Tecmo Bowl Throwback Impressions (PS3 and 360)

[TracerBullet]

Started off with 2 losses online. I'm up 14-0 at halftime in my third game. Buffalo rules!

Edit: He quit when the score was 27-0 in the 3rd.

[Matt Young]

Before anyone bashes me- I have played the game, liked it, and praised it. But after posting this at another board, I wanted to share it here:

I played Madden back in 1993, but never Tecmo. I must admit, while the game is pretty fun, there are several flaws. :

1. You can't change defenders after the snap.

2. Non-player controlled defenders just stand there sometimes and make no effort to tackle the ball carrier.

3. The 2D graphics are atrocious. I generally prefer 2D to 3D, but man... This **** looks like it was from the Sega Master System. Madden '93, released in the same year, looked great for its time. Good thing you can switch between 2D and fancy new 3D whenever you want.

4. The passing system can be annoying. You press A to cycle through receivers. If you make a mistake (or have a brief lag hiccup) and miss the guy you want to throw to, you have to go all the way back through every other receiver before you get to him again. By then, it's often a sack.

5. Touchbacks/safeties: If you receive a kickoff in the end zone, do not run out of bounds or stay there and get tackled. The other team will score a safety and get possession. Why is that a safety? **** if I know. Apparently, you have to press the B button repeatedly to "call for" a touchback. The game makes no mention of this in the "How To Play" or "Control" sections.

I know several of those things were in the original game. But if they're going to take the time to add 3D graphics and online play, why not do a little tweaking to make the gameplay more enjoyable?

But I criticize the flaws so much only because the base game is so good. Even with all that frustrating crap, I'm still glad I can play in an online league as my Green Bay "Apple Pies", LOL.

[dbeth]

Quote: Originally Posted by Matt Young

Before anyone bashes me- I have played the game, liked it, and praised it. But after posting this at another board, I wanted to share it here: I played Madden back in 1993, but never Tecmo. I must admit, while the game is pretty fun, there are several flaws. : 1. You can't change defenders after the snap. 2. Non-player controlled defenders just stand there sometimes and make no effort to tackle the ball carrier. 3. The 2D graphics are atrocious. I generally prefer 2D to 3D, but man... This **** looks like it was from the Sega Master System. Madden '93, released in the same year, looked great for its time. Good thing you can switch between 2D and fancy new 3D whenever you want. 4. The passing system can be annoying. You press A to cycle through receivers. If you make a mistake (or have a brief lag hiccup) and miss the guy you want to throw to, you have to go all the way back through every other receiver before you get to him again. By then, it's often a sack. 5. Touchbacks/safeties: If you receive a kickoff in the end zone, do not run out of bounds or stay there and get tackled. The other team will score a safety and get possession. Why is that a safety? **** if I know. Apparently, you have to press the B button repeatedly to "call for" a touchback. The game makes no mention of this in the "How To Play" or "Control" sections. I know several of those things were in the original game. But if they're going to take the time to add 3D graphics and online play, why not do a little tweaking to make the gameplay more enjoyable? But I criticize the flaws so much only because the base game is so good. Even with all that frustrating crap, I'm still glad I can play in an online league as my Green Bay "Apple Pies", LOL.

In my opinion, most of your cons are EXACTLY why gamers that played the game back then enjoyed it and why they want the same game now...it's almost a smidge of realism that Madden has never had.

1. Can't change defenders? In real life, you have to play a position and stick with it. If the play runs away from you, you can't just switch from DE to CB to make the play. Sometimes you just aren't involved.

2. Have to cycle through receivers? In real life, QBs have progressions...this game mimics it to a degree. When playing someone, you can have your target "locked" on one WR, and then at the last second, look him off and throw to someone else. I LOVE that feature.

Tecmo Bowl is, for me, a perfect example of how to make a game fun, fast, but still be competitive. There is a lot of thought that goes into playing the game, and I personally enjoy it. Yes, games have gotten more realistic, and Tecmo is far from it, but it does what it does well, and that's why for many people, it was/is the NFL 2k5 of its day.

[Matt Young]

All right. That doesn't change the fact that none of the defenders are the slightest bit competent. As I mentioned before, guys will stand there as opponents run right past them, and they make no effort to pursue the offensive player. And if the opposing QB passes to a player you are not covering, chances are that the d-back will be at least 5 yards away from his man.

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by Matt Young

All right. That doesn't change the fact that none of the defenders are the slightest bit competent. As I mentioned before, guys will stand there as opponents run right past them, and they make no effort to pursue the offensive player. And if the opposing QB passes to a player you are not covering, chances are that the d-back will be at least 5 yards away from his man.

This version is far better than the original in that regards, so they did to a little minor tweaking. They definitely made it harder to zig zag, but you can still do it. They have more guys that go horizontal on you so you have to pull a vertical or circle around on them. Used to just be one in the original, but now you'll see two or three. Definitely makes rushing harder.

[CreatineKasey]

Quote: Originally Posted by Matt Young

All right. That doesn't change the fact that none of the defenders are the slightest bit competent. As I mentioned before, guys will stand there as opponents run right past them, and they make no effort to pursue the offensive player. And if the opposing QB passes to a player you are not covering, chances are that the d-back will be at least 5 yards away from his man.

If defense was made competent it'd be impossible to score. Defense is actually competent in my opinion, but in a different way. If you guess a run, they'll help with run plays. If you guess a pass, guys will get covered better. Guess a run and he picks pass? Guys are wide open. Guess a pass and he picks run? Running lanes are huge. It's a simple, yet brilliant balance.

[dbeth]

yes, the point of Tecmo Bowl was to be an ARCADE football game. It was made back in the day when games were FUN...and people didn't get all up in arms about wrong shoe color or facemasks.

It's what made the original Ice Hockey fun on the NES as well. Sure it wasn't the right amount of players, and sure it was crazy hockey, but it was FUN. Did I want to use 2 skinny fast guys and a fat dude, or go all fat and slow, but just run over anything in my way. Realistic? Not even close. Fun? Heck ya!

[centauris]

I'm loling at the guy who is complaining about the 2D graphics. LOL!