I tinkered with the player edit feature for a long time.  It's fun!
Must be about 20 different attributes to vary -- btw, to see them all
for each player, move them into different positions.  Every stat is
kept for EVERY player...which is nice, given all the switchero-stuff
going on in the NFL these days!!

This game takes up 12 memory slots out of 15 on a card.  Seriously,
don't make modifications to the rosters or player attributes until
you're sure you've got a card which has 12 slots open.  It's an
all-or-nothing thing, irrespective of whether you've even started a
season.

Then I finally played a game.  I'll tell you what:  if you're a Tecmo
fan and own a PS, don't even think about not picking this up!  It's
got all the Tecmo style and tradition of 8- and 16-bit versions, but
it's juiced up a bit with PS power.

The controls are vintage Tecmo:  simple.  The 'x' button is to be
rapidly tapped when you're being tackled or doing the tackling, just
like previous Tecmos did it.  The square button is for diving and the
triangle button is for jumping/catching/intercepting/blocking.
However, passing has been improved:  you can scroll through receivers
using two buttons instead of just one;  after hiking the ball you
press either triangle or circle to rotate through receivers, rather
than just one way.  If you pass a guy up, just press the other button
to get back to him -- no more frenetic reshuffling through the
receivers to get back to the one you passed over who was open at the
time....

There are still milestone markers (300 yards for QBs, 100 yards for
RBs & for Receivers -- not 150 like before, boo!), but they're just
partial screen congratulations (transparency overlay) with audio and
photo.  Many players are actively called out by name by the
commentator.  This is a really sweet upgrade!!

There is a tournament mode for all you rabid dormies who need to go
round-robin, or whatever, through all hours of the night....

The gameplay is nearly identical to the 16-bit Tecmo's:  simple.
However, there are more plays to choose from, and guessing the
opponents play doesn't happen anymore -- kinda a good thing, but also
a bit astray from tradition (!).

While I'm on the gameplay issue, it's still true that once you've
settled on a player to play as before the ball is set in motion, you
cannot choose other players.  This means that there's no way of
immediately switching over control to the player/s nearest the ball.
You're stuck with the one you originally picked.  This is Tecmo
goodness;  if you don't like the idea of it, Tecmo's not gonna make
you very happy until and if you get used to it.

The plays are still picked in essentially the same way, with the
addition of the shoulder buttons for toggling clusters of play from
left to right or right to left (remember how we had to press in a
direction + a button?  same here).  There are four plays onscreen at
once;  two are passing and two are running -- they can be replaced
with other plays with the shoulder buttons.  There are useful call
such as kneeling - for burning away time - but we all know that this
isn't what's generally done with Tecmo -- play is quick and brutal.

All the options that were in the latest version of Tecmo for the
16-bit consoles are pretty much here.  Unfortunately, the quarters are
only able to be played in 5, 10, and 15 minute quarters.  Man, that's
a bummer!!  I liked playing at about 6 or 7 minutes, given my style
and pace of play.

The players look pretty darn nice but don't have any of the luster
you'll see in Madden '97 or Sony offerings.  The framerate is not as
high as in other football games out for the PS.  The animation is not
standout-ish by any means.

But it's Tecmo, man.  And it's all there -- this game retains very
well the spirit of Tecmo.  The gods of Tecmo are pleased, no doubt.

The stats are presented in a new way now.  Gone are the hierarchical
presentations.  This is kind of sad.  But the new interface isn't bad
as far as interfaces for stat. presentation go.  Better than most.
However, there is only one column of stats shown at once, similar to
Madden '97.  That's kinda a buzzkill, even though I don't do drugs.
Also, there are all-time season records which can be surpassed, just
like last year's version.

There are choosable endzone celebrations -- underwhelming and silly,
in the propa Tecmo tradition.  You know what else?  There is a mild
amount of commentary (more than Madden '97) during the game...at one
point, the guy says, "Passing would be propa in this case, I think."
This is too damn funny for me.  When I heard it, I almost fell outta
my highchair.  I like the way he says, "Excellent," also, for
successful *big* yardage plays.  The sayings do get mildly repetitive,
but at least they're well done.

The stadiums are higher res. than either GameBreakers or Madden '97,
IMO, including team/player-specific banners on the walls.  Well done.
Sharp graphics (not as detailed as Madden '97 or GBreakers in any way,
but certainly higher resolution!).

Only a couple of views are satisfactory for me.  In fact, in the
behind-the-QB view, the game oddly slows down and becomes utterly
choppy to watch.  So you'll be sticking to the traditional-type Tecmo
views, I think.  Perhaps this view isn't so bad when you're playing in
the more distant view, rather than in the close-in view, which is what
I was playing in.  Will have to check.

There *is* scale-in for running plays and for once a ball is caught
through the air.  No nameplates or numbers on jerseys, but the players
who are being controlled have pictures at the top of the screen, and,
as I've already mentioned, the commentatory often mentions the name of
a receiver who's caught the ball, made a good tackle, and so on, so
it's not too shabby.

BTW, balls are still launch-able like in earlier versions.  A Hail
Mary through the air -- lasting forever and a day with a giant arc --
is a cool thing, for Tecmo lovers.  Esp. when it lands in, say, Cris
Carter's breakbasket.  Or Moore's.  Or Keyshawn's (he's in there, name
and all, as are many other rookies, I'm happy to say!).

Again, if you do not like previous versions of Tecmo Super Bowl, you
probably won't like this one.  If you adore the previous versions like
I do, then you've come home when you begin playing this game.

P.S.  The data doesn't autoload, but you have easy access to either
memory card 1 or 2, and you don't need to hunt through the memory
card's every file, ala, EA games...just press 'x' button to load/save.
And, you'll *love* this, I know it -- the load and save feature are in
their own separate menus -- no more accidental loading over games
which you had intended to save instead, ala Madden '97.  

Excellent job, Tecmo!  For fans of football who want a game which
plays simple and has a low (but classic) learning curve, Tecmo is
flavor country....

You'll find more strategy and intensity in the other great football
games just out on the market, though.  Better graphics and animation,
too!!

But dare I call this one a classic?  Yep.

Rick Brown
brow0130@gold.tc.umn.edu