Classic sports games

Over the past year, I have become smitten with old sports games and am still trying to track down a few. Two standouts for me are NBA Live 2000 and NHL Breakaway '99, both for Nintendo 64.

I think these two titles were collectively ahead of their time. NBA Live especially stood out a lot from its primitive predecessors, even though the campy graphics and twitchy control schemes still made a fun game. Live drastically changed that with things like double-tap timing on jumpers, random basket attacks, and a startlingly genuine court atmosphere. Breakaway tweaked checking some and really made movement smooth for something as simple as the 4-way directional pad. Possibly the most charming things about both games were the quirks. Certainly glitches like Live's missing man and Breakaway's goalie fails were frustrating/hilarious, but anomalies like bouncing in a missed dunk or cheating a forecheck behind net were damn fun. And of course, the personages: lighting everyone up with Glen Rice or getting scored on by Gretzky in overtime really were enduring elements for sports games that really make you love playing again and again.

Feel free to share your own (fond) memories of playing old sports games.

Catch my drift.

Apparently it was admitted a few years ago, but wasn't publicised until now: the original NBA Jam game was rigged against the Bulls. The (chief?) game developer coded it so were the Bulls in a close game, they would be unable or extremely handicapped to make shots. Assuming the player ratings would plummet when conditions were met. Of course the absence of MJ made this "plausible", and while Scottie was not known for clutch plays, he was more than capable. Oh yeah, developer was a Pistons fan. Gotta believe there are many more instances of favoritism still hidden in games.

Catch my drift.

The distinguished PopperMan99 spake:

I've only own one sports game, and I guess it's sortof old, 'Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003' I believe is the title, for Gamecube. I find it boring.

Strongly consider Mario Golf (N64). Arguably, the most pleasing and addicting experience for a golf game. It happens also to be available on the Wii Virtual Console.

Catch my drift.

I keep seeing clips/spoofs of and references to Tecmo Bowl for NES on the internet, but I was too young to experience it. Really beginning to create an itch.

Catch my drift.