I won't go into the specifics of some of the rarer titles I was sent *cough*I now own Hagane*cough*, but several of the titles were sports games. That being the theme for this month's Together Retro, I decided I'd sit down with one in particular that I doubt was going to get much attention.

Brunswick World: Tournament of Champions
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Yes, a bowling video game released in August 1997.

Brunswick World isn't the flashiest sports game. By the time of its release, its graphics were horribly dated. The music is limited, the character customization options are pitiful, and there aren't too many options beyond, well, bowling. But what you do get are training options, the choice of exhibitions or league play, and statistics for some of North America's top bowlers.

The statistics are actually what caught my eye. Yes, it features mini bios of some of the top bowlers of the 1990s. It also features their average point distributions (they tend to range around 210-220), a breakdown of tournaments they've played in and awards, including leadership roles in the bowling players association, and most interestingly, their winnings are included. You can actually see what a professional bowler could hope to pull in during any particular year. It isn't a lot compared to something like basketball, but having a top year in multiple tournaments could apparently net you in the $200k slot in the mid-80s.

As for the actual bowling, it plays surprisingly like a golf game. You must select player position and angle of approach as well as overall power and ball spin using rising and falling meters. It takes some getting used to, and I'm generally terrible (it took me a few runs to make it to 135, my best score so far), but it also feels so incredibly familiar. While at one point I was actually a pretty decent bowler and regularly reached the 150+ range, I was never anywhere near professional level and have only ever reached a 200+ game once...and that was easily over 20 years ago. Getting to play things this way is actually not so bad. I will probably go back to Brunswick World over the month, especially since I don't expect too many of you guys to go check out bowling games.
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Gunstar Green
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by Gunstar Green Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:17 am

noiseredux wrote:Image


I absolutely love this game. You're 100% right that there's not much to it as a single player game and there are better hockey games (like his holiness Saint NHL '94) but it's so ridiculously charming, simple and fun. Get another person to play with you and it becomes a hilariously brutal duel. There's some strategy in which type of guys you pick and how you use them but it's very surface level and easy to grasp. It's got that Nintendo-style accessibility to it that really puts it up there with the best NES sports games in my opinion.

A lot of people prefer Blades of Steel and Konami's hockey title certainly is superior in many areas but if you just want to have a few minutes of fun with a friend, even or especially one who isn't a sports fan, Nintendo's Ice Hockey really can't be beat.
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Sarge
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by Sarge Mon Aug 05, 2019 5:01 pm

Someone still needs to play Tecmo Super Bowl. I appreciate Gunstar playing Kickoff, although I didn't enjoy that one quite as much. I did finish the season, though, and ended up with an insanely great QB by the end. Stat min-maxing in a football game. Imagine that!

Anyway, the NES version is where it's at. Although if you want a bug-fixed version with updated rosters, those exist, too. I question some of the player ratings there, but you know, we all have our biases. While not the best team in the game, I always enjoy using the Chiefs. Derrick Thomas and a solid defense, a good passer (passing accuracy stat is bugged so pass control governs both stats), and Christian "The Nigerian Nightmare" Okoye at running back. Fun times.
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prfsnl_gmr
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by prfsnl_gmr Mon Aug 05, 2019 5:33 pm

@Sarge

I’m playing Tecmo Bowl right now. Once I finish a season in that game, I’ll likely move on to Tecmo Super Bowl. I’ve read that it’s awesome, and having grown up in KC, I’m excited to play a football game in which the Chiefs (and, moreover, the Chiefs of my youth) are really good.
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Gunstar Green
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by Gunstar Green Mon Aug 05, 2019 5:59 pm

prfsnl_gmr wrote:@Sarge

I’m playing Tecmo Bowl right now. Once I finish a season in that game, I’ll likely move on to Tecmo Super Bowl. I’ve read that it’s awesome, and having grown up in KC, I’m excited to play a football game in which the Chiefs (and, moreover, the Chiefs of my youth) are really good.


You might be interested in either the Genesis or SNES version of the game, it has Joe Montana quarterbacking for the Chiefs. Unfortunately just as "number 19 QB Chiefs" because his name was still licensed out to Sega at the time.
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prfsnl_gmr
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Re: August 2019 Together Retro: Retro Sports Games

by prfsnl_gmr Mon Aug 05, 2019 6:35 pm

Nice. I didn’t know that. I have those games, but I haven’t spent much time with them. I do, however, buy Joe Montana Football ‘94 just because it had him in his Chiefs uniform on the cover. :lol:
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