"Solid arcade styled football that spews out fun."

Football has always been a favorite amongst many sports fans. For many NES gamers, good football games were hard to come by until the Tecmo Bowl series rolled along. Tecmo Bowl was probably the first decent football game the Nintendo had ever seen. Not only do you get to play simple arcade paced football, but you can do it in a fun way. The basic storyline behind Tecmo Bowl is that you're playing football. Although none of the teams or players are real, the game simulates the NFL but in a less realistic way. You can make passes to open receivers, run through the gaping holes, break a tackle - it brought the fundamentals of football to primitive gaming systems.

Graphics [6/10]
For its time and place, Tecmo Bowl provided decent graphics for its type of game. The basic camera view in the game is from an overhead sideview, sort of as if you were sitting in a stadium seat parallel to the 50 yard line. Players are small, and barely detailed, but their skin tone and uniforms can be distinguished quite easily. Unfortunately, blockers, defensive linemen, and cornerbacks all the look the same, which takes away from the proportion aspect on character models. A wide variety of colors are used for the field, different team uniforms, endzones, and the stadiums. Don't expect any highly detailed backgrounds, or weather effects. This is just a simple arcade styled football game with slightly above average graphics.

Sound/Music [7/10]
This is what I believe truly makes Tecmo Bowl an addicting game. Believe it or not, there is a hefty amount of unique sound effects, and even an addictive music song that plays in the background. The first time you listen to the Tecmo theme song, it really pumps you up for a football game. The theme is just right, with plenty of upbeats, and repetition to actually make it somewhat memorable. There's also other nifty little sound clips whenever your team wins a game, or the half time show. The more impressive part is that of the sound effects. Before each play is hiked, you'll hear the QB yell ''Hut!Hut!Hut!Hut!'', and he keeps repeating it. Of course, it gets you ready to go, and make the play happen. Open receivers make a thump when they catch the ball, and there are other numerous spicy effects that happen whenever an interception occurs. The crowd roars when you score a touchdown. For the most part, you'll be pleased at what you hear the first time you start playing the game.

Gameplay [8/10]
Here is where simple arcade football clearly rules. To start off, while this game is based roughly off of the NFL, there is no actual season stats or anything. Basically, you can play between three different modes of gameplay. There is a one player, two player, and coaching mode. One player allows you to play as one team, and slowly defeat each opposing team in the game until you reach the superbowl. This is by far the one mode with the most replay value since you'll face plenty of tough opposing teams who specialize in either running or passing plays. Not only that, but you can continue your progress by simply entering a password which is given to you at the end of a game. However, Tecmo Bowl is not your typical football game.

First, there are no fumbles, onside kicks, or big playbooks. Each team is assigned four plays, either being a simple run or pass. After selecting a play, you're brought to the line of scrimmage, and once you press the hike button - all hell breaks loose. Tecmo Bowl is a very fast paced game, although the actual plays seem to execute slower than in real life. You can move around, but without any special dashing or juke buttons. Passing is a very simple system of switching between different target receivers, and throwing to the wide open man. Once you receive the ball, you can break out of tackles by rapidly pressing the buttons on the controller, or by weaving back and forth to avoid dive tackles. But what makes Tecmo Bowl so easy to understand is the fact that you don't need to learn complex formations or blitzing schemes. If you're playing on the defensive side of the ball, you also pick a defensive play from the exact same playbook of your opponent. So basically, you have a 25% of correctly guessing what your opponent is going to pick. If you select the right play that your opponent chooses, then you will force an easy loss. It's similar to that of a group of friends playing rock, paper, scissors. It all comes down to chance.

This is how Tecmo Bowl is such an addictive and fun game. You can jump right into the gameplay, and most of those annoying elements of football aren't included. Interceptions are very easy. If you toss the ball to a wrong receiver, and defensive back gets in front of him, it's an instantaneous turnover. Field goals and kickoffs are just as easy since the only determinant is a power meter. The two player mode is by far the best dueling mode. Facing a friend with your favorite teams is an absolute blast. Finally, coach mode is also a two player mode, but rather than actually playing, you pick the plays and watch the CPU play for both of you. Quite simply, Tecmo Bowl has an exciting mode of play, whether you be dashing with the ball, or passing a bullet to a wide open man.

Fun [9/10]
Let's face it, we all want to have fun in life. Tecmo Bowl does just that providing a thrilling experience for even the non-sports fans in the world. If you hate football, don't worry, this game is more of an arcade experience. The catchy tune, cheerleaders at half time, they all catch everyone's attention. It's so easy to get a rush when you hear the crowd roaring in triumph of your 50 yard sprint for a TD. Wrestling off three would-be tacklers, and then going all the way on the kickoff return is another exciting experience. No longer did gamers have to focus on lacking gameplay elements, but now they had a solid football game capable of many things.

Replayability [8/10]
Even if you do beat the single player mode, you're going to come back for more. Each team has their own playbook (based on their playing style back in the 80s). For example, the Miami Dolphins have three passing plays since they were such a devastating force back then with Dan Marino. Players didn't have ratings, or goofy inaccuracies like most games. This was pure football action at its best. Not only that, but when you faced a friend in this game, you'd be surprised at the grins and ferocious roars you'd hear during gameplay. It's like walking into a saloon and asking for some whiskey, you never know how smashed you'll get. With memorable game experiences, and perhaps a game winning field goal in the ending seconds, Tecmo Bowl will live on with plenty of replay value in every gamer's collection.

Difficulty [3/10]
In any type of mode, Tecmo Bowl is an extremely easy sports game. The biggest factor is that the gameplay system is so simplified, with interceptions as common as potato pancakes, and first downs an almost given thing. Running in the game is probably more challenging than passing since you'll often find at least one receiver wide open during a passing play. If you've got fast fingers, and can easily switch to the open receiver, then you've practically mastered Tecmo Bowl. Games will be very high scoring, often in the high 20s to 40s. Defense is almost a joke as offense is the main thing. This is a very good football game, it just doesn't do enough to challenge the gamer. But don't worry about the challenge, you'll be coming back for more and more regardless.

Final Factor [8/10]
Before Madden, and the popular NFL games, there was Tecmo Bowl. This was the true birth and probably one of the ancestral roots of football games as we know it. It may not have provided the results of a realistic game, but it certainly provided an entertaining experience. While Tecmo Super Bowl is a much better game than Tecmo Bowl, don't check this off your list. This is a classic game that most gamers should own in their collection. If you're looking for a football game that provides plenty of joyful moments, scour towards Tecmo Bowl. It will be the place holder of all your kickoff sports games that you ever play.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/27/03, Updated 07/27/03