After the release of a new Tecmo Bowl on the DS and a brand new iteration of the Punch-Out franchise on the horizon, I cannot help but wonder if I have been transported back to an earlier era. 2008's recent retro-revival got me thinking about other classic sports games that would translate well to our modern gaming consoles.

I have come up with seven sports franchises (yes, seven, no more, no less) dying to make a comeback. This week I will be posting numbers 7-4, then next week 1-3. Feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments section below.

7. Cool Boarders

Cool Boarders was a must have game when it was released shortly after the release of the PSone in 1996. Not only was Cool Boarders one of the first snowboarding games to hit consoles, but it was one of the best games to ever hit the PlayStation. Cool Boarders controlled great, featured multiple runs, tons of selectable characters (for the time), and even had some great unlockable content. The concept of the game was simple -- have the fastest run, score the most trick points on a run, win a race down the hill -- but extremely effective for that era.The game was so outstanding that it even spawned six sequels (only Cool Boarders 2 could compete with the original in my opinion however).

My question to Sony is, where the heck is a PS3 version of the Cool Boarders franchise? Not only could SCE craft an absolutely beautiful snowboarding experience on the PS3, but it could also integrate some much-maligned Sixaxis technology into the game. Would there really be any better way to snowboard than to carve down the mountain using the motion control on your DualShock 3, using the face buttons and triggers for tricks?

Cool Boarders 2 for the PSOne

Throw in a single-player story mode with multiple gameplay options (half pipe, trick attacks, etc.) along with a deep online experience (customizable boards, LittleBigPlanet-style create a mountain run), and you have a first-party exclusive that PS3 owners would be clamoring to play.

Sure, titles like Amped and SSX have pushed the snowboarding genre forward, but none of those games has ever been able to duplicate the sheer fun factor that Cool Boarders was able to convey. The PS3 is a powerful system struggling to secure solid third-party exclusives, so more first-party exclusives would be a plus. Cool Boarders could be the franchise that not only kick starts the console, but also pushes the boarding genre in a whole new direction.

6. Ice Hockey

One of Nintendo's most beloved games, Ice Hockey took simple gameplay and added a level of strategy that has yet to be duplicated in a hockey game -- the pregame player size selector. Who could forget the dedication it took to skillfully match up your team of skinny, medium, medium, fat, fat guys against your buddy's lineup of fat, medium, medium, medium, skinny?

To this day there are still debates over what combination of body types works best in the game (skinny, medium, medium, fat, fat is the key in my opinion -- Fedorov, Yzerman, Yzerman, Probert, Probert for all you Red Wing fans out there). The bottom line is Ice Hockey is still a blast to play and was also my first purchase on the Wii Virtual Console. The game is begging to be remade.

You would not have to change much in this game to convert it to a Wii killer app. My opinion is upgrade the graphics, add a few more international teams (no NHL/NHLPA liscense required), add in the ability to customize player equipment and create a team, and add in a solid online interface. Other than that, leave the gameplay alone -- the same two-button interface will work great with the Wii Remote on its side, and perhaps just add in a "shaking" function for when you check and to initiate those outstanding full-team scrums. Keep the same camera angle, keep the cartoon-like art style, and keep the goofy Zamboni during intermission.

The game could sell a million copies with the upgrades noted above. Ice Hockey Wii would be simple enough for soccer moms and be deep enough that hardcore sports fanatics like myself would invest countless days coming up with the perfect strategy to dominate. This is a can't miss sports title, and it is confusing that Nintendo has not released an updated version yet.

5. Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Off Road

This game took the arcades by storm back in 1989. Not only was the game an absolute (nitro) blast to play, but it was also one of the first driving games that incorporated four-player co-op into the mix. I cannot even tell you how many quarters I wasted on the arcade version with my buddies, and the amount of hours I wasted when the game was eventually ported to the NES (four-player co-op included!).

There was something about the game that was pure fun and left me helplessly addicted. Whether it was strategically purchasing and using your nitro boosts, ramming your buddy into a wall after some dirt mound jumps, or seeing your driver with a bikini-clad model once you won a race, I could not get enough of this game.

This game could essentially work on any system. Why not upgrade the graphics engine, add additional car upgrades, add a create-a-track option, add online play for up to eight players, and let gamers loose on this addictive creation? Keep the viewpoint at a semi-iso view of the track, but zoom the camera in a bit, and allow car/driver customization based on wins and rank. Not only could this game rival the Mario Karts of the world, but it could be an absolute multiplayer standout if users were able to upload and share track creations. This game could keep me busy for a long time, and that is a good thing in this dime-a-dozen sports game market we seem to be in.

Yeah, games like Motorstorm exist already, but why does every off-road racer on the market today have to be 3-D? I feel as if the off-road gaming market is saturated with games that all feel and look the same (Motorstorm, Pure, Dirt). I am all for a game returning to its roots when it comes to off-road competitive racing.

Mutant League Football, an amazingly unique game.

4. Mutant League Football/Hockey

How on earth (or whatever planet or galaxy you prefer) has the Mutant League franchise not been remade? For those of you unfamiliar with the series, the games were basically versions of EA's Madden and NHL series, except with various mutants and monsters as players. The arenas in which the games would be played were also mutant-themed, with various traps and pitfalls associated with certain areas.

What made these games really fun, however, was the ability to actually take out players and referees -- and by take out I mean disintegrate in various fashions only hideous mutants could dream up. The games were a lot of fun to play and a nice alternative from their real-world sports counterparts.

Would it honestly be that hard to use a hybrid of the Madden/NHL engine to remake the Mutant League games? You could follow the All-Pro Football 2K8 customization aspect to create an experience that would vary from user to user. Throw in online leagues and an EA Locker option to share players, teams and even created stadiums complete with traps, and you have a winner. I can see it now: designing my own personal mutants with personal armor and play styles, then facing off against a buddy on my own "home field" that I designed. The game could release for multiple platforms and be published under the Freestyle label.

The Mutant League games were great, and I cannot be the only one with my fingers crossed waiting for a remake. Sure, Blood Bowl is coming out in the near future and may satisfy my need for a fantasy sports title with monsters, but the game just is not Mutant League.

Dear Peter Moore, I do not want to win a Super Bowl anymore, I want to dominate the galaxy with my team of athletic mutants, make it happen!