Elite Eight: MVP 2005 (PC) vs. Tecmo Super Bowl

[BlyGilmore]

MVP Baseball/Tecmo Super Bowl Division

#1 MVP Baseball 2005 (PC)

vs.

#2 Tecmo Super Bowl

The Argument for MVP Baseball 05 (PC)
By Noles_ACC
MVP Baseball 2005 reversed the negative stereotypes of previous EA baseball titles. The fact that MVP 05 represents a comeback, multiple years in the making, must be factored in, as the game didn't simply build on something great but rather was the redevelopment from something that, well, sucked.

What made it great? Well the nifty, three-click pitching meter that allowed for precise control over both power and accuracy, added a third yellow stripe, allowing for more error from the previous year's succeed (green stripe) or fail (red stripe). The batting, in a nod to simpler times, didn't rely on laser dot matching or crosshair pinpointing, as much as you simple saw-the-ball, hit-the-ball. Great sports games are usually very similar in how they can produce authenticity through simplicity. MVP 05 was that game.

The game also swung for the fences, proverbially, off the field as well, adding a second style of Dynasty mode, which incorporated many text-sim features, like setting concession stand prices, monitoring attendance, and pampering players to keep their "mood" happy. That mode was added on-top of an already strong, more traditional Dynasty mode that only the previous year had the distinction of being the first arcade baseball game (meaning non-text games) of adding Minor League teams to your roster.

Despite losing out to 2K for the exclusive MLB license, MVP Baseball 2005 continues to be a fan favorite, with a large and vibrant community of modders pushing the title forward year after in absense of EA officially developing the game.

Other than 3DOs cult classic, High Heat Baseball series, MVP 2005 was the only baseball game that I played a full 162-game season in. The reason was simple: the game was approachable in terms of gameplay, offered a wealth of off-field variables, and looked great.

The Argument for Tecmo Super Bowl
By ChrisS
This is an easy sell for me. Tecmo Super Bowl is the epitome of football video gaming for anyone over 18 that experienced it's greatness as a kid. For those of you young folk who never have played the game, I pity you. And for those of you that stopped at just Tecmo Bowl, again, I pity you.

Tecmo Super Bowl was a beefed up version of Tecmo Bowl that just worked. Everything was expanded, with multiple season options to choose from and the the solid core gameplay from Tecmo Bowl basically the same.

You still had the teams, players, etc. that made the first game feel authentic. But, you also had slightly better graphics, some better options as far as season mode, and you also had expanded playbooks. In all reality, Tecmo Super Bowl should be your vote all the way to the end, even over Tecmo Bowl.

The sequel did it best.

According to the Community

MVP Baseball 2005. One of the best games ever made, regardless of sport. And I still play it on the console with the old rosters. If I had it for PC with all those mods, wow, it'd be that much better. But even without that, it's amazing. (slickdtc)

TSB is still the greatest football game ever to me. You can play it in a short amount of time, and there's even small strategies on how to throw a pass to make the receiver jump, etc. The fact that people are still doing mods (32 team, 4-3 defense, weather, etc.) on this game 20 years after it was made speaks volumes. (Cletus)

[MassNole]

Tecmo Super Bowl is perhaps the best football game in console history for the time it was created. It was also very important for the overall development of console sports gaming, I would even go as far as to say that without that game internet communities like this may not exist today. The game still has a large following today, which is amazing considering most HS kids were not born when this game was released. I know MVP 2005 is a great game, heck I still play it on the PS2, but TSB needs to win this.

[aukevin]

Nice knowing you MVP, you had a nice run. Super Tecmo Bowl here.

[joshuar9476]

dang ... i love baseball so much more than football, but super tecmo bowl is the pinnacle of sports gaming.

[Cletus]

Can you even argue with this??

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[Scott]

MVP had a good run, can't not vote for TSB.

[Dislimb]

This matchup should have happened later. Damn brackets! Had to go with MVP simply because I have played it more than any other video game in my life. I love TSB but MVP gets the nod from me.

[Jethown]

MVP 2005 is still a really good game. But, I've gotta go with TSB.

Ready? Down, hut! hut! hut! hut! hut! hut! hut! hut!

[slickdtc]

What a bad draw for MVP 05. Such is life.

TSB, of course. It's getting my vote until the end.