The Ten Greatest NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) Sports Games of All Time

Baseball Stars by SNK

Released for the NES by SNK in 1989, Baseball Stars is the titan that revolutionized baseball games. As one of the first sports games to allow for data to be saved, which allowed season play statistics to be saved, and even updated as games progressed, it was a leader in the field. Several other features this game included were one of the first create a player features, and a rewards feature that allowed players to purchase players or upgrade player abilities with that money.

Teams such as the American Dreams with their cryptic names (”Pete” as in Pete Rose and “Cy” as in Cy Young) and the Ninja Blacksox were the stuff on which young sports gamers cut their teeth, and which legions still hold dear. Message boards devoted to the game and teams abound with gamers who still have the old NES console and play the game regularly.

Tecmo Super Bowl by Tecmo

Tecmo Super Bowl was released by Tecmo in 1991 and perhaps no NES game amassed the legion of followers that Tecmo Bowl and Tecmo Super Bowl gained. Tecmo Super Bowl was one of the first football games to gain licensing permissions to include both player profiles and franchise information from the NFL. This alone has become a staple of current football video games.

With individualized playbooks based on franchise players and tendencies expanded to eight both on offense and on defense, NFL fans could drop back and throw deep bombs with Dan Marino, or bust tackles and run over defenders with big Bo Jackson. Tecmo Super Bowl was also able to include the 1991 NFL Regular Season Schedule for season play, plus the playoff format and the Pro Bowl Rosters. These features were very popular at the time. For the first time, punters and field goal kickers were included on the roster.

There is something of a cult following for this game still, with current players posting youtube videos of key RB’s like Bo Jackson making 99 yard runs while either running over every defender dozens of times or literally running circles around the defense as they scramble vainly after the ball carrier.

RBI Baseball by Tengen

Released in 1988, RBI Baseball captured the hearts and imagination of sports gamers from the very beginnings. Although it did not originally include all of the MLB teams, it’s gameplay and accuracy combined with eight teams and both All Star teams were enough. The range of player skills was very wide at the time, and base stealers like Vince Coleman could be incredibly tough to throw out, as well as power hitters like Andres Galarraga and Mark McGwire really bashing the ball.

Many players continued buying into this franchise well into the 1990’s as sequels continued to be produced, however, the small, bubble shaped characters from the original game still hold a big place in sports gamers hearts.

One memorable quirk in the RBI Baseball gameplay was that occasionally, a player would lay down a bunt and watch the ball slowly creep past the pitcher, the first baseman (who was stationed at first and for all intensive purposes stuck there) and into the outfield while the batter/baserunner rounded the bases to score the infamous “bunt home run”.

Mike Tyson’s Punch Out by Nintendo

Who can’t remember the first time they picked up an NES controller and used “Little Mac” to knock tht wimpy Glass Joe for a loop. Of course after that, all bets were off, especially if you were not quick and clever.

Released in 1987, and lacking many of it’s arcade features, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out became a hit. Later versions of the game were titled simply Punch Out! And featured a main character known simply as Mr. Dream. Players still remember and reminisce about many of the opponents and methods used to defeat them. Where are you Bald Bull and Don Flamenco? Boxing gamers everywhere need you!

The Black Bass by Hot-B

Perhaps no NES game addicted me personally any more than this 1989 release. I can remember my brother and I calling to each other from the other room about the sizes of our most recent catches. There was something magical about watching those big black masses rise up toward your twitching lure, the eerie sort of music, and the strange cranking sound that came when a big bass was pulling tightly on your line. I heard that sound in my sleep once upon a time. Not surprisingly, I found myself equally addicted to the SNES release when it came out, and now, as an adult plan to purchase a new generation fishing game for my daughter’s WII.

Let that be an example of early life marketing at it’s finest.

Bases Loaded by Jaleco

Bases Loaded, released in the United States in 1988 is a rare instance where a sports game did not have any professional licensing and still gained a devoted following. With it’s twelve team league and behind the pitcher play perspective, the game offered a level of realism that drew purists of the game, rather than just current MLB fans. Message boards devoted to Bases Loaded still debate the merits of the players and team strengths.

I still remember the first time I managed to get a hitter to charge the mound. I was enthralled. Bases Loaded spawned seven sequels, the last finally landing on the Sony Playstation.

Who wouldn’t love a game that names it’s umpires with names such as Dum and Bum?

Excitebike by Nintendo

For a simple game with limited gameplay, Excitebike seemed to capture a players attention and keep it, for a long time. Perhaps never before had gamers been so excited to shave even a tenth of a second off any performance they had ever put forth.

With five tracks, and occasionally hilariously behaving AI opponents, and unusual road hazards appearing in a game for the first time, Excitebike probably started Nintendo down the Mariokart path back when it was released in 1985.

Before professional sponsorship and Grand Theft Auto and big brand name racing franchises was Excitebike, where the real challenge was hitting that landing just right and avoiding those pesky mud hole hazards. Good stuff!

Jordan vs Bird: One On One by Electronic Arts

The two greatest NBA stars of their time square off in this classic one on one game, where the rest of the players supporting casts did not show up, and didn’t need to! With a one on one game, a slam dunk contest and a three point contest, players were challenged to improve themselves, challenge a buddy, and enjoy some cool music while they mashed the buttons!

Blades Of Steel by Konami

Anyone who ever saw the original Blades of Steel silver cardboard box with the two hockey stars squaring off with fists clenched probably remembers it.

This 1988 release is widely remembered for its smooth, addictive gameplay, a stirring soundtrack for such a sound challenged console and the ability for the players to throw down the gloves and punch one another in the face. Outstanding!

Double Dribble by Konami

It was curious of Konami to name this game Double Dribble, while not naming a baseball game Balk, or a football game Mistackle, but they did. The result? A top ten finish in the best NES Sports games of all time. Even against Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, this unlicensed game produced a legion of fans, many of whom still enjoy this game.

Longtime players still talk about the hot spots in this game, and draining dozens of three pointers in memorable hot streaks. Aside from a couple of quirks, this game proved that game play alone can overcome professional licensing agreements. For game simulation basketball, this was the best their was on the NES. Then, along came NBA Jam……and out went the rules.

I hope you enjoyed this little walk down memory lane. Feel free to post a comment if you think I got something wrong with this list, or if you just have a memory about one of these games you would like to share.