OS Roundtable: Best 16-bit Sports Game

[RaychelSnr]

This week, we are going old school for our roundtable here at OS. And we want to go that route because many of our writers grew up playing 16-bit sports games on the Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis.

So after 10-plus years have passed and the dust has begun to settle, our writers now want to debate which games were the best of that era by answering the roundtable question:

Read More - Which 16-bit sports game was simply the best?

[rudyjuly2]

Tecmo Super Bowl, NHL 94 and NBA Live 95 were great games. Tecmo is obvious but even a hockey basher like myself played a ton of NHL 94 on the SNES. And NBA Live 95 was the first FUN year of basketball in forever. Totally an offensive game and guys like Mark Price were nearly automatic from downtown but an absolute blast to play. Played all of those games a lot.

[DJ]

Man, if I can only pick one game, I would have to go with NHL 94. That was the game I played the most, both multi-player and single-player.

NBA Live 95 was great fun, too and Tecmo Super Bowl was also a ton of fun.

The 16-bit era was a great time to be a gamer.

[StormJH1]

If you're being objective here, the answer has to be NHL 94. For one, it was available on both consoles, which doubled the potential following. But there are still people who love to play that game today, and many of the recent NHL games (which are also very good) have been going back to their roots to recapture some of what made NHL 94 so fun. Tecmo Bowl and Griffey Baseball were fun in their day, but I don't see anyone interested in emulating that gameplay in modern form.

I do have to agree with "Swingers" that there's a special place in my heart for NHLPA '93 over NHL '94, but since the latter merged the league and PA licenses and added one-timers, it's probably the better example of the franchise to hold up as an example.

[bigjake62505]

I liked the nhl series and ken griffiy was one of my favorites. Triple play baseball was awsome. I probally played Joe Montana football a ton 93'-94'

[Cryolemon]

NBA Jam was cool, as were some of the later NHL games. I don't think I ever played Tecmo Bowl on the actual consoles (I have played it on an emulator).

[CreatineKasey]

I played the hell out of NHL 94 and Tecmo Super Bowl III (along with almost every other tecmo super bowl). i'd have to give the edge to TSB III for myself because of the early roster management, expansion of playcalling and the fact that football is my favorite sport far and away. Progressing players was a blast.

[catcatch22]

For me its a tie. Joe Montana NFL Football 94 is easily one of the best sports games in the 16 bit era. Every team had it's own playbook. Houston, Atlanta and Detroit had the Run and Shoot, 46 defense was in there, option pass tree routes where receivers ran routes based on the timing of the pass. Play by play announcer. Dynamic weather conditions. Best graphics by far. Complete stats for all the teams. Substitions, man in motion. A 3D filed allowing you to see 35-40 yards down the field when passing. The ability to pick a spot to throw to instead of just pressing a button to throw to a receiver.

World Series Baseball 95. Even by today's standards, easily and I mean easily one of the best sports games made today. Different stadiums for each and every team. Graphics were outstanding. Cursor hitting for the first time in a baseball game. Classic Home Run Derby with Ruth, Mays and Aaron like the old black and white tv show.

Without question those 2 were lighty years ahead of their time. And unlike the other games that have gotten better as the series moved on to other consoles these 2 were the pinnacle and have yet been equalled in many of their gameplay mechanics.

World Series Baseball 95
Joe Montana NFL Football 94

[Nature_Boy]

Re: OS Roundtable: Best 16-bit Sports Game

NHL 94 wins hands down in my book. I couldn't even begin to add up the hours i've spent playing this one game.

[lasthour]

Re: OS Roundtable: Best 16-bit Sports Game

This thread makes me so upset...can somebody, anybody, bring back these kind of competitive sports games?

The games today are just missing that long lasting, balanced and FUN appeal. I want classic gameplay with todays new technology.

I have not played THE SHOW, but I think NFL 2k5 and the NBA games was last of the old schoolish games. ( I think I just made a word up).

But even that was probably a little too complicated in certain areas.

I am saying it here first....arcadish/exaggerated gameplay with sim stats equal jackpot. Think Allpro on steriods with real team and individual stats.

[DW3]

for me live 95 hands down! i would trade cedric ceballos to the bulls and dominate! penny and shaq were beast also. those were the days, no pathces, no biased review sites, just gaming !

[stlstudios189]

Top 5 for myself
1. NHL 94
2. NBA live 95
3. Coach K BB
4. Madden 92
5. World Series baseball

[boxboy99]

stlstudios189, we are on the same pages. I was thinking all yours except Madden 92. I would throw Joe Montana 94 to replace it in my top 5.

[jyoung]

The fact that we can throw so many names around and all of them are legitimate contenders just goes to show how great we had it back in the 16-bit days. Every sport had at least 2 to 3 games from the 16-bit era that can be called classics.

Exclusive league licensees and higher development costs have really hurt sports gaming this generation.

[drae2]

For me its a tie. Joe Montana NFL Football 94 is easily one of the best sports games in the 16 bit era. Every team had it's own playbook. Houston, Atlanta and Detroit had the Run and Shoot, 46 defense was in there, option pass tree routes where receivers ran routes based on the timing of the pass. Play by play announcer. Dynamic weather conditions. Best graphics by far. Complete stats for all the teams. Substitions, man in motion. A 3D filed allowing you to see 35-40 yards down the field when passing. The ability to pick a spot to throw to instead of just pressing a button to throw to a receiver.

World Series Baseball 95. Even by today's standards, easily and I mean easily one of the best sports games made today. Different stadiums for each and every team. Graphics were outstanding. Cursor hitting for the first time in a baseball game. Classic Home Run Derby with Ruth, Mays and Aaron like the old black and white tv show.

Without question those 2 were lighty years ahead of their time. And unlike the other games that have gotten better as the series moved on to other consoles these 2 were the pinnacle and have yet been equalled in many of their gameplay mechanics.

World Series Baseball 95
Joe Montana NFL Football 94

NFL 94 and World Series Baseball 95.