Slate's Chris Suellentrop claims that 1989's NES classic, Tecmo Bowl, ruined sports video games. Before you demand he be tossed to the wolves, know that Suellentrop is referring to the fact that Tecmo Bowl was an NFLPA licensed game, in a time when unlicensed titles like Double Dribble and Baseball Stars were the standard.
What followed, was a licensing onslaught that resulted in a competition to be "the best possible simulation of an
actual sports league." Suellentrop believes that in the bid to make the most authentic sports title, publishers have
been forced to close the door on some of the features that made old school sports titles fun. He sees the current EA
monopoly on the NFL license as an opportunity to regain the spirit of innovation, forging beyond the ghost of
imitation.
[Thanks, Guslav]
