SNES Game Review: PGA Tour Golf

I already did a review of a true golf game on the SNES, Waialae Golf Club, and one that isn't a true golf game but is labeled as one in Kirby's Dream Course (both those will be at the bottom of this blog.)  Now I go into my third golf game in PGA Tour Golf.  The folks at EA Sports were starting to dabble into the SNES market with games such as John Madden Football and this was one of the starting games as well.  To say the SNES was not real great with true golf games is putting it nicely, as I rated Waialae very lowly and to be honest PGA Tour Golf isn't great either.  Of true golf games it is the best, but that's not saying much at all if we are to be honest.  However, there are a few things that EA did well on.

PGA Tour Golf Game Cover

Positives:

1. The three tap shot system is easy.  Literally, this is what every golf game on the SNES should have done.  It's beyond the easiest way to shoot on the SNES and later on the PS1.  EA did a good solid job with this.

2. The four courses to choose from are actually pretty graphically correct.  I know the graphics could be better going forward and they would after 1991 when this game was made but the hole locations and the golf courses were actually pretty accurate to their time.

3.  The tips from the pros on the game is a cool hint.  Obviously later versions are all known about Tiger Woods.  However, a lot of different professional golfers give their hints on every hole and therefore it is pretty neat that they start with this game with the different hints.

Negatives:

1. While the three tap shot system is good, if you are off on it in anyway you are going to be very inaccurate.  This game is not forgiving in the slightest in this regard.  I guess it takes from the actual game of golf where mis-hits are brutal for a golfer though so at least it is realistic.

2. The frame rate is better than most golf games, but it is still brutal.  The frame rate is so slow in this game and it is a shame because if the frame rate was better this game would be actually a lot better.

3. There are only four courses in this game so that is kind of a let down.  I guess in the later edition of PGA Tour 96, there are double the amount but the game not being as good hurts, so I guess this is more of a sacrifice for a better gaming experience.

Rating/Ranking:
After playing PGA Tour Golf, I came away thinking this is probably the best true golf game on the SNES, but also saying that golf was not a friendly sport for the SNES to gravitate towards.  The later consoles were much more premier for golf and a much better fit than the SNES.  There are some positive things to PGA Tour Golf, but plenty of negatives.  The simplistic hitting system is nice, same for the tips from the professionals.  However, the unforgiving nature of hitting and frame rate make this a real drag to have for a game.  Still, of true golf games it is the best albeit that doesn't say much.
Ranking: Out of 10, this game gets a 3.8, with an all-time rating of 502nd out of 721 SNES games.

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SNES Game Review: Tecmo Super Bowl

  This is the start of the Tecmo age on the SNES.  Tecmo Super Bowl, a game that was hugely popular on the NES (along with his trademark starter, Tecmo Bowl.)  The NES games were huge for the Tecmo brand, as there are tournaments held across the nation still to this day.  The Tecmo game crossed through three consoles, ending with the PS1 and their game there (which is actually better than Madden 97 on the PS1 in my opinion.)  Tecmo Super Bowl started the SNES trilogy, and it is honestly unfair to compare it to the other two because Tecmo really just brought themselves better and better off the first game anyway.  I can't do much of a comparison act between the other games because of that.  But what does Tecmo do well?  What did Tecmo not do well to start the trilogy?

Tecmo Super Bowl SNES cover.  Credit: Lukiegames

Positives:

1. Quick pace- This game is amazingly fast paced, something the game takes from the NES and is actually really good to the rest of the series.  All the games are quick to finish.  Typically about 25 minutes at maximum to finish with overtime.

2. The most realistic Tecmo game honestly in terms of being competitive.  The Packers are a team that typically goes to the Divisional round but typically not much further.  The dominant teams are San Francisco, Dallas and Buffalo, and typically those three teams plus either Houston, KC or someone else are in the championship game.  Typically the Super Bowl is SF/Buffalo or Dallas/Buffalo.  There could be a surprise team like Washington (who was a playoff team in 1992, but not 1993) but those were few and far between.

3.  The playbooks are simplistic but they can also be changed on offense and defense.  It just takes a couple of buttons to press and you are good.  So if you want the Flea Flicker play, you are able to insert it in just a couple simple ways.

4. The success Tecmo took from the NES directly applies to the SNES right away.  It's easy to grasp, it's quick paced, and it's a lot of fun.  It's pretty realistic for the time in terms of skill and team ability so you don't expect the Cardinals to be better than the Giants and Cowboys or the Buccaneers to be better than Minnesota in the Central division.

Negatives:

1. Why is Brett Favre so awful at this game, and why is Ken O'Brien so good for GB?  I found myself asking this a lot.  In 1992, Favre was raw but was actually decent.  I know 1993 he was very inconsistent, but Ken O'Brien is listed on the Packers roster and was actually better than Favre.  This is evident on the deep ball to Sterling Sharpe constantly.

2. I feel like this is the start of the wacky defensive flaws of Tecmo.  You really can't get a good feel for defense on the game.  Most times you hope to get it right and most times you are wrong and it gashes you for a insanely big gain or a TD.  There were times I just wished to hold a team to a field goal and go from there.

3. It's essentially a third version of an NES game, and I know some people will find that to be a negative.  To me, it's not a terrible negative but it's one that I can agree with given the fact I have at least played some of the two games on NES, it feels a lot more of the same, if only just a bit more polished.  This is something obviously the later games fix to make it feel a SNES game.

Reaction, Ratings:

To me, Tecmo Super Bowl for the SNES is a gateway from the NES to the next versions on the SNES.  This is a perfectly okay football game and SNES game.  Obviously the later Tecmo games are better but this was a good start to the trilogy on the SNES.  You should anticipate a quick paced game that you can grasp, at least offensively.  Defensively it poses a problem and different things make you adjust a lot but with the right set up, it may work out.  Overall, as far as football games go, it's in the top 10 but behind it's two sequels, Maddens 97 and 98, both QB Club games and Sterling Sharpe End to End.
Overall Rating, Ranking: Rating for this game is likely 6.4 out of 10.  For the overall ranking, it's probably.. 331st out of 721.  The sequels do a lot better in the future and this game starts that ascent.

SNES Game Review: Super Caesar's Palace

Super Caesar's Palace is the other casino video game on the SNES, with Vegas Stakes being the other one (I will tag that review at the bottom of the page of this review.)  While Vegas Stakes had some okay ideas, some fancy music, Super Caesar's Palace had some okay ideas as well.  Note, neither is a particularly fantastic game, more merely average at best.  How does Super Caesar's Palace rate?

Super Caesar's Palace Cover.  Credit: Gamespot

Positives:

1. More games than Vegas Stakes- This is more of a pure feel to a casino, with video slots, card games, slots, etc.  So the assortment of games is definitely there.

2. Real life process- You can move around to game to game, instead of just a screen saying "Slots, Roulette" and so on.  So that makes it pretty cool for a real life process of the game.

Negatives:

1. No music? Really?- Yeah when you are playing this game and you play any slots or roulette or whatever, there isn't any music.  And the music of the game as you walk around is pretty mundane to be honest.  There isn't much to say other than it would be better with any sort of upbeat music like Vegas Stakes. Therefore there isn't as much fun.

2. You just walk around- That's all you do to find a game.  It's just walking around and just walk up to the game.  You don't leave the casino, you don't really do much of anything.  There's no real storyline other than play one game, move on.  You don't do much.

Neutral:

1. Similarity to Vegas Stakes?: There are some, but not many.  Just the games really are the same, just a bit expanded.  There are some other similarities as like you can collect big rewards on the games.  You don't have the strange encounters like Vegas Stakes which is more of a neutral than positive or negative.

Analysis:
Super Caesar's Palace does have some upsides to Vegas Stakes but also some downsides.  It's also a game that really doesn't have that nostalgia feel to it like Vegas Stakes.  It's a decent game if you want a variety of casino games which is good.  But there isn't much to it.  You just pick game, play game, win or lose money.  I guess if you wanted the straight forward lifestyle of a casino-goer, that is that right?
Overall Rating: 5.3 out of 10
All-time Rating: 387th out of 721.

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SNES Game Review: Vegas Stakes

  Seemingly everything in the 90's was put onto the Super Nintendo.  From movies to games, seemingly any star sports player having a video game, to casinos.  Yep, casinos were also a thing.  Super Caesars Palace and Vegas Stakes were the main games to this.  I played both of them in a 48-hour span because they really are just pick up and play, easy to navigate and deal with.  The first of the two I will review is Vegas Stakes.  This game is a bit of a nostalgic feature for me, as I also had it for the Game Boy and enjoyed it for my child years playing. Will that affect my rating?  Or how do I see this game in an overall aspect?

Game Cover of Vegas Stakes. Credit: Lukie Games

Positives:

1. Simple, easy pick up and play- There is no strategy to this.  Literally, all you do is pick up, play, enter your name, go to one of the four (later five) casinos in the game.  It's much like hot and cold in real life casinos.  You win, you lose, you win big, you lose big.  If you get bored with one, you go to the next casino and keep winning money.

2. The music- I actually thought the music was quite upbeat.  If you like a sorta techno hip-hop mix then this is for you in a lot of ways.  I liked it.  If it's not your forte, that is alright as well.

3.  The feel of Vegas- I think the glitz and glamour of Vegas is decently represented here. The lights of Vegas, the casinos, and the wheel and deal spirit are all there when you play Vegas Stakes.

Negatives:

1. Slim array of games- Usually at a casino there are a vast array of games, whether roulette, poker, video slots, etc.  There is a limited amount of any of those in Vegas Stakes.  Essentially it is poker, blackjack, slots, roulette, and craps.  I think the idea was to provide the basics of gambling in Vegas, but I feel like they could have put more into the game.

2. You get bored real quick- Yeah, this was going to come up with any casino game.  Yeah it's just the same thing over and over again.  You go to one casino, play the games.  Then another, and another.  Hence why this game is quick to get to the end point of beating it.

3. The sideshows- I didn't really know what to put here but there are various scenarios during the game where someone comes up, asks you to do something or invest or whatever it may be.  If you say yes, it can be good or bad.  The problem is to me it overwhelms the game rather than being fluid.  They would have done far better without the many sideshow scenarios playing a role.

Neutral:

1. Nostalgia- This was a fun game for me as a kid, mainly because as a kid I never thought of having 100,000 dollars, let alone ten million.  To me that was always fun to play as.  I think that is part of why I always get this game regardless of how many times I played it on SNES or on Game Boy.

In Final: All in all, to me Vegas Stakes is a fairly ordinary game.  To me, Super Caesars Palace is better than Vegas Stakes when I played both of them essentially back-to-back.  The nostalgic factor though for me will never go away.  In all honesty, it is always a cheap buy so you wouldn't be wasting much with it.  It's a merely average game that is worth the price of payment.
Overall Rating: 5.8 out of 10
All-Time Rating: 350th out of 721.