Snappy title. Yes, prior to Kinect Sports and Season Two (and Ultimate Collection, and Gems) it may have been a while since Rare last tackled digital sports, but look a little further back and there’s certainly a precedent. Several, in fact, without even venturing into “is that a sport?” territory with motor racing or, y’know, pinball. Let’s remind ourselves, in a vaguely chronological fashion…
1. Slalom (1987)
Rare’s very first NES release, and first release at all since emerging from the sparkly cocoon of 8-bit home computer titan Ultimate Play the Game. A very competent arcade-style skiing game with a nice sensation of speed and liberal sprinkling of hazards to dodge, memorable for having a level called Mount Nasty and for making your skiier look like he was in a state of undress and urgently trying to stick his sunburned backside in your face.
Box blurb: “Hit the slopes of Mount Masty for the challenge of your life!”
Review quote: “With its fun and challenging gameplay Slalom is one of those games that’s easy to just pick up and start playing every now and again. Rare certainly got its legacy off on the right foot with this overlooked gem.” – NES Times
2. John Elway’s Quarterback (1989)
Yes, us Brits – well, mostly Brits, and probably Brit singular as development teams were often one person in those days – took an early stab at calling a ‘bootleg’ or a ‘lookie’ from the playbook with this basic but enthusiastic ’80s arcade conversion. Chances that nobody at Rare had ever heard of John Elway prior to this: 99.5%. Still, on the back of the box he was quoted as saying “it sure beats rolling a 300lb defensive tackle off your back”, which was nice of him, we think.
Box blurb: “Line-of-scrimmage realism that puts you in the middle of the game!”
Review quote: “Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on in the game nor do I want to learn the available plays in order to understand a twenty-five year old NES football game.” – The Quest to Review Every NES Game
3. California Games (1989)
A widely ported 8-bit classic from Epyx, and another NES task for Rare as it took on its first multi-sports extravaganza. The term ‘sports’ in this case being stretched loosely enough to encompass foot bag and flying disc, alongside more conventional contenders such as surfing, BMX racing, half-pipe and skating (or at least jumping over all the rubbish on a surprisingly grotty California beachfront).
Box blurb: “The most radical fun under the sun!”
Review quote: “With its multitude of options, including the multi-player mode, California Games offers plenty of challenge and lasting appeal and shouldn’t be missed by crazy dude sports fans.” –Mean Machines
4. Jordan vs Bird: One on One (1989)
‘80s b-ball legends squished together on the court for backboard-rattling good times, no semblance of team play asked for or given, thanks very much. The three-point contest (reprised with motion controls 20-odd years later) was Bird’s territory while the dunk-off in front of a judging panel was more Jordan’s thing – or you could just pick a player and maul a friend/the CPU in a one-on-one skirmish.
Box blurb: “Half court is now in session!”
Review quote: “Physics for the ball seem especially well-designed, and Jordan’s dunks inspire proper amounts of awe. The game won’t win any presentation points, but what’s underneath is solid.” – Just Games Retro
5. WWF Wrestlemania (1989)
Hulk Hogan, Brian Blessed and Christopher Lambert: all legendary figures that any discerning developer would love to depict in their box art. We’ve managed Hogan so far. Blessed remains a work in progress, while the Lambert thing might just be me. The first of three Rare wrestling games of the era featured cheerily unsubtle side-on thumping (not much grappling, for some reason) with no fewer than six wrestlers to choose from, which is roughly all the wrestlers who have ever lived.
Box blurb: “Get ready to experience WWF Wrestlemania… from the inside!”
Review quote: “Once a beating has been administered, the sore wrestler will begin to blink red, giving them a brief boost of power to try and mount a comeback. Since even getting up after being knocked down is a challenge, a comeback is nothing more than a pleasant thought.” – Digital Press
Still to come in part two: Baseball! Basketbrawl! Football spotting! Caber tossing! More!