Standard Edition
StandardIn the box
- NES cartridge
- Box with cover art
- Instruction booklet
NES
About the Nintendo Entertainment System
Tecmo Bowl
Tecmo Bowl is a 1987 American football video game developed and published by Tecmo for arcades. The game features a large dual screen cabinet with up to four players between two fictitious teams.
Sport
- Update patch
- No patch
- Plays offline
- Yes
Overview
Tecmo Bowl is a 1987 American football video game developed and published by Tecmo for arcades. The game features a large dual screen cabinet with up to four players between two fictitious teams. A port for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released in 1989 and was the first console game to include real National Football League players, via a license from the NFL Players Association. A Game Boy version developed by Sculptured Software followed in 1991.
The NES version was extremely popular, spawning various sequels, starting with 1991's Tecmo Super Bowl. The NES original has been cited as one of the best sports video games ever made. The NES and arcade versions have been re-released (without the NFLPA license) for various platforms.
Official trailer
Gameplay Video. Watch on YouTube
Gameplay
Tecmo Bowl (NES) Playthrough, NintendoComplete. Watch on YouTube
Screenshots
Game details
- Genres
- Sport
- Developer
- Tecmo
- Publisher
- Tecmo
- Series
- Tecmo Bowl
- Platforms
- Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System
- Modes
- Single player
- Yes
- Local multiplayer
- Yes
- Online multiplayer
- No
- Co op
- No
Release dates
| Platform | Region | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Entertainment System | North America | 1989-02-01 |
Editions
Space and patches
Update patchNo patch
DLC
No DLC. NES games had no downloadable content.
Playable today
Playable offline todayYes
No online features on the cartridge; every mode works today on any NES, and the game is on Nintendo Switch Online.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ever released on disc | Yes, on NES cartridge |
| Ever released in the store | Yes, 12 March 2007 On the Wii Virtual Console. Later on the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console, and in the NES library of Nintendo Switch Online from its launch in September 2018. |
| In the store to buy today | No The Wii, Wii U and 3DS shops have closed. Playable with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. |
| Can be downloaded again if you already bought it | Yes Wii, Wii U and 3DS Virtual Console purchases can still be downloaded again. The Nintendo Switch Online version needs an active membership. |
| Disc runs with no patch | Yes |
| Disc runs with the final patch | Does not exist No patch was ever released. |
| Has online features | No Not on the cartridge. The Nintendo Switch Online version plays its two-player mode online with friends. |
| Online servers running today | Does not exist |
| Playable offline today: campaign | Yes |
| Playable offline today: local multiplayer | Yes Two players face each other in the two-player or coach mode. |
| Playable offline today: online multiplayer | Does not exist No online play. |
| Playable offline today: DLC | Does not exist No DLC. |
Online
Plays offlineYes
Reception
- Critics
Outlet Score Scale Computer Entertainer 7 8
Staff and cast
- Staff
Role Name Developer Tecmo Publisher Tecmo Composer Keiji Yamagishi
Notes for collectors
- The first console game with real NFL players, through a licence from the NFL Players Association.
- A home version of Tecmo's 1987 arcade game; the NES version is for two players instead of four.
- Three modes: one-player, two-player and coach. The one-player season continues with passwords.
- Nintendo Power staff voted it 30th in their top 100 games in 1997.
- Followed by Tecmo Super Bowl in 1991.
Credits
- Publisher
- Tecmo
- Developer
- Tecmo
- Released
- 1989-02-01
- Age rating
- Not rated (pre-ESRB, before 1994)
- Region
- US
Spotted something that's wrong? Tell me and I'll check it.