Football games forgotten by time

Above: Hail to the King, baby

So yeah, EA went and ended that conflict forever back in 2004 by buying up the NFL rights exclusively, thus tanking any hope for other developers hoping to license the players and teams of the National Football League. And while the demise of the 2K series is sad, we’ve had plenty of time to get over it… and after a long look back at these football games of yore, we’re possibly a little grateful! Almost overnight there were no more football games. Ironically, despite the lack of any competition whatsoever, the Madden seems to deliver the goods every year. To its credit, it’s improved itself so persistently everybody’s all but forgotten about the several dozen mediocre football titles that dared to dream. Except GamesRadar…

Above: NOT THESE

We’re not talking about Tecmo Bowl here. I can’t mention what I do to strangers my age without getting bombarded with a billion Tecmo Bowl questions (and it just got remade.) Nor are we talking about whatever the that bizarre thing Europeans call “Football” featuring helmetless men in shorts kicking a checkered sphere back and forth. We’re talking the Good Ol Fashion, beer guzzlin’, American FOOTBAWL Hank Williams Jr. sang about. So, we gotta ask