Tecmo Bowl

When I came home today, I immediately decided to be unproductive. Wifey was working and the Don Funk Sports Bar was closed. I didn't have many options. I did have 500 points in credit at the Wii store. I downloaded Tecmo Bowl.

This is the game that started the football video game craze. It only featured 12 teams and there were no player names. You got to choose from four plays. If you picked the right one on defense, you stuffed it. If you didn't, most likely you were giving up a big play. Each quarter was 90 seconds and the clock stopped after every play. Kicks were based on strength and had no side to side wiggle.

I was crushed in my first game. I was Miami against San Francisco. Remember when San Fran was a major power? Pass defense was almost impossible since you had to pick one of the three receivers. If you were wrong, you were giving up a big play. Cornerbacks seemed to not cover a receiver. I couldn't figure out the pass game, learning only in the third quarter that the 2 button switched the receiver and 1 threw the ball.

In game two I was more competitive. Going into the fourth quarter I trailed by 13. I scored. My defense got the big interception. Since I can't cover at all, I decide to try to run the clock. On fourth down I'm stuffed. It's over. For some reason, though, two plays later the non-49ers pass and I make the interception. I run, something that Miami couldn't do in real life, and I scored with 8 seconds left. I won 34-33.

I decided to move on to week two and faced Minnesota. At halftime the purple team had zero first downs but I was losing 13-7. I threw 11 interceptions in the game, and three were returned for touchdowns. I was crushed.

When I switched to Chicago and a more balanced offense, I found my rhythm. I still haven't won consecutive games. I can't tell if the wife hates this game's music or the music from Ice Hockey. It's a tossup.