Interview: Mike Fahrny, producer, Tecmo Bowl Throwback
If you follow my game-related ramblings on Twitter, you know that I recently spotted a Tecmo Bowl Throwback plug on one of ESPN’s late afternoon/early evening sports programs. As a long time fan of the franchise, I was admittedly geeked; not just for the exposure that the legendary series has garnered, but also for the fact that I had a Q + A session cooking up in 2D-X‘ cauldron of awesome. A Q+A that you can check out right now.
Interview: Talking River City games with Cherie Baker, PR Specialist, Aksys Games
When River City Super Sports Challenge and River City Soccer Hooligans were announced just over a week ago, Aksys Games gave retrogamers a great big old school hug by bringing back one of the 8-bit era’s greatest heroes: Kunio.
The scrappy teen, who has a knack for engaging in fisticuffs and excelling in all manner of sporting events, returns in two new games in 2010 . I spoke with Cherie Baker, Aksys Games’ PR Specialist, about the return of Kunio, the games’ new graphical style, and why old school gamers should consider these new series additions.
Tecmo Bowl Throwback gets drafted; blends old school and new school graphics
Whispers of Tecmo Bowl Throwback made its rounds through the internets a few weeks back, but now the game has crossed over from the realm of rumor to that of reality. Tecmo Bowl Throwback aims to stay true to the Tecmo Super Bowl legacy (except without, you know, the NFL roster–thanks, EA!) by including 8-bit style, 2D sprite-based visuals, full seasons, Preseason, Season, and Pro Bowl modes, and 1 or 2 player multiplayer (both local and online). Tecmo Bowl Throwback will also nod to the modern gamer by allowing virtual pigskinners to switch to a 3D polygonal mode for extra eye-candy. Righteous.
Kunio returns in two new ass-kicking River City games
Aksys Games appears to be looking to the past for inspiration with the release of two upcoming titles for the Nintendo DS: River City Soccer Hooligans and River City Super Sports Challenge.
Dedicated gamers will remember cleaning up the streets of River City in either the GBA or NES versions of River City Ransom, but this time around you won’t have to worry about saving your girlfriend or beating up waves of gang members for money. The new games adopt a lighter tone and focus more on competitive afterschool sports (similar to Crash ‘n the Boys: Street Challenge) but still try to pay homage to the franchise’s martial arts roots.
New NBA Jam screenshot reveals a photo-realistic 2D look (besides the huge, huge heads)
’90s favorite NBA Jam makes its long-awaited return as a semi-photorealistic 2D update for the Wii. Judging by the screenshots it looks it will honor the original since big heads and flagrant pushing appear to come back. Hopefully a playable Bill Clinton, nets on fire and oodles of secret codes come back too! With series creator Mark Turmell providing input on the new game perhaps this modern NBA Jam can cut the mustard. With a flaming knife. Or something.
Review: FreeStyle Street Basketball (PC)
JCE’s FreeStyle Street Basketball is one of those titles that you simply have to dive into to truly understand why I blew way too many hours of my holiday break glued to a PC. When I told my bud Terry Lewis, editor-in-chief of The Other View, that I was playing a cell-shaded, anime-styled MMO b-ball game, the first thing that came to his mind was a video game version of Slam Dunk. He would’ve been correct except that FreeStyle Street Basketball is incredibly enjoyable whereas the anime most definitely is not.
Tecmo Bowl Throwback: Rumored Tecmo Super Bowl HD remake coming to PSN and XBLA
Ol’ school sports gamers, Joystiq has the potentially awesome scoop. Our bloggy brethren have obtained knowledge from a reliable source that the greatest football game series of all time is returning in the form of Tecmo Bowl Throwback, which will be HD remake of Tecmo Super Bowl. Full team customization, a retro 8-bit mode, and a new soundtrack round out some of the other rumored features.
The biggest question, of course, is whether or not Tecmo Bowl Throwback will feature an official NFL license in order to recreate the late ’80s/early ’90s pigskin experience. With EA playing the role of gatekeeper regarding all things NFL, I won’t hold my breath, but it would certainly give them some cool points if they decided to play nice.
[Hat tip: Joystiq]
The Greatest 2D Sports Video Game Athletes: QB Eagles Edition
Let’s get it out of the way right now without any setup: QB Eagles is the single greatest sports video game athletes of all time. Unquestionably, there are some who will question the very validity of this final post in the series as this regulates the twin faces of outstanding sports video game athletes, Bo Jackson and Jeremy Roenick, to roles of second bests. It’s understandable; Bo carves up defenses and Roe owns on both sides of the puck. I propose, however, that once QB Eagles’ game is carefully analyzed, many will come to see that he is indeed the Gamebreaker of Gamebreakers.
QB Eagles, in all of his 8-bit glory, is the prototype for broken, scrambling quarterbacks who can kill you with the cannon or wheels; think Warren Moon with the legs of Barry Sanders.
Best 2D Sports Game 2009: Downtown Smash Dodgeball
When companies tout their game’s ability to display each individual blade of grass making up the playing field, you know that the sports genre has lost touch with a small matter called fun. Downtown Smash Dodgeball did not. The product of Miracle Kidz (made of the creative team behind Technos’ Kunio family of games), Downtown Smash Dodgeball retained the 8-bit, super deformed visuals, 8-bit sounds, and simple but wonderfully fun gameplay that made Super Dodge Ball a hit 20 years ago.
FreeStyle Street Basketball and UNICEF Team Up This Holiday Season
Who says sitting on your duff playing video games is a waste of time? This holiday season you can give the gift of charity simply by downloading and playing GameKiss’ FreeStyle Street Basketball.
By participating in the UNICEF Support Event (which lasts until January 6th), ballers can donate game points collected from playing FreeStyle Street Basketball to the humanitarian organization. FreeStyle Street Basketball will then convert those in-game points into their equivalent amount of U.S. dollars which will be passed onto UNICEF to improve the health of children from all over the world, and protect them from disasters.
“People often doubt what they can gain from playing games , but you can learn a real friendship and sportsmanship from playing the FreeStyle Street Basketball game,” said RomaN, Chief GM of FreeStyle Street Basketball, “We want all the youth to have a better quality of life and I hope the exchange of friendships across borders happens right here in FreeStyle. That is why we organized this event.”
Pretty righteous. For more information, click here. Now get to hoopin’ for cause.
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