When you look at how insane the graphics are on current video games, you tend to forget just how crappy games were in the past. So for no real specific reason, let's take a look back, in terms of football video games, to see where we started and how we got on the right path. Because the road to Madden was a bit bumpier than I ever thought.
Believe it or not, this commercial is actually from 1971, even though it looks like it came from another dimension. I realize it's for electric football, but hey, this was THE game to have before video games existed. At least, that's what the commercial seems to suggest to me. By the way, how did that receiver catch that pass?
Ah, yes. The Coleco Head-to-Head football game. Truly a game that pushed video game football ahead. Actually, this game probably set video game football back 10 years. Watch this commercial closely to see the football players in it who happen to be, uh, rectangular blinking lights. This is real competition! No, no it's not.
Soon football graduated to the Atari, where finally the junk moving on the screen actually kind of looked like people, except for that invisible linebacker who sacks the quarterback. Too Tall Jones did the right thing by attaching his name to this game. Best decision ever.
Naturally Intellivision couldn't let Atari corner the crappy football video game market, so they came along with their own version, and had George Plimpton hawk it.
Nintendo followed all of this up with the epic 10-Yard Fight. A game so bad, it didn't even get its own commercial.
Finally a football game worthy of actually being played happened when Tecmo Bowl was released. And it of course begat one of the greatest video games of all time, Super Tecmo Bowl. The game that made Bo Jackson a legend in his own time.
It hasn't all been perfect since then. We've had games like Gerry Glanville's Pigskin Footbrawl, but at least Tecmo got us on track. So just remember, we've got it pretty good right now. And Madden sure as hell beats electric football.
-WCK
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9 comments:
Nice post. Someday we'll probably be saying "I remember the days when you didn't actually feel the tackle... there was something kind of quaint about not waking up sore the morning after a video game."
Awesome post. I had a wave of nostalgia hit when I watched that Intellivision video.
And I'm glad they finally banned the invisible linebacker. Guy was a menace.
Bo had some sweet moves.
Code Monkeys will be crediting you as a guest writer in the coming weeks.
10-Yard Fight just brought back some awful memories.....I remember renting that game. After playing for about 5 minutes I think I started crying and begged my mom to take me back to the video store so I could exchange it (i was only allowed to rent one game/week and didn't want to waste it on that stupid piece of shit game). Call me a bitch, but that game sucked so bad it made me cry!
I could'v sworn there were a couple of illegal blocks on that run by Bo.
I remember an arcade game that had a trackball, and all the players were Xs and Os. I'm old.
what about "Blitz: The League"? I never played it, but the concept was awesome
Check out the cool old school football games on CokeZero.com. A friend sent them to me and it takes me back to the good 'ol days for sure.
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