Category Archives: FSM Video Games

An Extremely Scientific and Not-At-All-Overly-Dramatic Investigation of the Madden Curse

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For decades, football fans have debated one of the most important questions in sports—not whether overtime rules are fair, not whether the NFL should bring back those aggressively shiny 2000s jerseys, but something far more urgent: Does the Madden Curse really exist? And more importantly, should star players start refusing EA Sports’ calls the way we all avoid extended car warranties? Let us examine the evidence…

The Case For the Curse

The Madden Curse, in theory, is simple: a player appears on the cover of Madden, and something catastrophic happens the following season. Injury. Bad stats. A sudden inability to catch footballs, or in some cases, the sudden ability to catch only footballs thrown by the other team.

Some examples have become legendary. You can’t talk about the curse without mentioning the dramatic tales of players who went from “unstoppable MVP machine” to “guy on the sideline Googling physical therapy clinics.” Even skeptics have to admit the pattern can look a little spooky—like a sports-themed ghost whispering, “Nice ACL you got there… shame if something happened to it.”

The Case Against the Curse

Skeptics argue that star players get hurt because football is, scientifically speaking, a sport where enormous humans collide at highway speeds. They claim injuries are “normal” and “predictable” and not the result of a digital box with a picture of you pointing heroically into the middle distance.

These skeptics are, of course, no fun at parties.

Scientific Investigation (Not Peer Reviewed; Honestly Not Even Self Reviewed)

In conducting our personal research, we employed cutting-edge methodologies:

* Watching YouTube highlight compilations

* Googling “Is the Madden Curse real??”

* Squinting dramatically at spreadsheets

Our findings are groundbreaking: sometimes players get better after being on the cover. Sometimes they get worse. Sometimes they become memes. In other words, the Madden Curse behaves exactly like my houseplants—occasionally thriving, occasionally collapsing, and completely unpredictable.

Final Verdict

Does the Madden Curse truly exist? Maybe. Maybe not. But it’s definitely fun to blame when your favorite player suddenly forgets how ankles work.

And until science proves otherwise, we should all treat the Madden cover like a mysterious ancient artifact—admire from afar, but maybe don’t touch it unless you’ve recently updated your insurance policy.

So yes, the Madden Curse exists, at least in our hearts, our memes, and the overly dramatic sports takes we write on the internet.

Magic Johnson’s Fast Break Turns 35

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Magic Johnson’s Fast Break is a basketball video game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1988. The game was developed and published by Tradewest, and it features basketball legend Magic Johnson as its namesake and cover star. Now 35 years old, FSM explores of if the game stands the test of time…

The game itself received mixed reviews from players and critics, which may have impacted its commercial success. Some praised it for its fast-paced gameplay and action, while others criticized it for its lack of depth and limited gameplay mechanics. The graphics and sound were considered decent for the NES era, but weren’t groundbreaking in terms of presentation.

However, the basketball game does offer a unique and fast-paced interpretation of the sport. While the game is played scrolling from side-to-side, similar to other classic basketball games of its time, the gameplay significantly differs as gamers are playing 2 on 2 instead of the traditional 5 on 5. Of course, 2 on 2 makes it easier to have Fast Breaks (and earn more money in the game) and makes for a different gaming experience. There is also the big Pepsi banner at half court which hardcore fans always seem to remember.

Overall, Magic Johnson’s Fast Break aimed to provide action-packed basketball, focusing on quick decision-making and high-scoring gameplay. While it did not have the complexity and realism of modern basketball games, it offered an enjoyable and engaging experience for players during its time on the NES platform.

The game did not end up being as successful for Nintendo compared to some of the more popular sports games released for the NES around that time. While it had a unique concept and featured a well-known sports personality like Magic Johnson (but no other NBA players), it didn’t achieve the same level of recognition as games such as Double Dribble and Tecmo NBA Basketball which became more established and had broader appeal. Fast Break didn’t become a standout title for the NES and is often not as well-remembered as the iconic games mentioned above. Ultimately, the game’s success can be considered modest but not on the level of major NES hits.

In the end, whether someone considers Magic Johnson’s Fast Break to be good or not depends on personal preferences and nostalgia for retro gaming. If you’re a fan of basketball and enjoy classic NES games, it might be worth trying out to see if it appeals to you. However, keep in mind that video game standards and expectations have evolved significantly since the NES era, so it may not hold up to modern gaming experiences.

FSM Retro: A Lil’ Love for SNES’ Super Punch-Out!!

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FSM takes a look back at the rarely talked about Super Punch-Out!! boxing game courtesy of Shaun Rogers from NextLevelGamerz. We find out it’s not that hard following the classic sans Mike Tyson and that gamers can have a little old-school fun…

Super Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the SNES. It was released on September 14, 1994 in North America and again in the same region in 1996.

Super Punch-Out!! is an impressive boxing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It features great graphics, cool music, tight control, and excellent replay value. This game should be considered one of the greatest boxing games in video game history. The characters are full of personality and are unique and fun to fight. The game takes advantage of the SNES graphics chip capabilities and really pushes the envelope as far as graphics are concerned.

Playing this game is very enjoyable, as it is fun to play as a newbie or as an experienced veteran. Beating the opposition takes time and learning their patterns and moves really is a must. Super Punch-Out still rates up there as one of my favorite video games of all time. Beating the special hidden circuit definitely takes skills, and that is what I love about the game.

Gameplay

The action is fast, and the response times are lightning quick. Each opponent forces you to re-think your maneuvering, as they all have their own unique styles and patterns. The controls are simple enough, with a left and right punch, as well as a super punch. Dodging and blocking become key components in this game if you are to be successful.

The game play is very tight and responsive and pulling off super punches is easy. The game is easy enough for anybody to pick up and learn, and it is fun enough for everyone who wants to. Your boxer controls flawlessly and avoiding your opponent’s attacks will timing and skill.

The Storyline

You must take over the role of an underdog boxer attempting to win the Minor, Major, World, and Special Circuit Championships. Old arcade favorites like Bear Hugger, Piston Hurricane, and Bald Bull are here, as well as NES favorites like Mr. Sandman, and Super Macho Man. You are attempting to battle your way to the top of these circuits, which contain four boxers in each circuit, and the fourth opponent is the reigning champion. Overall the story is very simple but it works.

Graphics & Sound

Super Punch-Out is well animated and features beautiful cartoon like graphics that gives each fighter their own personality. The graphics are colorful and the characters are well animated. I love the opponents, Narcis Prince and Bear Hugger both are very different from one another but are so beautifully drawn that they just make my jaw drop wide open. The ring mat changes from circuit to circuit, but you only have the choice of using the one boxer.

He does not appear to be Little Mac from Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out but rather is a different character all together. The graphics are so bright and colorful that it is hard not to appreciate them. The opponents all have special facial and body expressions when they are about to pull off a new move or when they get decked themselves. It is comical to watch your opponent go sprawling into the corner after a knockdown punch.

It seems that each character is bigger than the last, and they all are so well done that each one is either very likable or easy to despise. The boxers feature their own theme songs and the sound effects from the punches are excellent. The sounds of the boxers are great as they each have their own voice samples, and the sound of your boxer after winning a match is great too. He will either exclaim that the match was, “A piece of cake,” or, “Too close”… your opponents laugh and pose when they win the match, which is incentive enough to get back in there and take them on once again.

The Games Re-playability

This game is very fun and the replay value is so high until you finish every circuit. The game has great graphics and sound, and the control is very precise and tight. Playing this game over and over can be easy to do because of all the entertainment value it possesses.

Attempting to beat your old best scores can be another incentive to play this game again. Tweaking your skills and becoming a master takes lots of time and practice, but putting a lot of effort into a game like this is easy just because it is so well done.

Final Thoughts

This game is a must have for Super NES owners. The cartoon like quality of the graphics makes this game humorous and addicting, and the music and sound effects are all right on with the game atmosphere. Missing out on Super Punch-Out!! would be a tragedy as this is the best boxing game Nintendo has ever made.

It is fun, addictive, humorous, challenging, and entertaining. Spending lots of time with your SNES will not be to difficult once you pick up a copy of Super Punch-Out!!, it is that kind of a game that still amazes even years later.

For more game reviews and things alike, visit nextlevelgamerz.