TGIF. It's the weekend and what better way to get it kicked off than with a barrage of youtube clips that you probably could've found for yourself if you were remotely interested in finding them. Make sense to you? Good. Let's get it going...shall we?
While many of you kicked back and enjoyed Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I sat back and enjoyed some Michelob Lights (they do still make it), listened to an all time favorite EPMD "Business as Usual" and kicked out some rounds of gameplay on my vintage fully functional Nintendo. Yup, the original purchase from 1985...and your eyes do NOT deceive you, that shit is still working.
And so I riled a Top 9 list of sorts...and don't ask why it was only 9. Feel free to add to the list of Nintendo Classics, even non-sports games can be included. Comments are recommended and welcome. Without further ado and in no particular order...follow me...
ExciteBike
Now this was the fucking game. I spent a few hours trying to relive my glory days last night, but too often I had to take the game out and blow on the friggin' cartridge.
Double Dribble
Does this really need an introduction? Hands down the best Basketball ever made. The slow motion "static" figure dunking the ball...or how about the grenade launch sound it made everytime you took a three pointer?
Blades of Steel
Konami always made the best Sports games. The best fight sequence ever in a hockey game...sans NHL '94.
Paperboy
So maybe it's not a sports game, but come on...it's damn close. And the soundtrack is just damn funky. This is like a giant "whip it" to me...it's hippy crack. I get maddened by the game, but can't stop playing.
Kung Fu
Heavily. Underrated.
Track and Field
Personally, I preferred the Clay Pigeon Shooting on Part II, but couldn't find the clip.
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!
Real. Big. Shocker.
Bases Loaded
So maybe, R.B.I and Major League Baseball were better, but I liked Bases Loaded.
Tecmo Super Bowl
Sorry, it's not the Bo Jackson run you were expecting. Remember the Nigerian Nightmare?
A good weekend to you all & don't forget to vote for Rupert!
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27 comments:
Fantastic post.
One of the best aspects of my super-hi-tech Wii system is that for about $5 I can download and play a lot of these very same 8-bit games! Who needs advanced video game technology when I can play excite bike!?
They haven't re-released Tecmo Super Bowl, so right now I'm stuck playing Tecmo Bowl.
Shout out to Bases Loaded. If I remember correctly, I think my favorite player in that game was Oko? He was a monster at the plate.
Double Dribble was so badass back in the day. The static flashing pictures of dunks blew my young mind.
Super Dodge Ball. Or was that on the SNES. I can't remember.
Otherwise, I know it's not a sports game, but I can still play teh original Legend of Zelda and enjoy it. Incidentally, we have one of the small Nintendo systems that preceded the traditional NES. No idea if it works, my BiL gave it to our son.
My favorite excitebike activity was creating my own course. "R" and "S" were the balls.
I never liked the Bases Loaded games. I guess I was old school when I was 8. I just couldn't handle the behind the pitcher view. My favorite NES baseball game is one few people know: Bad News Baseball. It was little league, and if you put in a code, you could play with girls, who were totally badass.
Memorial Day, 1989. Family beach trip. I was violently ill. While everyone else was having a great time getting sand up in they buttcrack, I was semi-conscious on the couch, playing Double Dribble for hours and trying to keep down some freezy-pops. I think I came out ahead on the deal.
You forgot to add Dusty Diamond's All-Stars. That game was the shit. And I always went for Otter Pops over freezy-pops.
"I had to take the game out and blow on the friggin' cartridge."
That always pissed me off. I'd be chugging away at Zelda, swording motherfuckers, and the game stopped. Blow the cartridge and it worked? Not sure why, but it never failed. Ever.
Paste was ridiculous in Bases Loaded. That man could rake.
Sad to see Okoye get sent home from 'Pirate Master' this week (What, I'm the only one watching? Oh..). Maybe they were all afraid of that run.
Don't forget the old wedge another cartridge on top of the game you are trying to play to "lock" it in.
Or the tap-tap-tap on the side of the console.
And even though it's a sports theme, have to mention Double Dragon, Contra (of course) and Ikari Warriors.
Man, that brings up painful memories. I used to have to blow in the game carttidge, then blow in the system, then use a second game to hold the first one down, and finally quickly press reset to get the thing to work.
Great call on Super Dodge Ball. Most. Stereotypical. Game. Ever. All the Chinese dudes were named like Wand and Ching, while the Russians had Boris and the U.S. had like Jim and Mike and Brian.
Plus, the super hit where the person would get hit and fly around the world, only to emerge FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN, was awesome.
*Wang, not Wand
Double Dribble was constructed with the David Stern's current vision...dominance by all the major markets. C'mon where was the representation from all the other teams in the league? Cheap ass Konami sports.
Baseball Stars by SNK was awesome. By featuring such teams at the Ninja Blacksox it was way ahead of the curve.
Superspike Beach Volleyball was sweet. Gotta love the victory celebration where the dudes hop up in unison with one fist in the air.
Gabe, if you're talking about that dude on Philly, he was bad-ass. Also the lefty hitting guy with the weak-looking stance on DC. That dude could crush.
Have you guys been to nintendo8.com?
That site rocks.
What about Little League Baseball? That game was the balls. They even threw up the bat at the beginning of the game and you had to catch it to see who was home and away, old school.
And everytime you hit a homerun the same music would come on and a bald guy and two girls with square boobs would come on and start 'moving' it was awesome.
And how about World Cup Soccer, where you could just do bicycle kicks all day long.
Was anyone athletic enough to actually run on the pad for Track and Field? That was impossible. I tried every once in a while, only to get frustrated with stubby little legs and then go back to pounding on it with my fists.
Or running on the pad and then hopping off to the side for a 700 foot long jump.
Phony Gwynn, I love you.
Never. Doing. Work. Again.
Seriously, all this talk and not one mention of Metroid. I was the very first kid in the neighborhood to beat Mother Brain.
Fast forward to college and I spent an entire semester playing Metroid and smoking weed all day trying to beat it again, mission accomplished.
Phony Gwynn - I can't thank you enough. I just met the mecca. I may have to resign from my job today.
totally forgot about of "Kings of the Beach" "Wrestlemania", "Championship Bowling" and "Skate or Die"
AMAZING!!!
'Skate or Die' and 'T&C Surf Designs' come to mind...
Let me add Pro Wrestling to the mix. I loved when the Amazon would chomp down on your head. What a move.
And I almost forgot California Games. Hacky sack was awesome.
Biggs, nice call. Kin Korn Karn from Pro Wrestling is actually a strong frontrunner for my fantasy team name this season. Well, until I change it 75 times that is.
Completely agree with Ryan, the best sports game on NES was Little League Baseball. The Canadians were beasts.
Followed by Super Dodgeball
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