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As the baseball season winds down, we take a look at one of the many titles that fought for ballpark supremacy on the Genesis. Electronic Arts strove hard to compete with Sega’s incredible World Series Baseball series, but its La Russa franchise struck out when placed alongside the competition.
EA’s seminal hockey series lasted well into the twilight of the 16-bit era, and while fans will debate which is the best installment, the series never really dropped its overall level of quality. That’s pretty impressive compared to the many other sports franchises that floundered as time wore on, and the 1997 edition of NHL is proof positive that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” does work.
Itching for another excuse to break out that multi-tap? EA’s tennis game might not be as awesome as Mega Bomberman or any of the Micro Machines games, but it’s still a good way to get some multi-player action going with friends.
EA’s NHL series had one last outing before departing for 32-bit waters, and the final installment ranks among the best. NHL ’98 is a clear example of why the Genesis was THE sports machine during the 16-bit era, and it was a fitting bookend to the remarkable legacy Electronic Arts left on the console.
In almost a decade on the Genesis, the Madden franchise evolved from a simple football game into an industry juggernaut. The ’96 installment was the last one made with 16-bit hardware in mind, and it’s the last truly great Madden game on the console.