Tag / Retro

by lawrenceofcanadia

World Cup Italia ’90 – Review

I was seven during World Cup Italia ’90. Sadly, I don’t remember much about it, other than my father jumping off the sofa in celebration as England scored. I don’t recall the match but I have a feeling it may have been England v Belgium, and the goal in question was David Platt’s volley.

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1990, and the Sega Master System in 1991, this football game was developed and published by Sega, and can be played in one and two-player modes. To review, I revisisted the Sega Mega Drive version

Gameplay

There are three modes:

World Cup – Single-player mode only where you can choose from 24 teams in the World Cup, all with varying degrees of stats, to guide to World Cup glory and immortality. Brazil, Argentina, West Germany, Holland and England are the best rated teams for the era, but sadly, they do not use names of real players.

Test Match 1P – Single-player exhibition match

Test Match 2P – Two-player exhibition match

Once you select your mode, a map of the world will appear. You then move the cursor to select you desired team. You can only select countries that are in colour. Any land area in beige cannot be selected. Each country’s stats are broken down in the following: Speed, Skill, Defence, Keeper, Total, all labelled 1-5 (5 being the highest)

Once you have chosen your country, you then need to select which players you want for the first team. Players have different stats: Speed, Kicking Strength, Tackling, and Accuracy, again, all labelled 1-5 (5 being the highest). Once selected, the game is ready to begin!

You view the game from a top down perspective, changing only during corners, penalties and goal kicks, where it changes to a more detailed, close up view. Also, when you score a goal, a picture of a player celebrating appears on the screen for a few seconds before kick-off resumes.

In-game action (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

The gameplay is still superior to later football games such as European Club Soccer (1992) and Super Kick Off (1991). For instance, there is a clear distinction between shoot, pass and cross functions. You can tackle and head the ball, and the overall ball control is better. You also need tactics to score goals. For example, in the first half, you need to diagonally cross ball into the penalty box to head the ball over the goalkeeper. In the second half, the goalkeeper tends to stay on his goal line, and so long shots diagonally across the penalty box into the corners of the goal are best.

There are a few things wrong with this game, however. Firstly, there are no fouls, so you can just hack away to your heart’s content. What really lets this game down though, is the length of each match. There is no way to shorten the match time, and each game seems unnecessarily long. This wouldn’t be so bad, but the simplicity of the gameplay soon becomes tiresome over such a long period of time. I achieved such a high level of skill at the game that I was scoring 20 goals per match because they are so long.

The more detailed set piece animation (screenshot taken by the author)

Graphics

The graphics are basic but they are colourful, clear and crisp. Smooth scrolling combined with more detailed illustrations and animations during set pieces are a nice touch as the game would seem rather plain otherwise. I think the football itself looks cool too, especially the way it enlarges as it rises into the air helping to ascertain its height.

Music

The music is great.! It has a very South American Latin feel to it which I’d be more than happy to listen to. The only annoyance is that every time to ball goes off for a throw-in or corner or when a goal is scored, the music restarts from the beginning.

The detailed stills are a nice touch (screenshot taken by the author)

Replay Value

Sadly, with the exception of two-player mode there is very little replay value to this game other than trying to win the World Cup with a weaker team.

Personal Memories

This game received poor reviews, but I seem to have a soft spot for it. I must confess that I love the music. Once it’s in your head, it never leaves. You’ll certainly find yourself dancing in your seat to the Latin beat.

This was also one of the first Mega Drive games I owned and completed. I felt such a sense of pride because I was only about nine years old and had often made it to the final only to be defeated.

Did I Complete The Game?

Yes, I have led the teams of Brazil and England to World Cup glory numerous times.

What The Critics Said:

Sega Power: “…this soccer game is a disappointment. Tired old gameplay and average graphics make this one for soccer fans only. Overall 2/5”.[1]

Sega Power: “This soccer game is, to put it mildly, very poor. Tired old gameplay and average graphics make this a soccer fan game only. Overall 2/5“.[2]

Raze: “Smooth scrolling pitch, good animation, lots of great set-piece screens and two-player mode is great fun. Poor title tune and corny during game, feeble whistles and strange groans, doesn’t always pick the nearest player. Overall 82%”.[3]

My Verdict: “Although you may get bored with the formulaic ways of scoring, the music will help ease the lengthy game time. I still prefer this to European Club Soccer.”

Rating:

What are your memories of World Cup Italia ’90? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] Jarrett, S., ‘The Hard Line – World Cup Italia ‘90’. Sega Power. (April 1991). Issue 23:55.

[2] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – World Cup Italia ‘90’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:99.

[3] ‘Reviews: Mega Drive – World Cup Italia ‘90’. Raze. (March 1991). Issue 5:44-45.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Phantasy Star – Review

Role-playing games have the ability to take us out of ourselves and whisk us off to fantasy lands where we can choose to be warriors, mages, dwarves, and any other imaginary creature that suits us. We can select our own weapons, and if we are successful, gain strength and are harder to defeat. Phantasy Star promised to whisk us off to such a fantasy universe.

Screenshot taken by the author

Phantasy Star is a single-player role-playing game developed and published by Sega. It was released on the Sega Master System in 1987, and latterly re-released on the Sega Saturn, PS2, and Nintendo Switch. To review, I played this game as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).

Plot

The game is set in the fictional Algol star system which contains three planets: Palma – a lush and green planet, Motavia – a desert planet, and Dezoris – an ice planet. Algol is ruled by King Lassic, who early in his reign was considered kind and benevolent. He later becomes a cruel and sociopathic ruler. Soon, a rebellion begins to overthrow the now evil king. One hero, who falls during a battle, is Nero. His sister, Alis, the main protagonist (incidently, one of the first female protagonists for video games), swears to avenge her brother. She assembles a party consisting of a warrior named Odin, a wizard named Noah, and a cat-like creature named Myau. Together the party swear to kill King Lassic and restore peace to the kingdom.

The overworld is how you traverse the landscape (screenshot taken by author)

Gameplay

There are two gameplay modes. The first is from a near top down perspective whilst walking around the villages and planet surfaces. When walking around the surface of the planet, outside the cities, and in caves etc. You come across random battle encounters where you must choose to fight your opponent or attempt to run away. When exploring dungeons and caves, and in a battle, the view switches to first-person mode.

If you are successful in battle, you will gain experience points and money. As your experience points increase, your overall level of each character increases and subsequently, your characters stats making them stronger in attack and defense.

Gaining money will also allow you to buy stronger weapons, armour, and other items.

The battle scenes are highly detailed and look fantatsic (screenshot taken by author)

How Does It Handle?

The game is easy to learn and enjoyable. The fight mode is simple, but it can become frustrating that when fighting multiple enemies, you seem unable to select which enemy to attack, which can hinder fighting tactics. The game contains a back-up save option, which if you play RPGs will know that this is very useful.

RPGs can be a bit of a slog though. Known as grinding, you seek out and fight the same smaller enemies in order to gain experience points and increase your stats. Whilst hardened RPG gamers may love this type of gaming, many find it dull and repetitive.

The dungeon-crawling sections are very atmospheric (screenshot taken by author)

Graphics

For an 8-bit game, I think it is really beautiful! The colours are vibrant, the sprites are well designed, and there is a great variety of them to fight. The backgrounds during the fight scenes are also varied and are very detailed. I’ll wager this game pushed the Master System to its limits.

Music

The music becomes tiresome after a while but since it is not essential to the game, you can simply turn the sound off and listen to your own music or podcasts.

Did I Complete The Game?

I did complete the game, but with the assistance of a walkthrough. Sadly, as I have gotten older, I simply don’t have the time or inclination to spend countless hours on these sorts of RPGs.

What The Critics Said:

Computer & Video Games Magazine: “Real RPG fans should definitely check Phantasy Star out, but anyone with a passing interest in this type of game might not feel they’re getting their money’s worth. Overall 75%”[1]

S: The Sega Magazine: “An excellent entertainment – once you’ve teamed up with Odin, Noah and Myau and built up some strength, it’s like controlling an interactive movie. Brilliant? Yes it is. Overall 94%”[2]

Mean Machines: “A sprawling RPG which offersa great depth of gameplay, decent graphics and a good challenge. There are slightly better games of this sort (and cheaper too – this cart costs £40), but if you’re an RPG fan who has them all, this is well worth getting. Overall 75%”[3]

Sega Power: “If you’re into RPG adventures this is the one to go for. Explore stunning 3D labyrinths and solve a quest big enough to last for months. Huge. Astounding Get it. Overall 5/5“.[4]

Sega Power: “If you’re into RPG adventures this is the one to go for. Explore stunning 3D labyrinths and solve a quest big enough to last for months. Astounding and huge. Get it. Overall 5/5.”[5]

Awards:

Best Graphics – 1989 Electronic Gaming Monthly’s Player’s Choice Awards[6]

My Verdict: “A beautiful 8-bit game, just a pity the story is a bit thin. However, all RPG fans should enjoy this game.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Phantasy Star? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] Rignall, J., ‘Mean Machines Review: Master System – Phantasy Star’. Computer & Video Games Magazine. Issue 89:92-3.

[2] ‘Special: Phantasy Star’. S: The Sega Magazine. (June 1990). Issue 7:11.

[3] ‘Games Index: Master System – Phantasy Star’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:135.

[4] Jarrett, S., ‘The Hard Line – Phantasy Star’. Sega Power. (April 1991). Issue 23:58.

[5] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Master System – Phantasy Star’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:100.

[6] ‘The “Player’s Choice Awards” – Best Graphics: Phantasy Star’. Electronic Gaming Monthly – 1989 Annual. (March 31 1989). :19.

by lawrenceofcanadia

European Club Soccer – Review

In 1992, I was just beginning to become interested in football. I was playing in my school team, and at weekends would play for local Saturday morning clubs. My love of football meant that I also sought out football video games. FIFA International Soccer (1993) and International Superstar Soccer Pro (1997) were a few years away yet, so I purchased European Club Soccer.

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Known as World Trophy Soccer in North America, and J-League Champion Soccer in Japan, this football game was developed by Krisalis Software (Game Arts in Japan) and published by Virgin Games for the Sega Mega Drive in 1992. I chose to review the Sega Mega Drive version.

European Club Soccer had an impressive array of teams to choose from (screenshot taken by the author)

Gameplay

Playable in one and two-player mode, you can choose from over 150 teams throughout Europe to compete in tournaments. Naturally they do not have the real player names, but many of the teams are recognizable. For example, Manchester United, Liverpool, Juventus etc., are available, as well as some more obscure additions such as Rotherham United.

To win, you must utilize you teams ability to pass, tackle, dribble, and shoot in order to score goals and from prevent your opposition from scoring.

European Cup – 32 teams (up to eight players) compete for this trophy. The winners will then compete for the Super Cup.

Arcade – A one-off friendly that can be played in single or two-player mode.

You can also change the length of the matches.

How Does It Handle?

Oddly, there is no “shoot” button per se, only low pass and high pass. Frustratingly, the players lose the ball if they change direction too fast whilst dribbling and scoring from a cross or corner is pretty much impossible too. In order to score, I found that I had to have one of my players stand in front of my opponent’s goalkeeper to intercept a shot from another of my players. The keeper would dive out the way, allowing the intercepting player to score into an open net.

Due to a lack of storage, any changes made to team strips could not be saved, and the only way to continue progress through a tournament was to use a password.

Sadly, the gameplay left alot to be desired (screenshot taken by the author)

Graphics

What the game lacks in gameplay, it makes up for in graphics. The in-game graphics are good for 1992, far superior to World Cup Italia 90 (1990) Super Kick Off (1991), and the scrolling is smooth. The animation of the players running, kicking, and slide tackling looks really good. The design of the pitch with different shades of green looks realistic and the crowd behind the goal looks incredibly detailed. There is also a nice illustration of a referee blowing his whistle for half-time and full-time, and of a player from the winning team raising his hands in triumph at the final whistle. Sadly, there is little to no celebration when a goal is scored.

Music & SFX

There is a few nice different pieces of music throughout the game. I especially liked the intro over the title screen. However, I did think the music that plays over the action would be better suited to a beat ‘em up.

The SFX are very minimal. There’s a quiet this as you kick the ball, the occasional whistle from the ref, and the background crowd noise which to me sounds like the noise you used to get when your old TV would loose signal and you’d have that black and white fuzzy screen.

Replay Value

Three difficulty settings, two-player mode, and a large number of teams with who to play with give this game a reasonable amount of replay value.

Personal Memories

I remember that I always wanted this game as a kid because I thought it looked excellent, and the cover art really sold it to me. Sadly, I couldn’t afford many games. I’m unsure if I would have felt let down had I bought this game upon release.

Did I Complete The Game?

I successfuly won all leagues and cups without the Three Shredded Wheat cheat.

What The Critics Said:

Mean Machines: “A superbly presented game which is sadly let down by some awkward gameplay points. Overall 69%”.[1]

Mean Machines Index: Megadrive soccer games have a history to beingsad and this effort does little to addressthe situation. Although the graphics and sound are very good, the gameplay is let down by low player intelligence, wonky collision detention and awkward controls. As the (very) old saying goes “try before you buy!”. Overall 69%”[2]

Sega Power: “Nice introduction and options, but the whole thing is a let down by poor gameplay. It’s simply too easy to beat in one-player mode. Overall 3/5”[3]

My Verdict: “Not the worst football game I’ve played, but there are better ones out there to enjoy. I‘d recommend seeking out arcade football games for games released in 1992.”

Rating:

What are your memories of European Club Soccer? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Review: Mega Drive – European Club Soccer’. Mean Machines. (June 1992). Issue 21:106-8.

[2] ‘Review Index: Mega Drive – Euro Club Soccer’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:138.

[3] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – European Club Soccer’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:97.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Pat Riley Basketball – Review

Basketball has never been overly popular in England. Yes, we played it at school, or if one of our friends happened to persuade their parents to buy a hoop for their garden we might spend a an hour or so practicing lay-ups and three pointers, but overall, basketball was considered very much a North American sport. In the mid-90s, Channel 4 began showing NBA games regularly on Sundays. Had Pat Riley Basketball been released during this time, it may have proved a more popular game.

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Pat Riley Basketball (also known as Super Real Basketball)is a sports game developed and published by Sega in 1990. It was released on the Sega Mega Drive and can be played in one or two-player modes. It version was also released for the Sega Master System. I chose to review the Sega Mega Drive version.

Gameplay

You must choose from eight teams across the US and lead them to glory in a tournament that one can only assume is the coveted NBA Playoffs.

There’s not really that much to say about this game. It did not have the license for the real team or player names, most likely because the budget went on securing Pat Riley’s association with it. The players do have stats and you are able to change their positions as well as decide if you want your team to mark man-to-man or zone defense.

During the game, you can dribble, pass, tackle, block, and slam for two points and even attempt three pointers from outside the three point line. Basketball is a high scoring game and there is little respite. Just keep dunking until the final whistle.

When dunking, shooting from the three point line, and/or free throw line, a bar appears with blue and red areas in it. A white dot moves across the bar and you must stop the white dot inside the red zone to ensure you score the basket. The same rule applies when defending a dunk.

The sprites are bright, colourful and clearly defined(screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

The gameplay does let this game down. The pass function isn’t as responsive as it should be, and its frustrating the way the computer is able to steal the ball from you, but you can only intercept their passes to steal the ball back. Another annoyance is that once you have scored a basket, your team seems to hang around the opponent’s end, leaving your basket unattended and allowing the computer to make a B-line for it.

The mechanism with which you dunk or attempt three throws based on a bar of red and blue works well.

Graphics

The scrolling is smooth and the graphics are pretty good, especially during the action cut scenes when players shoot and dunk (almost identical to Takin’ It To The Hoop (1989) on the TurboGrafx-16), and are far superior to other basketball games released for consoles in 1990 such as Ultimate Basketball (NES) and Harlem Globetrotters (NES). Whilst dunking, a bar appears with blue and red areas in it. A white dot moves across the bar and you must stop the white dot inside the red zone to ensure you score the basket. The same rule applies when defending a dunk. For some reason when in open play, the ball is ridiculously large. It looks more like a medicine ball.

Music & SFX

Interestingly, there is music throughout the game which is actually quite good. It has a sort of Saturday night sport action kind of feel to it…if that makes sense.

The SFX when jumping are a bit naff and the minimal SFX throughout the game really don’t add much to the it.

Replay Value

On a positive note, the fact that this can be played in two-player mode, and that there are three difficulty settings adds to the replay value of the game.

The action shots are beautifully illustrated and animated (screenshot taken by the author)

Did I Complete The Game?

I have completed this game several times without using any cheats. You really shouldn’t need them for this game anyway, as its not that difficult to win comfortably. Sadly, there is not much of an ending to make you feel that the effort was justified.

What The Critics Said:

Mean Machines: (Reviewed as Super Real Basketball) “Super Real Basketball gives solid entertainment to two players, but on your own, it’s a little wearing! Overall 79%”.[1]

Sega Power: (Reviewed as Super Real Basketball) “Boasting detailed close-ups of the slam-dunk action, realistic court views and decent sound this is an okay sport sim. However, the lack of depth and difficulty means that its potential is only realised in two-player mode. Overall 3/5“.[2]

Sega Power: (Reviewed as Super Real Basketball) “Detailed close-ups of the action, realistic court views and fairly decent sound FX. An okayish sports sim, with great two-palyer mode. Overall 2/5”[3]

MegaTech: “The computer isn’t difficult to beat once you’ve got used to the comprehensive control method there’s a very good two-player mode. With excellent graphics – the animation on the players is particularly good – and plenty of different gameplay options. Overall 81%”.[4]

My Verdict: “Some nice graphics, let down by the gameplay, but worth a bit of your time if you like basketball and the game is cheap to pick up.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Pat Riley Basketball? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Review: Mega Drive – Super Real Basketball’. Mean Machines. (April 1991). Issue 7:56-57.

[2] Jarrett, S., ‘The Hard Line – Super Hang-On’. Sega Power. (April 1991). Issue 23:54.

[3] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – Super Real Basketball’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:99.

[4] ‘Game Index – Super Real Basketball’. MegaTech. (May 1992). Issue 5:78.

by lawrenceofcanadia

John Madden Football ’92 – Review

Sports games have always been popular amongst gamers. However, technology has always held creators back from producing quality and realistic sports sims. Madden ’92 is an example of an early attempt to produce a playable American football game…and to be fair, they didn’t do a bad job.

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

John Madden Football ’92 is an American football sports game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Sega Mega Drive, beginning a series of yearly instalments for the video game market. I chose to review the Sega Mega Drive version.

Basic Rules

For those unacquainted with the game of American football, each team consists of groups of offensive, defensive, and special team players. When you are in possession of the ball, you have four plays or “downs” to move the ball forward 10 yards or more. This can be achieved by throwing or kicking the ball or running with it. This is decided before each play as you set your team up in a tactical way to deceive and outmanoeuvre your opponents. If you fail to move the ball 10 yards or more within those four downs, the ball passes to the opposite team. If you are successful, then you go back to a “1st Down” and the process starts again until either you score a “touchdown”, “field goal”, or lose the ball in a number of different ways.

“Red, 27, HIKE!” (screenshot taken by the author)

Gameplay

Madden ’92 can be played in single-player modes as well as two-player head-to-head and co-op modes (the later being a new feature).

There are 28 professional teams (the All-Madden team can only be played in Regular Season) to choose from and several new options for you to play:

  • Pre-Season – An exhibition match with no fouls except offsides and the 45 second play clock is turned off
  • Regular Season – Exhibition but with all game rules in effect
  • New Playoffs – Begin a new tournament
  • Continue Playoffs – Continue with a previous tournament
  • Sudden Death – Normal game rules but the first to score wins the game

American football consists of four quarters, and you can choose how long these quarters are. Quarter lengths can be either 5, 10, and 15 minutes in length.

You then get to choose the type of stadium and field you play on. The choices are:

  • Open stadium with grass
  • Open stadium with Astroturf
  • Domed stadium with Astroturf

When you select open stadiums, the weather can affect the game in the guise of wind, rain and snow. In the snow and rain, players are slower and have less traction. The wind affects field goals and punts making it trickier to judge direction.

The game came with a very comprehensive manual explaining in detail the intricacies of the plays and in-depth stats on the players. Simply by reading the manual, one could quite easily become an expert (or a bore).

The manual will help you learn the strengths and weaknesses of the various plays you can make (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

Although it is not difficult to pick the game and play, a cursory flick through the comprehensive manual will allow you to use your plays more effectively. I think what lets the gameplay down is when you attempt to run with the ball. The players are very slow and although you are able to spin to avoid being tackled, the players seem to run as if they are stuck in treacle. I think you’re better off sticking with the throwing game at least until you are within ten yards of the touchdown line.

Graphics

Madden ’92’s competitors released in 1991 were Tecmo Bowl (NES) and Mike Ditka Power Football (Mega Drive). I haven’t played either of those games and so cannot compare playability, but I do think that Mike Ditka Power Football’s graphics are slightly better than Madden ’92. That’s not taking away from Madden ’92 which I think looks very good and has very smooth vertical scrolling.

I particularly like the colourful gear the teams wear which clearly distinguishes them. The different shades of green of the field too is pleasing to the eye.

Music & SFX

Music doesn’t play a big role in this game, and one can live without the SFX. I tended to listen to a podcast or stick on some music.

What little SFX there are consist mainly of the crowd cheering, referee whistles, the quarterbacks calling various numbers and colours, and the grunts of the players as they smack into each other.

Replay Value

Sports games always have a lot of replay value, especially in two-player mode. Madden ’92 is not exception. I returned to it many times when competing against my brother and friends.

Personal Memories

Naturally I had heard of American football as a youngster through American films but had never actually played it. I had previously played John Madden American Football (1990) which gave me the opportunity to learn how the sport was played. When we picked up Madden ’92, I was pleased to see there had been some improvements. There were more plays for the teams to perform, and when a player was injured, an ambulance would drive onto the pitch and proceeded to plough through the huddled mass of players, splaying them across the field. Sadly, there was still no license for authentic teams, stadium and player names.

In my youth, I would always play as Chicago (because for some reason I liked the Chicago Bears), and my older brother preferred Cincinnati (Bengals). Like most sports games, Madden ‘92 is better in two-player mode.

Did I Complete The Game?

In many modern sports games you don’t necessarily complete them, as much as win the league and cup titles and then move on to the next season. Completing early sports games simply means winning a tournament or league once before restarting with a different team. I have won the play-offs many times with several different teams including Chicago, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Philadelphia.

What The Critics Said:

Mean Machines: “Better than the original John Madden’s football in every department. What more can be said?”. Overall 95%.”[1]

Mean Machines Index: “Featuring new teams, higher difficulty level and plenty of gameplay tweaks, this sequel does the impossible and improves upon the original to become the best Megadrive game yet seen! An essential purchase. Overall 96%“[2]

Sega Power: “Better than the original, but at first sight it seems very similar. Don’t be fooled! (If you’ve got the original though – think before buying. It’s not radically different.) Overall 5/5“.[3]

GamePro: “John Madden Football ’92 features the most talented computer opponent – ‘nuff said. Add to this the additional plays, two-player cooperative play, and improved graphics, and JMF ‘92 gives you great bang for your buck. Overall 5/5”.[4]

Sega Force: “Madden is one of those rare things, a complex game easy and fun to play, but with the detail to allow constant improvement by practice. Even rarer it merges detailed tactics with arcade gameplay so well, few people will be able to resist it. Overall 94%”.[5]

MegaTech: “This is the best American footy game anywhere on any machine. The graphics are excellent, and more importantly, the control system is easy to understand and use. No Megadrive owner should be without a copy. Overall 95%“.[6]

My Verdict: “An improvement on the first game. Definitely more enjoyable in two-player mode but sadly, the game hasn’t aged that well.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Madden ’92? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Review: Mega Drive – John Madden Football ’92’. Mean Machines. (December 1991). Issue 15:20-24.

[2] ‘Review Index: Mega Drive – John Madden Football ‘92’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:139.

[3] ‘The Hard Line – Review: Mega Drive – John Madden ‘92’. Sega Power. (September 1993). Issue 46:97.

[4] Fanatic Fan. ‘GamePro’s Video Football Playoff – John Madden ‘92’ GamePro. (December 1991). Issue 29:55-56.

[5] ‘Reviewed – John Madden’s Football ’92’. Sega Force. (January 1992). Issue 1:36-7.

[6] ‘Game Index – John Madden Football ‘92’. MegaTech. (May 1992). Issue 5:76.