Retro Wildlands #66 - Tecmo Super Bowl

[00:00:20] Greetings fellow travelers, vagrants, explorers, wildlanders, and welcome to episode 66 of The Retro Wildlands. My name is Nomad and this is my gaming podcast where I like to share my thoughts and experiences with a video game that I have discovered or rediscovered while roaming the gaming wildlands. Thank you very much for tuning into the show today.

[00:00:45] Expeditions into the gaming wildlands are always a good time, but they are always better when you are able to join us. Dee Dee, our canine expedition leader, will be around to greet you by administering the obligatory sniffing of the leg. He is pretty energetic today and I cannot say that I blame him. While the weather here in Ohio is still pretty cold and bleak, we're approaching what I personally think should be a worldwide holiday. And that's causing some excitement around the campsite, my friend.

[00:01:15] Soon, a great contest of champions will begin and this expedition has decided to take part. Every second Sunday in February, warriors from different realms gather on the field of battle and prove their mettle before the people. Warriors clad in shining armor, including helmets and shoulder pads, take to the field. But these warriors aren't ordinary men.

[00:01:45] They are titans, forged through the fires of almost twenty battles, relentless in their pursuit of the one thing that drives us all. In the end, only one faction of warriors will stand victorious, their battle cries echoing into the night, their sacred trophy hoisted high for all to see. My friends, the Super Bowl is upon us. And it is not merely a game, you see.

[00:02:15] The Super Bowl is a culmination of a season long journey. It is a final proving ground where warriors fight for the highest of honors, glory. On today's episode, we're checking out a game that I think many people consider to be one of the best sports games on the Super Nintendo. And the original Nintendo for that matter.

[00:02:43] It's a game all about American football and I argue you don't even have to be a huge fan of the sport in order to enjoy this title. But if you are, and especially if you grew up in the early nineties, this game will more than likely bring back some amazing core memories for you. Well, at least that's what it did for me.

[00:03:03] A large part of that is because this was the very first football game that was licensed by the National Football League and the National Football League Players Association, which made it possible to play as your favorite NFL teams by name and enjoy playing as the actual players themselves. And when you can play as the teams and players you grew up watching as a kid, there's an added layer of authenticity that was unmatched for the time.

[00:03:31] My friends and fellow Gridiron Warriors, today we are checking out Tecmo Super Bowl. Growing up, American football was a very important part of our household. I live in Northeastern Ohio and thanks to my stepdad, I am a devoted Cleveland Browns fan. I know, I know, thank you for the condolences.

[00:03:54] But back in the early nineties, I would watch the Browns game and sometimes others with my stepdad, and I would start to remember most of the players. Not just the players on the Browns team, but players from all across the NFL. I'm talking about players like Eric Metcalf from the Browns, Emmitt Smith from the Dallas Cowboys, Barry Sanders from the Detroit Lions, John Elway from the Denver Broncos, and Deion Sanders from the Atlanta Falcons.

[00:04:24] These and many more players and moments would stick with me long after, and even though I don't watch football religiously anymore, this was a time in my life where amazing memories were made. What really cemented everything together though was Tecmo Super Bowl. While this game did originally release on the original Nintendo, my stepdad picked this up on the Super Nintendo and would play it constantly.

[00:04:49] If you thought your 200 hours in your favorite JRPG was awesome, you have nothing on my stepdad in his multiple seasons of Tecmo Super Bowl. He and I would play together a lot, and while I could never match his passion, we both had a hell of a time thanks to the game's smooth and simple gameplay, along with the occasional high graphic closeup of the players while gameplay was happening.

[00:05:13] With Super Bowl 59 coming up at the time of this recording, I felt the urge to throw this game in and give it a try. But when I did, I honestly could not put it down. I ended up playing four or five preseason games, and I ended up going through an entire regular season. If you listened to the very end of our last episode here on the Retro Wildlands, you probably caught that this episode should have been for Kung Fu on the original Nintendo.

[00:05:42] And while I still planned to cover Kung Fu, I was having way too much fun playing Tecmo Super Bowl, and with the Super Bowl itself right around the corner, I decided to pivot. And really, I am glad that I did, because I had a great time coming back to this game, and I think you're all going to have a great time listening to this episode. Whether you're a football fan or not, this is a game that I think most everyone should try if they haven't before. And if they have played this game before, I will say this.

[00:06:12] It is long past time that you revisit this absolute classic. Now, if you're new to the show, I like to kick things off first by chatting it up with you all, and give you all a peek behind the scenes here on the Retro Wildlands. Depending on what's on my mind, I like to share what's going on with the show, what's happening in my personal life, talk about some of the games that I might be playing, or whatever else I feel like droning on about for a bit.

[00:06:39] I'll also use this time to read and respond to any comments we received about Tecmo Super Bowl from the Retro Wildlands community as a way to set the stage for the main part of the episode. Now, if none of that interests you, and you're just here for the Tecmo Super Bowl experience, no worries. You can skip ahead about, eh, I'm thinking about 15-20 minutes or so, and you should get into the game talk.

[00:07:03] That is purely an estimate, because at the time of this recording, I haven't even asked anyone for comments yet, so we're just gonna fly by the seat of our pants. I will make it a point to put timestamps in the show notes so you can see exactly where you need to go if you don't want to stick around. But my friends, I do encourage you to stick around. It's going to be a fantastic time as we chit-chat, talk some video games, and your fellow Wildlanders will get a chance to sound off their thoughts to the rest of us.

[00:07:30] And I can't think of a better way to get our expedition ready to partake in football's greatest contest of champions. So, without further ado, let's get into our opening segment that I like to call... Campfire Catch-Up.

[00:08:02] It is now February of 2025, and so far this year seems to be off to an okay start. I've made it a mission of mine to work through as much of my video game backlog as possible, while trying to read more books and watch more movies this year. And do more with the podcast and the Retro Wildlands brand, of course. And while the time to do all of that isn't always available thanks to my day job, I'm pretty happy with how things have gone so far.

[00:08:28] I'm especially happy for things that have happened that I haven't exactly planned on. For starters, I have now completed four games this year, three of which were games I hadn't played before. Most recently, I completed the original Final Fantasy. Granted it was the Pixel Remastered version, I am now proud to say that I've completed one of THE original RPG gems.

[00:08:53] I think I put about 12 hours into it all told, and I have another shiny platinum trophy on my PlayStation shelf to show off for all the effort. I really don't know what to say about the game itself that hasn't already been said, but Final Fantasy is a solid RPG. The story itself is minimal, but the major draw is figuring out where to go and leveling up your characters along the way.

[00:09:19] Thinking back to when the game first came out back in 1987, this game was incredible the way it was structured, and it makes for a fun, laid-back experience today. If you don't have much time to really grind away in this game, the Pixel Remaster's experience and gill boosts make things much easier too. So now that Final Fantasy is done and cashed in, I'm either going to tackle Final Fantasy IV or VI.

[00:09:49] I'm leaning towards IV, I think, but I have changed my mind several times in the last few weeks, so we're just gonna have to see what happens. Another game I completed, though I did already complete it once before, is Detroit Become Human. This narrative-driven adventure, published and developed by Quantic Dream, was a game I originally played years ago, but I was invited on another gaming podcast recently to discuss this game in detail.

[00:10:19] Because of that, I absolutely had to go back to this game and play it through again. I largely enjoyed this game originally, and I still do now. The visual and audio presentation is top-notch, rivaling some of the better AAA experiences today, in my opinion. I always found the story to be very captivating and even moving sometimes.

[00:10:41] But I will say, after replaying the game a few times after a few years had passed, I started to see some cracks in the overall writing of the game that I didn't really pay much attention to before. Plus, some of the thematic elements of the game are a bit heavy-handed, more than I think I like nowadays, but that didn't completely detract me from the experience.

[00:11:04] I saw more missed opportunities for things, and I often felt the game wanted me to play a certain way, and make certain choices over others. After I replayed the game through again, though, I realized how close I was to getting the Platinum Trophy for this title, and I finally got it. So, now I can consider Detroit 100% done.

[00:11:27] I really think this game is worth your time, and I don't think it's all that expensive digitally anymore, so consider checking it out if story-based games are your thing. The podcast I'm going to be on talking about Detroit will be publishing a few episodes, and at the time of this recording, I've already recorded one of them. As soon as those episodes drop, I will let you know if you're at all interested in hearing about this experience. How will you be informed, you may be wondering?

[00:11:55] Well, over on our social media pages, that's how. So, speaking of, the Retro Wildlands is all over the internet for your listening pleasure, but if you're looking to hang out with me, or just see what it is that I have going on over here and what I'm up to, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or Blue Sky. Oh, and we are over on the YouTubes as well.

[00:12:18] You can search Retro Wildlands on all these platforms, or you can check out our link tree at linktr.ee forward slash retro wildlands to check out our one-stop shop of places to go. The Retro Wildlands is also part of the Superpod Network of Gaming podcast, and you can check all of that out over at superpodnetwork.com. Our social media is chock full of gaming goodness, and it's a great place to get an idea of what I'm working on as well.

[00:12:46] I'm also still passively live streaming, so you can see whenever that happens by following the show on your favorite social platform. Also, I put a call out for comments and give followers of our platforms a chance to sound off or share their thoughts on an upcoming game or topic that I'll be covering on the show. So, if you want to interact with us in that way, following us on social media is how you can do it.

[00:13:12] Now, as far as other games that I'm actively playing, I picked up a game called Riddled Corpses EX on my PlayStation Vita. No idea how popular this game is, but Riddled Corpses is a twin-stick shooter made in the art style of an 8 or 16-bit video game. The gameplay is silky smooth and pretty chaotic, like you'd expect from a good twin-stick shooter.

[00:13:38] You can play with multiple characters, and the whole gameplay loop has you going through levels, killing enemies, collecting gold, and then using that gold to level up your character so you can get a little bit stronger for subsequent runs. Personally, I try to play at least one game that I can just shut my brain off and grind out levels, and Riddled Corpses fits that build nicely.

[00:14:00] I don't think I'm going to cover this game at all on the podcast or anything, I'm sure I'll probably post about it on social media, but this game really isn't knocking my socks off or anything, but I just wanted to mention it in case you happen to be a fan of twin-stick shooters and or a retro-inspired pixel art aesthetic. So definitely look this game up if you fit into either category. The game itself went on sale on the PlayStation Store recently, and it just so happened to be cross-buy, so I tossed a few bucks its way,

[00:14:29] and I was very happy to see that it appeared on my PlayStation Vita. And because I'm kind of on a trophy kick lately, this should be a pretty simple platinum trophy for me to grab as well, and I am all about adding another one of those to my shelf, so call it a win-win. Other than all the games I'm trying to play, I am just trudging along over here.

[00:14:51] I'm keeping busy with the show, trying to game as much as I can, all while balancing my day job with keeping my family fed and watered. It's going to be a hell of a year, I can already feel it. My stepson is graduating from high school this year, which is really crazy to think about, and now that I am an ordained minister, word is starting to spread around, and I may be officiating another wedding this year. There's also some projects around the house my wife and I want to start getting a move on,

[00:15:21] so all of that said, this is going to be one hell of a busy year. And really, now that I think about it out loud, I'm pretty okay with that. I've been feeling good about things lately and trying my best to focus myself on the things that matter, even if I can't do everything. I will say, as I continue to get older, I find myself very aware of how valuable my time is, and I'm committed to spend it where it makes the most sense, whenever I can.

[00:15:49] And if I haven't said so lately, I just want to say thank you, dear listener. Whether this happens to be your very first episode of the show or you've been with us here before, I really appreciate you taking the time to listen to this dumb show of mine. The Retro Wildlands continues to be a passion project and a very, very fun hobby for me, and it's nice to see small incremental growth over the last few years.

[00:16:15] I love video games, and I appreciate you listening to what I have to say about them and humor the stories that I have to tell. I'm very proud of what it is that we've built up so far, and I'm honored that you're giving any of your time to it at all, so thank you again for being here. Alright, I think that's enough ketchup for one episode. It's time to transition to the reason that you were all here today. It's time to talk about Tecmo Super Bowl on the Super Nintendo.

[00:16:47] We had a couple comments submitted about Tecmo Super Bowl come through our social media pages, and I wanted to highlight those as we get ourselves prepared to play. First up, we had a comment from CapsOffGaming over on our Facebook page. They said, The beefs we would get into on why you can't, in all capital letters, pick the Raiders when playing each other. Thanks for the core memory, my guy. Hey, my pleasure.

[00:17:15] My goal is to bring back those core memories, so I'm glad I was able to do that for you, my friend. I have to say, I didn't play much Tecmo Super Bowl on the original Nintendo. That's where the Raiders really shined. And it's all because of Bo Jackson, a running back for the Raiders that was extremely fast and agile. He wasn't included in the Super Nintendo version since they were using the 1993 roster, so I didn't have the pleasure of playing as him.

[00:17:42] But I've played as him before, and it's almost silly how fast he is. He's not getting a guaranteed touchdown any time he touches the ball or anything, but if you can play him right, he'll run circles around the defense. Oh, this is kind of funny. Apparently, USA Today and ESPN labeled Bo Jackson as the greatest video game athlete of all time, and I think they nailed that assessment.

[00:18:10] The Raiders were effectively oddjob from Goldeneye, and picking the Raiders was basically considered cheating. Family Guy also did a hilarious skit where Peter and Quagmire play Tecmo Super Bowl, and Peter demonstrates how broken Bo Jackson is. Check that out if you haven't seen it. That skit is hilarious. Our next comment comes from Uriah, who also chimed in over on our Facebook page.

[00:18:36] Uriah said, I used to be pretty good at this game. I play Retro Bowl from time to time now. Now, to be fair, I don't think I was really good at this game either, but I did win more games than I lost when replaying this game for the show. I did rely pretty heavily on the passing game though. Bernie Kosar, the quarterback from the Cleveland Browns, was awesome to use, and I found myself connecting quite often with Michael Jackson, the Browns wide receiver.

[00:19:06] If not him, tight end Brian Kinchin. But it's funny you bring up Retro Bowl. This is a mobile game that takes heavy inspiration from the Tecmo Bowl series. It doesn't have the NFL seal of approval, so no team names or player names, but from what I've heard, it's very fun to play, and I think my brother-in-law either played it at one point or still plays it today. I do have this game downloaded on my phone, but I have not tried it yet.

[00:19:34] If it's as good as it looks, this might make it to my mobile game rotation for sure. Next up we have Mask Keaton, who reached out to me via the Super Pod Lounge Discord server, which is absolutely a place that you can join, dear listener, and I will have a link to that server in the show notes. Keaton said,

[00:21:26] You just have to play it, and I think the experience speaks for itself. The pick-up-and-play nature of this game is honestly the reason you're all listening to this show now. I was floored by how accessible this game is today, and I couldn't put it down. Not only was the experience easy to fall back into, those cinematic cutscenes that would pop up during gameplay were expertly done, and added a layer of excitement to the gameplay. And great callout on the soundtrack too.

[00:21:54] The music on offer is perfect, it's extremely catchy, and fits the mood wonderfully. I'm hoping this episode does a good job of explaining how much I adore this game, so strap in my friends, this should be a lot of fun. A huge thank you to Uriah, Thrak, Mask Keaton, and Capsoft Gaming for dropping your thoughts and memories with this game.

[00:22:18] If you want to drop a comment on the game or topic that I'll be covering on an upcoming show, you can do that by following us on social media and keeping an eye out for when I post a callout. The Retro Wildlands is on all major social platforms, so if you search The Retro Wildlands, you should find us. Or, you can head on over to our link tree at linktr.ee forward slash retro wildlands, where you can see all of our socials listed out in one place.

[00:22:48] Before we move on, we're going to take a quick break. In the meantime, it is my privilege to give the floor to an awesome gaming podcast that I think you should be listening to. This is the Fun and Games Podcast.

[00:23:28] All the fun we find within them. And there's so many more games out there, so we hope you'll share in that conversation with us. Fun and Games Podcast with Matt and Jeff. Find us on certainpov.com or wherever you get your podcasts. And happy gaming. Thank you. Originally released in North America in December 1991, then later on the Super Nintendo in November 1993, Tecmo Super Bowl is THE retro American football experience.

[00:23:56] Players can take control of one of the 28 football teams in the NFL. Whether you're playing as the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Houston Oilers, or even the Cleveland Browns, you'll also get to enjoy a fully realized NFL roster as well. Play a one-off preseason game or go all-in on season mode where you can take your favorite team through the gauntlet or customize your experience by playing as multiple teams.

[00:24:27] Go even deeper with stat tracking, playbook customization, and player substitutions. There's practically no limit to how you can play. All that matters is that you give it your all and put your sights on the biggest contest of all time, the Super Bowl. So, let's gear up, Wildlanders. Strap on your shoulder pads, snap on your helmets, and put your mouth guards in.

[00:24:55] We stand now on the field of battle. The roar of the crowd is deafening and the competition is fierce. We've got the skills. Now, let's bring the intensity and leave everything that we have out on that field. Give them nothing, take everything, and fight like the champions that we are.

[00:25:52] American football, or just plain football as us Americans call it, has been around for many generations. Unless you found yourself extremely sheltered growing up, I'm sure at the very least you know the game and the basic premise. There's a lot of rules, many of which keep changing thanks to the NFL, but the game itself is easy enough to understand.

[00:26:13] Teams of 11 players square off on the field, and their goal is to get the football into the opposing player's goal, which is at one end of the playing field. But football is much more than that. For us regular folk, football may as well be a religion. The National Football League, which was founded in 1920, is ingrained in our history.

[00:26:36] It created a lasting tradition, which culminates in the Super Bowl, the championship game that caps off the yearly season of play. But more than tradition, football is also a cornerstone in a lot of our communities and sometimes binds our families together, or in some cases may rip them apart. When I was growing up, football became part of our traditions when my stepdad moved in.

[00:27:02] Every Sunday, we would watch the Cleveland Browns play, and maybe a few other games if we could catch them too. My stepdad was, and still is, very vocal when it comes to watching games. It wasn't unusual to see him jump off the couch and celebrate a fantastic play, or get really pissed off and start cussing up a storm when our team did something stupid like throw an interception or fumble the ball.

[00:27:27] I always loved when he would talk to the TV, trying to give the players direction or let them know that a blitz was coming, even though no one would hear him. Me, on the other hand, usually just remained silent. Sometimes I would join him in the occasional high-five, but I was fascinated by the game itself and some of the strategy of the game, so I was more enamored by that, and not nearly as vocal as my stepdad.

[00:27:53] Over the years, football just became a part of our lives, and it was something my stepdad and I bonded over, like I'm sure many kids and their parents did, and probably still do. I couldn't tell you which Super Bowl it was, but I remember once saving up my allowance for a few weeks just to be able to place an actual wager against my stepdad and bet on the game itself. It made the game that much more fun, now that I had an actual stake in the game.

[00:28:20] I ended up losing my bet, unfortunately, and as a way to teach me a lesson, my stepdad absolutely took all of my money. But for as much fun as we had ribbing each other and shouting at the TV, it was money well spent. At some point, and I'm not even really sure when, my stepdad got his hands on Tecmo Super Bowl for the Super Nintendo. It was one thing to have our Sundays to look forward to, but with this game, every day could be Sunday.

[00:28:50] My stepdad played the game so much, I'm sure my mom had to have been pissed about it on occasion. And while I didn't play with him, at least not at first anyway, I enjoyed watching him play. But it wasn't just about watching him play actual games of football. I was also watching him grab notebooks and writing down things like player names, stats, strengths, and so on.

[00:29:16] He wanted to build an unbeatable football team and turn the Cleveland Browns into something we all wish they could be. Champions. Watching my stepdad take his digital Browns to the Super Bowl and win was just as fun as watching the games in real life. And really, it's those moments that I will never forget. Eventually, I would play the game myself and along with him.

[00:29:44] Seeing the names of my favorite Browns players as well as names of popular players on opposing teams really helped draw me into the experience. And it's probably why I remember so many players from that timeframe. But at the time, I don't think I really appreciated the sheer beauty and accessibility of Tecmo Super Bowl. It wasn't until I replayed the game recently that I realized how good a video game it actually was.

[00:30:11] Even though I don't watch football nearly as much as I used to, I still love the sport and I often wonder if I should ever partake in a modern football game like, I dunno, Madden or something. I doubt I ever will, and since we're approaching Super Bowl 59 at the time of this recording, it all reminded me of Tecmo Super Bowl and I just had to try it again and see what it was like, especially now that I'm older.

[00:30:36] The moment I did try this game though, I was immediately transported back to my childhood. More than that, I realized something. Tecmo Super Bowl was, and still is, a very fun video game today and I argue a near perfect pick up and play experience. So, all of that said, I think it's time for you and I to play a game of football, dear listener.

[00:31:03] There's gonna be no peeling back of the layers and seeing what we're working with this time around, we know exactly what we're working with. We've gone through enough of what this game is, and it's time to just get right into it. Since I played, mainly, the Super Nintendo version of the game, that's the one that we're going to roll with today. I've already got the TV on and the game is slotted into our SNES, so let's power it up and dive right in. When we boot the game up, we are met with the Tecmo logo.

[00:31:33] On the left is a cartoon bunny that used to make me think of Bugs Bunny, but now that I look at him closer today, he kinda reminds me of the Nesquik Bunny. You know, the chocolate powder you put in the milk? Man, chocolate milk is like my biggest guilty pleasure. Anyway, I don't know why I went off on that tangent. After the Tecmo logo, we see the National Football League logo and even just seeing this lets the player know that you're about to embark on something new.

[00:32:03] Something truly authentic. Which is further solidified on the next screen where we see that the game has been stamped as an officially licensed product of the National Football League Players Association. Lastly, we see that the team rosters are accurate as of August 16th, 1993. From here, an opening cinematic plays and perfectly sets the scene for what's to come.

[00:32:30] We're in a football stadium behind the yellow goalposts. The stands are full and the night sky is being lit up by fireworks. Soon the screen fades and we're shown the logo of the AFC, the American Football Conference, which comprises one half of the NFL's teams. Next, we get an introduction to some of the teams in the game as we see team names along with a picture of their helmets with their actual logos on them.

[00:32:58] First up, the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts. Then, the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. In between these team intros were also shown quick snippets of football players making tackles or catching passes in a graphical style that almost makes you feel like you're watching an actual NFL commercial. It's all designed to get you pumped up and it always does exactly that for me.

[00:33:25] I remember watching this with my stepdad for the very first time and both him and I just got so excited when we saw the Cleveland Browns being featured in this opening. Our Browns are right here, featured and fully playable in a video game. It cannot get any better than this. The intro goes on to introduce more teams and eventually some from the NFC, the National Football Conference.

[00:33:53] The Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and many more are featured here. It all culminates with the words, Tecmo Super Bowl, scrolling big and wide from right to left, a flash of the NFL logo one more time, and finally settling on a larger Tecmo Super Bowl logo clad in red and gold.

[00:34:24] Oh yeah, that is one way to get excited for some football, am I right? From here, press your start button or else you'll have to watch that whole intro again. After pressing start, we're taken to the title screen and the words, Start Game, flash in the center. Well, you know the drill. Press the start button on your controller and let's get started.

[00:34:50] Now, we're at the main menu and this is where a lot of the game's magic happens. While I'm not going to go through everything, there is a ton here. And any of you football fans out there may want to have a towel or something on standby. There is a lot of goodies to check out here. Alright, on the main screen we have four options. First, we can select Preseason, which will let us play a preseason game of football that doesn't count towards anything stat-wise.

[00:35:20] It's as simple as choosing your teams and getting right into the action. Season Game is the next option and it is the most robust game mode on offer. In season mode, the game operates just like a regular season of actual football. For 18 weeks, teams will go against each other and at the end of the season, the teams with the best records will face off in the playoffs.

[00:35:45] And the two teams that survive until the very end will go head to head in the greatest contest of champions, the Super Bowl. The game itself keeps track of season play, recording the wins and losses of all teams as well as the individual player stats such as rushing yards, number of completions, sacks, etc. Which, speaking of, was absolutely incredible back in the day.

[00:36:12] Season play is pretty unique in this game in that you aren't really picking one team to play as and seeing if you can take them all the way to the championship. You have the ability to tell the game what teams you want to play as, meaning you can control whatever team you want when it's their time to play. You can also tell the game what games you want to watch the computer play as too.

[00:36:37] It didn't happen very often, but sometimes my stepdad and I would just kick back and watch the computer play against themselves and cheer them on like we would an actual game on the weekend. It was pretty fun. There were also times where my stepdad and I would each pick a team to control and we would play through a season together. When his team came up, he'd play his game and then when my team came up, I would play my game. And it was always fun when our teams had to play each other.

[00:37:05] I don't remember if either of us made it to the Super Bowl and had to face each other, but if that ever happened, I'm sure I would have had my ass kicked. But before we move on, for all of you stat and number fans out there, I mentioned earlier that the game keeps track of pretty much everything. In the season menu, you can see who's leading the NFL in a certain stat and even look at individual rosters, which will show you stats for each specific player. It's really cool.

[00:37:33] I will say, as you inspect individual players, you will see their physical attributes. Things like running speed, rushing power, max speed, hitting power, and other stats like that are shown, which give you an idea of how well a particular player is going to perform on the field. There's other stats specific to a player's role, too.

[00:37:54] Matt Stover, the best kicker the Browns have ever had in my opinion, has a stat for accuracy and avoid block, which gives you an idea of how well he kicks the ball and avoids having his kicks blocked. I can't remember where it is or if it even exists at all, but I could have sworn there was a way to trade players between teams, but I could be making that up. I do remember times my stepdad would spend hours playing this game and not actually playing a single game of football.

[00:38:24] He would be stat crunching and seeing who the best players were and figure out how he wanted to utilize them. Heh, and I remember him making fun of me for doing the exact same thing when I was looking at stats or tracking quests when I went through Final Fantasy VII. Back on the main menu, there's also an option to play a Pro Bowl game. The Pro Bowl in the NFL is like an all-star game.

[00:38:50] The best players from each conference, the AFC and the NFC, do battle. We never really messed around with the Pro Bowl game option at all, so I can't really speak to it. I remember watching the occasional Pro Bowl in real life growing up, but none of them really made enough of an impression on me, so the option to play one is there if you want it, but I never really messed with it this time. The last option on the main menu is Team Data.

[00:39:18] This is where you'll go to dive deep into the individual teams themselves and do things like look at player data, set your offensive and defensive starting lineups, or even look at a team's playbook. We'll get into play calling and all of that when we get into an actual game, but each team has eight offensive plays to choose from in a game. You have the choice of four running plays as well as four passing plays.

[00:39:45] If you don't like what the game gives you by default, you can switch up some of your plays here. My stepdad would actually keep track of what plays worked better than others, and would constantly experiment until he found the best plays that would work against certain teams. He truly was all in on this experience. There's absolutely more to see, but all of this talk about stats and playbooks is just making me hungry to get into an actual game, so let's get to it, shall we?

[00:40:16] Go ahead and head back to the main menu, and let's select Pre-Season, which gets us right into the action. From here, we do have some several options to consider. On screen, we need to decide how we're going to control our teams. There's six options to choose from here. First, there's Man vs. Com or Computer. That's your standard one-player game against the computer where you call the plays and control the player on the field.

[00:40:44] Man vs. Man is a two-player game. There's also Man vs. CoA, which is short for Coach. Playing as a coach allows you to pick the plays, but you don't control anyone on the field. It's an interesting experience if you just want to see how your players do on their own. You can coach vs. the computer against another player coach, or the final option is watching a computer vs. computer match.

[00:41:13] I know some people who still put two computer-controlled teams together today to predict real-life game outcomes. I wonder if I put the Chiefs and Eagles together if they could accurately tell us how Super Bowl 59 will turn out. Anyway, select Man vs. Computer for our game. Alright, good. From here, we'll need to select the team that we'll be playing as.

[00:41:38] Now, I know this is going to pain some of you, but in my heart, I will always be a Cleveland Browns fan until I die, so you're going to have to suffer playing as them. Go ahead and select the Cleveland Browns now. Alright, now you have to select who we're going to be playing against. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been the Browns' rivals for a very long time, so in the interest of keeping that going in digital form, select the Steelers.

[00:42:08] Alright, one more thing to decide before kickoff. We could choose the weather conditions on the field and choose between a clear day, a rainy one, or even a snow-covered game. I never really saw a difference in gameplay between these options, so it's possible these settings are purely from an aesthetic standpoint, but let's select clear just to keep things simple. Once you make the selection, it's game time.

[00:42:36] After the music fades out, the word, pre-season, appears on screen. From here, we're shown the logos of the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers in a classic versus formation. Oh baby, are you getting pumped up yet seeing actual NFL teams on your Super Nintendo? Well, I know me and my stepdad were, and probably still would be if we played this game today. Anyway, after this, we're taken to the coin toss.

[00:43:05] At the top of the screen, we see a cinematic where a player from either team stands before the referee. For the uninitiated, the coin toss decides which team gets the choice to either take possession of the ball first or defer to the other team. You don't decide whether you pick heads or tails, the ref just tosses the coin and the game tells you if you won or not. Alright, let's see how the coin toss goes.

[00:43:33] Heads it is, and it looks like we won the toss. Nice. We get to decide whether or not we want the ball, and my vote is yes, we want the ball. So let's get our hands on that pigskin and get aggressive early. The screen fades and we're shown a shot of the scoreboard. We have four quarters to score as many points as possible, and that mission begins now. From here, we're shown another cool cinematic.

[00:44:01] On screen, we see a player from the Steelers holding his hand up and pointing to the sky. The words, kickoff, appear at the bottom and then make way for the kicker's name, Gary Anderson. For the record, if I haven't made it abundantly clear, I really, really like these cinematics.

[00:44:23] Not only are they really cool to look at, they usually highlight a specific player's name, and I appreciated knowing who I was looking at as well as letting my player get a moment in the spotlight. From here, we're taken to the football field itself, and this is where we're going to be spending the bulk of our time now. Now, really quick before the Steelers kick the ball, there's just a couple things on screen you need to be aware of. First, at the top of the screen in the center is the remaining time in the quarter.

[00:44:52] There's four quarters, and while real-life games have 15 minutes in each quarter, our game has five minutes. Now, those aren't five real-world minutes. Seconds count down pretty fast, like one, two, three, four, five kind of fast. But the clock will stop on occasion depending on what happens in the game. I believe you can adjust the length of the quarters if you want a longer experience, but hell if I can remember where you do that.

[00:45:21] Anyway, when you control a player, you'll know this by seeing the number one above their heads. Number two for the opposing team. The jersey number and the last name of the player being controlled is at the top of the screen, too. And that's pretty much it. Okay, with that, are we ready? As soon as the Steelers get ready to kick the ball to us, you'll see a power meter appear at the bottom of the screen.

[00:45:49] When you kick, you can control how powerful the kick is by stopping the meter. I do want to caution you, though. While a super-powerful kick to guarantee the ball lands in the opposing end zone is absolutely an option, try not to peg the meter fully. The meter will reset from the bottom after it tops out. It doesn't go from the top, then slowly back to the bottom, then slowly back to the top.

[00:46:17] Because it automatically goes back to the bottom after it tops out, if your reflexes are slow, you might accidentally kick with very, very low power, and that would not be good. Anyway, the computer is in control here, and once it decides its power level, the kicker runs forward and kicks the ball. And with that, the game is on! Alright, here we go!

[00:46:43] The ball sails to the left side of the screen, and the game automatically selects the returner for us. Eric Metcalf from the Browns is our returner, and he'll stand still until the ball comes to him. He's standing on about the 15-yard line. Alright, he has it, and now we're in control. I think it goes without saying, but the goal is to ultimately get the ball to the stealer's endzone, which is all the way to our right.

[00:47:11] So, that's where we're heading, so get a move on! Using the directional pad on the controller, you make your players move. And that's pretty much it. There's no speed boosts, no jumps, no stiff arms, or anything like that. So just move and do your best to avoid any stealers looking to take you down. Now, the defense can tackle a player one of two ways. They can do a sliding tackle, or they can come up to you, grab you, and then throw you to the ground.

[00:47:41] To avoid the diving tackle, you just need to move out of the way. When someone on defense is about to do a diving tackle, they'll throw their hands back for a split second before coming at you. Be on the lookout for this so you can move out of the way when you see it happen. Now, if an opponent gets close enough to you and grabs you, you can smash your A or your X button to try and throw them off of you.

[00:48:07] This doesn't always work, and if it does, it doesn't always happen quickly. But smash those buttons if you want to have a chance at breaking the tackle and continuing on. The other members on your team will do their best to keep people off of you, but just make sure that you're keeping your eyes open for anyone who slips through. Like that guy right there. Shit! Looks like he's getting ready to dive at you. See his arms swinging back? Quick, juke up towards the top of the screen.

[00:48:37] Nice, the defender slides harmlessly underneath you. Keep heading up and then swing forward. There's a bit of a hole up there. Oop, watch out! Another defender is broken through. This one grabs onto you and stops you in your tracks. However, you're still on your feet. Quick, smash your A or your X button. Hell yeah! The defender goes flying and we can continue on. Keep pushing forward.

[00:49:03] At about the 29 yard line, we run into a wall of defenders and about three of them grab on. No amount of button mashing is going to knock them all away, and just like that, we are taken to the ground. The ref's whistle marks the end of the play, and at the top of the screen we can see that the game tells us we made a 14 yard return. Hey, that's not too bad. Starting on the 29 yard line is a pretty decent start, I'd say.

[00:49:32] Alright, from here we're taken to the playbook. We need to decide what play to run, and we have the choice between those four rushing plays and four passing plays. For the football novices out there, and I'm pretty much one of you just to be clear, but just to be clear on some things, rushing plays keep the ball on the ground, and you're generally handing the ball to a running back when you run one of these. Passing plays are ones where you'll throw the ball to someone, usually a wide receiver or a tight end.

[00:50:02] Rushing plays are typically your safer option, but you generally don't get many yards unless you get lucky and there's a huge opening. Passing plays have the capacity to give you some great yardage gains, but that's also dependent on the receiver catching the ball while defenders are out and about determined to not let that happen. It's always a decent strategy to mix things up, too. You don't want your opponents to figure out what you're planning, or they'll stop you dead in your tracks every single time.

[00:50:31] And that's actually a gameplay mechanic, because that's what happens on this screen now that I say it. While you're looking for a play to select, the computer is selecting one of your plays. If the computer picks the play that you do, they'll know it's coming and they will make the defense run a blitz, which means their defenders will quickly and accurately steamroll you and lay you out.

[00:50:57] But let's not worry about that for now. Let's decide how we want to start things off first. Personally, I say we try a rushing play to start. The rushing plays are the four at the top of the screen. You can see how the play is going to go by looking at the symbols. The line of white dots represent the offensive line, the players that'll be holding the opposing team back.

[00:51:21] The blue dot is the quarterback, and the line you see there is how he'll move when the play starts. The red dots are your running backs and wide receivers. The two dots towards the back specifically are our running backs, and you can see one of them will move near our quarterback, take possession of the football from him, and then run down towards the bottom of the field before they turn straight ahead. Easy enough, right?

[00:51:48] To select that play, just look below the play itself and you'll see an icon that represents the Super Nintendo controller. You can see that up on the directional pad is highlighted red as well as the A button. Press those buttons together to lock in the play. Perfect. You'll also notice the last name of who's going to get the ball when looking at rushing plays, and in this instance our play is going to be putting the football in the hands of Eric Metcalf.

[00:52:17] The Steelers will have also selected a play hoping to select the one that we picked. Here's hoping they did not. With both teams having made their selection, we return to the field. Both teams are set and the computer automatically puts us in control of Bernie Kosar, the bronze quarterback. Whenever you're on offense, you will automatically control whoever has the football.

[00:52:43] On a rushing play, like we're about to run, there's nothing that we need to do in order to have Kosar hand off, but once Metcalf does take possession, we'll be in control so let's not dilly-dally. Okay, let's do this. Bernie is going to call out to the team and when we're ready, we can press the A button to snap the ball. Put, put, put. Alright, press the A button. The play begins and Kosar takes a few steps back.

[00:53:13] Eric Metcalf accepts the handoff and now we're in control. Okay, go go go! Using the directional pad, you can move around on the field however you want. You should probably follow the play as it was outlined, just because the offensive line is going to do their best to clear that specific path for you, but you really don't have to follow that path if you don't want to.

[00:53:36] A skilled player can keep an eye out on the defense and the approaching players, or if they see a hole or an opportunity to progress forward that wasn't in the original play, absolutely take it. Anyway, enough out of me. Get to running. As you head towards the bottom of the screen, our offensive line does a decent job of holding the Steelers back, but a few have slipped through. Quick, turn straight, you've got a bit of a hole to drive through.

[00:54:04] Nice, there you go. Keep your eyes open for anyone coming towards you at a distance. If they plan to lunge at you, you'll see them stop for a moment and throw their hands back. If you see this, again, do your best to just move out of the way. You also want to make sure no one grabs you, obviously. Ah, crap! Right on cue, one of their linemen catches you and grabs you. Quick, smash your A button to throw them off. Nice, okay, you broke three. Keep moving forward, don't stop.

[00:54:34] Heh heh, if my wife was watching this game on TV right now, she would absolutely be shouting her lungs out at you right now, so keep going! Damn, looks like two more defenders have caught up with you. Smash your A button again, but I think you're going down here. Heh, not too bad! At the top of the screen, you'll see 7-yard gain scroll across our view.

[00:55:01] Nice, that puts us at the 36-yard line. It's second down and three, and we're already making some pretty decent progress. For the uninitiated again, when a team has the ball, they have four chances, or downs, to move the ball forward ten yards or more. If the team does that, you'll get four more chances, and then so on and so forth.

[00:55:26] Since we only went seven yards, we still have three more yards to go, and now it's second down, meaning our second of four chances. If we fail to move the ball far enough after our fourth attempt, we will turn the ball over to the Steelers, and obviously we do not want that. After the play is over, we're back to the play selection screen. Okay, Metcalf had a decent run, and I'm thinking we can give him a chance to get the first down here.

[00:55:55] Let's select the other play on our books that gives the ball to Metcalf. This specific play sees him taking the handoff just like last time, but instead of going to the outside, this play is going to throw him right down the middle. We should be okay as long as our offensive line creates a big enough hole, so let's give it a try. Select this play by pressing left on your directional pad and press A.

[00:56:22] At some point, the Steelers have picked their play that they think we're going to run, and we're back on the field. Okay, get ready! Ready, three, two! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Kozar drops back and hands the ball to Metcalf. He rushes towards the center of the field, but there is no hole! The Steelers' defense clamps down, and as soon as Metcalf gets to the line of scrimmage, he is brought down.

[00:56:53] Damn, we actually went backwards one yard on that play. Now it's third down and four to go. I think it's time we switch some things up. Let's try a pass play this time. The four plays at the bottom of the screen are the passing plays, and you can see that there are a lot more red dots than on the rushing plays. These red dots are going to represent your tight ends, wide receivers, or anybody else who's going to be running forward that you can pass the ball to.

[00:57:20] These plays, in my opinion, should be pretty easy to understand. The red paths signify the route that the receivers are going to run. In some cases, receivers can run forward, they can cut left or right, or they can even move forward just a little bit and then stop in their tracks and stand still.

[00:57:39] I like having a playbook that has a healthy mix of routes, but I always make it a point to have one Hail Mary play, where receivers just run straight forward and you have a chance for some real big plays this way. They call those Hail Marys because they are very, very risky, and saying a prayer is sometimes the only thing you can do in these instances. For our next play though, we don't need to take a huge risk like that.

[00:58:07] Let's play it a little safer and use one of my favorite pass plays to move the chains forward. This play has five receivers, but both of the tight ends will just run forward about five or six yards and then they'll turn around and stand there. As long as one of them is open, it makes for a quick way to get a few yards, which is all we really need right now. Let's select it by pressing left and then the B button this time.

[00:58:33] And just like last time, somewhere during my rambling, the Steelers would have selected their play. Back on the field, we see that this time our quarterback is about six or seven yards behind the line of scrimmage. This offensive formation is called the shotgun, and while I have no idea where that name came from, I always assumed it was because you're ultimately going to be shooting five receivers downfield, kind of like shooting buckshot from a shotgun. I mean, sounds cool, right?

[00:59:03] Anyway, the distance our QB is back will give us some time to select a receiver. Rushing plays automatically put the ball in a specific person's hands, but during a passing play, we have to make the choice. Don't worry though, it is super easy. Okay, let's get set up and launch this play. Khozar gets the snap and the play is on.

[00:59:31] Our receivers start their routes and when they do, you'll notice a blinking arrow appear above the head of one of the receivers at the top of the screen. This is who you'll be throwing the ball to if you decide to throw the ball right now. You can change the intended receiver by pressing the A or the X button, but be careful. The game just cycles from one receiver to the next, so you have to pay attention if you're trying to get the arrow on the right person.

[00:59:58] Every second counts, so make sure that you are 100% focused by looking out at the field to look at your receivers, but also making sure the defense isn't breaking through the line and coming straight at you. You do not want to get sacked behind the line of scrimmage because you spent too long choosing a receiver. Now obviously you'll want to choose the receiver who doesn't have any defenders guarding him.

[01:00:22] You can still pass to somebody who has someone defending them, but their chances of catching the ball will go down considerably. Some of the better players may still catch the ball, but it is a risk that you'll have to consider. The biggest risk, of course, is having the ball picked off by a defender. It goes without saying, but this would be an absolute disaster.

[01:00:45] In our case, just like we planned, the two tight ends I mentioned before have finished running their routes, and they're just standing in place about 7 yards past the line of scrimmage. The one at the top of the screen has a defender on him, and the other one is wide open. Quick, cycle through and select him as your receiver. Awesome, now quick, press the B button to throw the ball, you are about to be taken down. Nice! The ball sails forward and... it's caught!

[01:01:15] Brian Kinchin with the reception! Okay, now that he has the ball, you have control of Kinchin, so get your ass moving. The defense is going to be on you, so look for any holes and push forward. Oop, here they come! Hell yeah! A 13 yard gain overall puts us well past where we needed to be in order to keep the drive alive. First down!

[01:01:45] Good job, that is how you do it. Now it's first down and 10, and we have 4 more chances to keep pushing forward. See? Isn't football awesome? Well, it certainly is when your team is doing good, I'll say. So, that being said, let's do our best to keep the momentum going. We're at midfield, with just a little over 50 yards to go to reach their end zone.

[01:02:11] I'm feeling pretty good, so I say let's start off this first down with a bang and select a pass play that's going to send multiple receivers downfield. Press down and then B on your controller for this next play. This play has 5 receivers, but the 2 wide receivers on either end of the field are just going to keep running. So let's hope one of them is open and see if we can make a big play. The Steelers themselves select their play,

[01:02:41] and we're back on the field. Okay, let's do this. Big money, big money! Round 52! Round 52! Round 52! Kozar takes the snap from the shotgun formation and... Oh, shit! The Steelers must have guessed our play because their entire defensive line is coming at us like a tidal wave. Quick! If we keep a cool head, we can still pass the ball. Crap! Who's open?

[01:03:09] Oh, there! Up there! Try and select... Son of a bitch! We're taken down by the absolute horde of defenders, and the top of the screen tells us that we just lost 11 yards. And to add insult to injury, a short cinematic plays that shows our quarterback on his back and the one who sacked him front and center. The defender throws his hands up triumphantly, and then the screen also shows us who did the sacking

[01:03:38] by displaying their name at the bottom of the screen. Greg Lloyd. Well played, Lloyd. Okay, it's second down and 21, and we're back in the playbook. Now, I am not the smartest, I don't think, when it comes to play calling. Sometimes emotion drives most of my decisions, and I don't know about you, but I'm a little agitated right now. So, you know what we're gonna do?

[01:04:09] We're gonna run the same play again. I mean, they'll never think that we'd run the same play so soon, right? Right. Select that play again, and let's do this. Kozar in the shotgun formation again takes the snap. This time there's no blitz, so we have some time to think. Both of the wide receivers at the bottom of the screen have defenders behind them,

[01:04:37] but both are way out ahead of them. Now, here's something you'll have to consider as well when you're passing the ball. Once the receiver goes far enough, they'll be off-screen. It'll be very hard to select them with the arrow, and it'll be even harder to know if they're open for a pass or not. It's a risk either way, but I say we take it. The arrow is currently on the receiver at the top of the screen.

[01:05:03] He also has a defender on him, but that defender is a little ways back, so let's commit to this guy. Looking around us as the quarterback, we're in no danger of getting tackled right now, so let's just chill in the pocket for a moment and let the receiver move a little farther out. Ah, crap. A defender broke the line and he's just about on us. Quick, it's now or never. Press the B button and throw.

[01:05:28] When we do throw the football, the screen shifts and changes into an in-game cinematic. We see Kozar on the screen throwing the football, but then we see the defender jump in the air with his hand outstretched. Is he going to deflect the ball? No, it flies right over his hand, but just barely. Woo! That was close. The ball sails down the field and towards our receiver. Looks like it's Michael Jackson.

[01:05:57] Jackson has a defender on his tail, but there's about a yard between him. Here comes the ball... And it's caught! Jackson takes possession at the 26-yard line. Now quick, you're in control now, so make sure you're pressing the directional button forward. The defender behind us gets ready for a diving tackle. Change direction. Press down. Now! Nice! The defender slides just out of reach.

[01:06:25] More Steelers are coming up from behind, but Jackson has the speed. He's at the 15, the 10, the 5... Touchdown! The crowd goes wild as Jackson throws his hands up in the air. The Steelers slump over in defeat and we are treated to another cool cinematic. On screen we see Jackson celebrating with his hands in the air. And two more Browns give each other jumping high fives.

[01:06:54] And finally we see Bernie Kozar get his moment to shine as he pumps both fists into the air. The score flashes at the bottom of the screen and the game is now 6-0. Hell yeah! We're back on the field and it's time to kick the extra point. Tecmo Super Bowl existed before the NFL was allowing for two-point conversion, so our only option is to kick a field goal here.

[01:07:24] The process itself is pretty simple. When you snap the ball, the guy who grabs it will put the football on the ground and the kicker, the legendary Max Stover, will come and kick the ball forward. You as the player don't have to worry about the power of the kick or anything like that like you would do in a kickoff. There's going to be an arrow that's going to appear in front of the kicker and it'll be sliding up and down. You just want to press the A button when the arrow is as close to center as possible.

[01:07:54] The goal is to kick the ball between the yellow goal post behind the end zone. Think you can do that? Well, show me. Alright, the ball is down, the arrow is moving. There! Press the button! Now! Awesome! The arrow is dead center! Stover runs forward. From here, the game gives us another cool cinematic.

[01:08:20] We see Matt Stover kick the ball and watch the ball sail up. And then right down the middle of the upright. Great job! Now the score is 7-0! Damn, I love this game! Sigh, whether it's playing Tecmo Super Bowl or just talking about it, this game will always be special to me because this game just brings back a flood of awesome memories for me.

[01:08:50] My stepdad and I would get as excited playing this game on the SNES about as much as when we would watch an actual football game. It's funny though, there's one particular thing this game made me remember about playing this game when I was younger, and it was my stepdad's obsession with the computer can sometimes just screw him over no matter how well he was playing.

[01:09:15] Regardless of whether or not he chose the right plays, made a bunch of receptions, or just played good football, there were times that he would still lose and he would call this phenomenon computer favoritism. Any time the computer did something that just didn't seem quite right, like when a running back seemed to be running a little faster than normal, or if the opposing team made an impossible interception,

[01:09:43] my stepdad would absolutely lose his mind. As a kid, any time this happened, I found this incredibly funny, but I never let that show. I would just pretend to be frustrated along with my stepdad, just so we could keep our bonds strong. Thinking about it now, it's even funnier to me, and it makes me wonder if any of you listening experienced anything similar with parents that gamed in any way.

[01:10:12] Before we wrap up this episode, I do want to explore how the game works when you're on defense, and I think this will be a great time to showcase just how computer favoritism worked in the eyes of my stepdad. And to my stepdad, if you happen to be listening to the show, I swear to you, this is all in good fun. You genuinely made me smile playing this game back in the day. Now, allow me to make fun of you for a little bit.

[01:10:42] It is only fair, right? After our extra point, the game brings us back to the field. The Browns are set to kick the ball off, and we see the meter at the bottom of the screen appear. You should know the drill here. Let's kick the ball hard, but not too hard. And like I mentioned before, be careful and don't try and kick the ball with maximum power.

[01:11:07] If you mess up, the meter resets and you might kick an onside kick, and we do not want that. Okay, are you ready? Here we go, and... Damn it! You pressed the button at the wrong time! The meter resets and we're kicking an onside kick. Shit! Matt Stover runs forward and kicks the ball. Which travels maybe seven or eight yards forward.

[01:11:36] The Steelers grab it almost immediately, but the Browns are on him pretty quick. They put a stop to the play, but the damage is done. Now, allow me to interject with my best stepdad impression here. Oh, and prepare for some harsh language, by the way. Which, of course, is why I mark these episodes as explicit, but you have been warned. Hehehehe. Ahem.

[01:12:06] God damn it! Of course, after I score that last touchdown, you're gonna be fucking butthurt about it! Fucking computer favoritism! God damn it! Hehehehe. Just you wait. This is only going to get better. It's first and ten on the Steelers' 43-yard line. They have excellent field positions, so we're going to need to make sure that we are on our A-game here.

[01:12:32] The playbook comes up, and this time we're looking at the Steelers' 4 rushing and 4 passing plays. The Steelers immediately select their play. And now it's up to us to pick what play we think they're going to run in order for a chance to blitz them. Now, there's no play clock in this game, so you can actually take your time when you're making a selection here.

[01:12:57] I would strongly suggest taking a good look at the plays themselves so you know what the Steelers could potentially run against you. Even if you don't pick the exact play that they're picking right now, it can still be very helpful to know what they could potentially pick. And if you do see that particular play unfold on the field, you might have a chance to stop it early. Well, if you pick the right defender to control, that is. But more on that here in a second.

[01:13:27] Let's pick a rushing play this time around. And after that, we are back on the field. Now, here's an important thing to know when you're on defense. On offense, you could only control whoever had the football. But on defense, you can select who you want to control, but it comes with a twist. See the number 1 flashing over one of the defensive ends? That's the player that you'll control when the play starts.

[01:13:56] But if you want to change that now, press either the A or the B buttons and the number will cycle to the next player. You have to be quick though. While the computer won't start the play while you're making your selection, once you stop moving your cursor for about a second, the ball will snap and the play will start and you will be stuck with whoever you selected. And speaking of, that is the other thing that you need to remember.

[01:14:21] Once you select a player, you are stuck with that player for the entirety of the play. That's right, you cannot select another player during the middle of the play. Now, there's no right or wrong player to pick on defense, but personally, I would pick one of the defensive linemen at the top or the bottom of the screen that wasn't right up on the line of scrimmage. My thought being, I was close enough to the ball that I could rush the quarterback if I saw a hole,

[01:14:52] or if I didn't, I could fall back and see if I could help defend against the pass. For this play, let's select the defensive linemen near the bottom of the screen. There you go. Number 57, Clay Matthews, another childhood favorite of mine. Alright, get ready. The Steelers have Neil O'Donnell behind the center with two running backs in the backfield. Two wide receivers wide right, one wide left.

[01:15:27] O'Donnell with the snap drops back into the pocket. He looks around the field for an open receiver. Taking control of Matthews? Let's try and take him down here. There, there's an opening you can slip through. Go for it! Damn! One of the offensive linemen grabs us and throws us to the ground. With as quick as some of these plays go, and for how long it takes for us to get back on our feet, that's all it's gonna take to put us as the player out for the remainder of this play.

[01:15:55] And since we can't switch to another player to control, we'll just have to trust our team to get the job done here. O'Donnell, still in the pocket, has all the time in the world to make up his mind, and to our horror, we can see that one of the receivers that went wide right has run down the field and nobody is covering this guy. Shit! There is no way O'Donnell doesn't pass to him.

[01:16:20] And, right on cue, O'Donnell throws the ball and it sails downfield towards this undefended receiver. Jeff Graham is the receiver and with no effort at all, he pulls the ball out of the sky and heads towards the end zone. There is literally no one around him. For my fellow Browns fans listening, isn't this just kinda par for the course for us?

[01:16:46] Yeah, anyway, Graham heads right into the end zone and after just one play, the Steelers close the gap and the score is now 7-2-6. Touchdown! If my stepdad were playing this game back in the day, he would probably say something like, Motherfucker!

[01:17:14] Course! I have one good drive, you can't let me have that! Goddamn game! Stupid computer favoritism! Fuck! Ha ha ha ha ha! Good times. Good times. The Steelers set up for their extra point and, just like the last play, we can select our defender before they snap the ball. It doesn't happen often, but it is absolutely possible for the kick to be blocked, so don't give up here.

[01:17:44] Absolutely try your best and see if you can find an opening. Okay, get your heads down and get ready! The snap is back, the ball is down, the kick is up, and... Holy crap, it went wide right! They missed! Oh good. Wow! I did not see that coming. And nor would my stepdad have saw that coming.

[01:18:14] If he were to be given a sudden stroke of goodness, he would probably sound something like this. HA! YES! FUCK YOU! IN YOUR FACE, YOU ASSHOLES! Ha ha ha ha! I know I'm painting my stepdad to be some belligerent dude who's a little too passionate about football, but I promise, this is all in good fun. My stepdad is the best and I am so glad I have this game for that. God, I love you man.

[01:18:44] There is a lot more nuance that can go into the Tecmo Super Bowl experience, but I think this is a good place to start winding things down. A lot of real-world gameplay is captured in this game, and even though it's not as accurate as a modern football game is, there's plenty on offer here. Players can be substituted out between plays, players can get injured, balls can be intercepted, and fumbled as well.

[01:19:12] Half the fun of playing this game is that you really don't know what's going to happen, and it creates an excitement that's very much on par with a real-life football game today. I remember running the ball one time with running back Tommy Vardell and making it halfway down the field before getting tackled from behind, which caused a fumble, which the other team recovered and ran back for a touchdown. While it's absolutely possible to do everything right,

[01:19:41] sometimes misfortune can happen, and that's just part of the experience. And when things do go right and the perfect pass gets you the yards that you need to stay alive, there's almost no greater feeling. And in between it all, a properly placed cinematic scene just adds to the overall excitement. Regardless of whether or not the player roster is current, there's something to be said about taking your team and the individuals on it through the season,

[01:20:10] watching them grow, and maybe one day becoming Super Bowl champions. All the while, the gameplay experience itself is very fast-paced, easy to understand for the most part, and doesn't really dull all that much over time. Super Tech Mobile is one of those games that somehow holds up exceptionally well today, and now that I've gone back to it, I'm absolutely going to be revisiting this game more often.

[01:20:36] In an effort to try and be critical with this game, I really can't think of anything that I don't like. There is a simple experience here if you want it, and there is absolutely a deep experience if you want that too. Personally, I want to run through a few seasons and take the Browns to the Super Bowl, because, let's face it, the only way the Browns are going to get this far is in my digital fantasy land. But hey, you never know.

[01:21:05] I'll never let go of the hope that one day the Cleveland Browns will have a hell of a season and make them worth watching again. But if nothing else, there will always be next year. And even if we have to go beyond that, I will always have Tecmo Super Bowl.

[01:21:23] That is the game, my friends!

[01:21:50] This has been episode 66 of the Retro Wildlands Tecmo Super Bowl on the Super Nintendo. Thank you all very much for tuning into the show today. At the end of the day, while I am not knee-deep in player stats, who's the up-and-coming talent or anything like that, I love watching football and I love playing this game. Some of my favorite childhood memories are tied to Tecmo Super Bowl,

[01:22:18] and even if they weren't, this is still a well-put-together football game that just about anybody can get into. And even if football isn't your thing, now you know what it is that makes this game special to both the gaming world and to me. And to my stepdad. If you happen to be listening, thank you for all the memories. I didn't know it at the time, but I had an absolute blast playing with you,

[01:22:45] watching you play, and seeing your passion for the game overflow. And to the Cleveland Browns! Thank you for helping me learn that disappointment is sometimes just a part of life. But even then, we just have to keep trying sometimes. As they say, there's always next year. If you liked the show today and you want to show it and myself some support, please consider subscribing to the show on your preferred podcasting platform.

[01:23:15] While I'm working to pump out as many quality episodes as I can, timing continues to be sporadic as I balance all the things in my life. Subscribing or following the show will let you know the moment I post something new. The Retro Wildlands is also part of the Super Pod Network, home of some awesome gaming podcasts and other gaming content, so you can follow us over there at superpodnetwork.com.

[01:23:40] Other than this show, you can check out other awesome shows such as the Super Pod Saga, Bar Silence, a video game music podcast, Friday Night Gamecast, Gaming Together, Tommy and Grant Go Podcasting, and more. There's blog posts, videos, and tons of other content, so be sure to check all of that out by heading over to superpodnetwork.com. Now, if you really like the show today and you have a few minutes to spare,

[01:24:09] I'd really appreciate it if you could leave the Retro Wildlands a good review on your podcast platform if you're able to do so. You can leave a star rating over on Spotify, but you can also leave ratings and written reviews on iTunes, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, and Podbean, just to name a few. Good reviews will help search algorithms pick us up and spread the show around a little bit, but more than anything, good reviews will let me know that you like what it is that I'm trying to do here,

[01:24:38] and it would mean the world to me if you could just take a minute or two and let me know. But, as always, you are under no obligation to do any of this. Just the fact that you're listening to my show right now is much more than I could have ever asked for, so above all else, thank you for being here. So, what's coming up next? Well, I owe you all an episode focusing on kung fu for the original Nintendo, since I said that's what this episode was going to be,

[01:25:07] so that is where we're heading next. If the Super Bowl wasn't around the corner and I didn't mess around with Tecmo Super Bowl, that's the one you would have been listening to, so again, sorry for pivoting the very last minute. But, that being said, it is finally time to step into the shoes of Thomas, kung fu extraordinaire, and get our girl back. The enemy is going to throw everything they have at us, and I am very eager to see if I have the chops to see this game through.

[01:25:35] Even if I don't, I know that we're going to have a hell of a time punching and kicking people in the mouth, so I can't wait to get this one going. I hope you decide to join our expedition next time as we travel to new lands. It's always fun finding something new in the gaming wild lands, but it's so much more fun when you are able to join us. Until then, my friends, my name is Nomad and you can find me roaming the retro wild lands.