Tecmo Super Bowl 2

Howdy sports fans, time to kick off with another gridiron entry. This game is a candidate for this year's super bowl of gaming. Tecmo Super Bowl II has all of the ingredients an avid football fan looks for in a game.

With an official NFL and NFL Player's Association license, all of your favorite teams are in the game, complete with logos and actual player rosters.

Play against the computer or against a friend. With the NFL action heating up. you can play out the playoffs and the big game using the teams you think are going to go all the way.

The Tecmo animations have also been refined and are better than ever. When you get through to the opposing quarterback, an animated segment appears showing the defensive player's name, along with a celebration picture.

The same holds true for diving catches, close plays and after you score a touchdown, the players name appears on the screen, and he can be seen celebrating with a teammate. This unique feature really adds to the game play experience.

The user interface is great, field goals are a breeze. Choosing a particular play couldn't be any easier with two offensive playbooks with a total of 16 different plays and six different formations. On defense you can choose from four different formations with eight different plays in each. A goal-line stand, a normal, a nickel and a dime package have been included for you to choose. Put the pressure on Steve Young. John Elway or Warren Moon. You can choose to play a preseason, a Pro Bowl or a full regular season of play, using 1992-1994 NFL teams and rosters. You can also choose three-minute to 15-minute quarters. You can also turn on fumbles, injuries and an easy, normal or hard level of difficulty.

Statistics on all of the players and their skill levels in each of 10 categories can be checked to find out how strong the members of the opposing team are and who you should keep the ball away from.

When playing the Buffalo Bills, it's a good idea to keep the ball away from Bruce Smith.

You can also scout out the best team in the league to use, based on their players' abilities. You can also check to see who to substitute in case of injuries.

The game has a number of excellent features including keeping stats on rushing yards, passing yards, total yards, first downs, sacks, interceptions and fumbles.

The harder you hit and the more people you have in on the tackle, the better chance the ball will pop loose.

The three-quarter side view of the field makes the plays you choose easy to execute and your wide receivers easier to follow.

You can even play the Cowboys vs. the Cowboys or the 49ers vs. the 49ers. So grab your controllers and head out onto the Super NES Tecmo football field. You won't be disappointed.

Both the Iceman and I are 14 wins with four losses, and we are facing each other in the Super Bowl with our respective teams. Tune in next month to see who won this year's football Team GameFabrique crown. This game is a lot of fun to play and whether you're a budding gamer or an experienced one, this game will have you going for first downs well into the night. The plays are easy to choose and execute. This game scores a big TD with a two-point conversion.

Year after year, Tecmo's football games remain popular with players, even though other games boast better graphics and game play. Super Bowl II continues that trend: It's a decent game that'll still rank high in the sales.

First Down

As always, Tecmo's stats are the best part of the game. You select real NFL teams and their real rosters from the last three years, including last-minute acquisitions like the 'Niners late-arriving Deion Sanders. All the players get extensive performance ratings -- even in such esoteric areas as "Coolness." Historical records and current season leaders in nine categories add perspective that enriches your feel for the game.

Plenty of options raise the FunFactor. As a coach or player, you compete in single Pre-Season games, play a full Season, or match up stars in the Pro Bowl. However, you don't get any great teams older than '92, nor do you get specially chosen All-Madden-style teams or NFL QB Club's thrilling simulations of epic games. You do have some, but not much, control over game conditions. This feature is also slightly problematic: Indoor stadiums can still suffer a snowstorm.

Tecmo starts to lose yardage against big-name games like Madden in game play and graphics. You don't have nearly as many plays as QB Club, nor do you have the zooming downfield view that makes passing in other games a breeze. Despite a few close-ups and diving sprites, the old-fashioned 3/4-side view and the stiffly moving midget players feel like yesterday's graphics.

The sounds are also average. The QB barks his signals like a teen, you don't get taunts or commentary, and the thud of collisions sounds ordinary.

Tecmo's Touchdown

So if it's not perfect, why will it be so popular? Because it's undeniably fun, especially for first time players. You don't have complex passing windows to study. You aren't interrupted by some coach's advice. You just choose your play and pull the trigger. Add in the luster of all those name players, and you have a football game that just makes the playoffs, though the new Madden and NFL '95 would pound it in the first round.