2009-2010 Tecmo ROM Reviews

[Rodman49]

As a long time Tecmo player I have always wanted up to date Tecmo rosters. All the new Madden and 2k Sports games are great but they lack the quick intensity of the old Tecmo games. Additionally for all their complexity new games have almost exactly the same formula as Tecmo Super Bowl; except that Tecmo is more streamlined, features bigger play,s and after 19 years is still the best available football game out there.

Since there is a wealth of Tecmo 2009 mods (or ROMs) out there, I have decided someone should review all of these mods on some kind of quantifiable scale, but also provide a quick commentary on each mod. I’ve made my reviews centered on a few categories:

1. Graphics – Does the mod feature updated graphics? Do graphics generally match real life uniforms? Is the mod generally free of graphical errors? Does the mod have an overall look and cohesive feel?
2. Features (Hacks) – Does the mod feature well thought out new features (hacks) or address problems from the original Tecmo game? Are the new features well executed and devoid of errors?
3. Ratings – Do the overall player ratings make sense? How do the player ratings affect gameplay?
4. Feel – By far the most subjective and arbitrary of the categories, feel refers to how does the game over all feel and play? Is it a massive change from original Tecmo or almost exactly the same?


THE MASTER LIST

Buck's Tecmo Super Bowl 09-10
Overall: 93%
Link: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12512
Full Review: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12525#p99369
Overview: Comprehensive mod or ROM that has all 32-team with new graphics and many engine fixes and hacks. Includes common hacks such as PA/PC difference, Quickness Fix, Playbook, Adjustable Quarters, Slightly Increased Juice. Most notably has new plays in playbook that include the Halfback option. Multiple versions with different hacks. Overall favors offense with slightly lower overall stats when compared with Tecmo. Reasonable sim data. A must download if you want Tecmo with 2009 rosters.

Jeid's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010
Overall: 87%
Link: http://www.inlofi.com/tecmo-super-bowl/2009-2010-nfl-tecmo-super-bowl
Full Review: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12525#p99486
Overview: Updated mod or ROM of the 2007 32-team mod. Includes common hacks such as Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Playbook. Lots of extra documented hacks such as PvP Grappling and PA/PC defined. Multiple versions including Vanilla, Juiced, and Alternate Uniforms. Most polished and documented mod. Compressed or more simulation like player ratings (deflated ratings compared to original tecmo). Minor errors in rosters. Slightly deflated simulation data. A more simulation style Tecmo for the 2009 season.

Knobbe's Tecmo Super Bowl 2k9
Overall: 82%
Link: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12513
Full Review: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12525#p99416
Overview: Updated mod or ROM of the 2007 32-team mod. Includes common hacks such as Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Playbook. Probably the best Player Stats and very good simulation data. Player Stats have a spread similar to Tecmo - best WR with 81 Reception and a few players with 75 MS. Lacks varied initial playbook configurations. Perfect for those who want a more Pure Tecmo experience minus opposing playbook variation.

Mr. Paul Ryan's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010
Overall: 82%
Link: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12510
Full Review: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12525#p99477
Overview: Updated mod or ROM of the 2007 32-team mod. Undocumented common hacks such as Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Advanced Playbook. Super inflated Player Ratings with huge spread and interesting discrepancies. Plays more like a Super or Arcady version of Tecmo (think Super Street Fighter II Turbo compared to Street Fighter II or think Madden to NFL Blitz). Unique ROM that is for people who like extremely fast moving and fast paced Tecmo.

Drummer's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010
Overall: 80%
Link: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12460
Full Review: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12525#p99501
Overview: Drummer's ROM features the most extensive graphics work of the 2010 roms (excepting the Super Coach ROM). His player ratings generally fall into the original Tecmo mold but less cleanly than Buck's or Knobbe's. There are a few roster and spelling errors as well as huge discrepancies in overall team performance. Undocumented common hacks such as Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Advanced Playbook are present and possibly others. Good playbook variation but needs fine tuning. If you want the best looking Tecmo mod this one is it.


WANT TO COACH?

Maynard's Tecmo Super Coach 2009-10
Overall: 97%
Link: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12143
Full Review: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12525&start=15#p99621
Overview: Incredible coaching ROM featuring 32-teams with many bugfixes and hacks. No noticeable bugs, common and fully documented hacks listed in manual. New defensive playcalling. Redrawn play calling graphics. Overall slower gameplay than Tecmo but balanced ratings and simulation stats. A must download for anyone playing coach any year.

[Rodman49]

Buck’s Tecmo Super Bowl 09-10
A full review of Buck's Tecmo Super Bowl 09-10

• Graphics – Buck’s mod features updated uniforms and graphics for all 32 NFL teams. The uniforms are generally similar to the uniforms worn by the teams today and this mod even includes some of the throwback or alternate uniforms such as the New York Giant’s red jerseys. The on-field uniforms themselves have odd color selection but nothing worse than the “Purple Patriots” or “Pink 49ers” from original Tecmo. The main graphical errors for this mod come with a disconnect between the on-field uniforms and the cinema scene uniforms for certain teams such as the Seattle Seahawks. In one instance they had on full blue jerseys but in the cinema scenes they appeared with white jerseys. Overall the mod has a great look and cohesive feel with a few minor hiccups. VERDICT: 95%

• Features – The biggest pull of Buck’s mod is his extensive hacking of the original Tecmo rom. He adds in some of the great basic fixes such as PA/PC differentiation, use of Quickness, and increased QB fumble rate. He also adds in a slew of more controversial ones such as Shorter Punts, Slightly Increased Juice, No Shanks on Kickoffs, and Dedicated KR/PR speed. I feel the basic fixes are fine and should be included in every version while the others should have separate versions for each combination. I did not use the Coverage Hack it looked too painful to be fun so that won’t be included in this review (but kudos to Buck for adding a with and without version). By the most incredible addition is the new formations and plays that Buck adds. These plays immediately look different on both the play calling screen and when executed. They add a completely different flow and feel compared to the normal Tecmo plays and give a rejuvenating boost to play selection. The only downside about these plays is that the diagrams and names for them are horrible, and do not clearly tell the user how the play will be executed. I suggest you first watch a computer play with the plays before you use them. VERDICT: 90%

• Ratings/Simulation – Ratings and simulation tend to be the biggest reason there are different mods available for the 2009 season. In general ratings are somewhat depressed from what they were in the original Tecmo Super Bowl except for defensive backs who all have a minimum of 50 Interception Rating. In general I feel a few players could use some minor adjustments but besides the high Interception Rating nothing stood out as super problematic. Simulation data was generally pretty good overall with the Steelers, Vikings, and Eagles all as top tier teams in each of the three seasons I participated in. Running backs probably have too many carries in the League Leaders section and quarterbacks could stand to throw for more yards, although that may be difficult with every secondary being a nightmare secondary. VERDICT: 85%

• Feel – Probably the best available mod I have played for the 2009 season based on the new plays and how each team has a different playbook. These alone could be added to the original Tecmo to create a whole new enjoyable experience. Passing is more risky with all the DBs having 50 INT but I still threw for about 300 yards a game with Shaun Hill (49ers QB) in the playoffs. I feel games tend to be massive shootouts so the default clock time may have been increased. I only had one playoff game with below 90 points scored in it, so this mod clearly favors offense over defense. Additionally the improved AI almost never gets sacked and makes excellent WR and playcalling decisions making the AI better without extreme amounts of juice. VERDICT: 98%

• OVERALL: 93%

[Rod Woodson]

Most excellent...keep them rolling

[Rodman49]

Knobbe's Tecmo Super Bowl 2k9
A full review of Knobbe's Tecmo Super Bowl 2k9.

• Graphics – Knobbe's mod like most other mods out there utilizes the 2007 Tecmo ROM graphics. In general this means most of the graphics will be exactly the same as most other 2009 Tecmo mods you play. As with other mods that utilize the 2007 ROM package, there are a few graphical errors and oddities. First off some of the text says 2007 season, the uniforms don't always match up between in game and cinema scenes, and some of the helmets are missing their glean (Pats, Broncos, Seahawks, and a few others). Its nothing to worry about gameplay wise but a little graphical effort could make everything a bit polished. VERDICT: 90%

• Features – There is not a definitive listing of features or hacks included in this mod, but a few of the better ones are readily apparent. Adjustable quarter length, weather, and advanced playbook are all featured in this mod. These features are very polished in general and do not have any glitches. A complete listing of the new features, multiple versions, and more hacks are all things that could improve this mod significantly. VERDICT: 80%

• Ratings/Simulation – Ratings to many users are the most important thing of any new Tecmo ROM and are the category that features the most variation in the Tecmo ROM landscape. Knobbe's Tecmo ratings are the closest I've seen to converting real-life players to Tecmo stats while keep an original Tecmo feel. What does this mean? This means the best WR's have ridculous Reception Ratings and the best linebackers have incredible speed and hit power. For example Calvin Johnson (aka Megatron, the cover athlete) has 81 Receptions. Patrick Willis, probably the best linebacker in the league has 75 MS and 75 HP. These ratings result in a spread that I feel is very similar to Tecmo. The simulation data is very good and is the same as Jeid's - the only eye catcher for me was the Broncos getting to the AFC Championship every year. In general season stats are slightly deflated compared to original Tecmo but the teams that are good tend to be good and the teams that are bad tend to do poorly. I have to say looking at and playing with the teams I feel this has the best Player Ratings compared to the other mods out there. VERDICT: 98%

• Feel – The ratings make the players play and feel very similar to the original Tecmo cast. Your great receivers and defense players are incredible and the best running backs are big play monsters. Having said that I feel that the lack of variation in the initial playbooks of most teams makes the experience somewhat bland overall. When the CPU teams all have basically the same playbook, the character of the game breaks down a little. The AI is generally the same as original Tecmo and I did not realize any extreme changes. If you asked me for what mod I thought had the best Player Ratings I would no doubt answer Knobbe's, but in all honesty the lack of significant playbook differences between teams keeps it from being played more than a few seasons. VERDICT: 75%

• OVERALL: 82%

[Rod Woodson]

I'd say that's pretty accurate which should mean Jeid's sim data should be the same if not better.

Knobbe's Tecmo Super Bowl 2k9
Overall: 82%
Link: http://www.knobbe.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12513
Overview: Updated mod or ROM of the 2007 32-team mod. Includes common hacks such as Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Playbook. Probably the best Player Stats and very good simulation data. Player Stats have a spread similar to Tecmo - best WR with 81 Reception and a few players with 75 MS. Lacks varied initial playbook configurations. Perfect for those who want a more Pure Tecmo experience minus opposing playbook variation.

[Rodman49]

Mr. Paul Ryan’s Tecmo Super Bowl 2010
A full review of Mr. Paul Ryan's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010.

• Graphics – Mr. Paul Ryan's mod features updated uniforms and graphics for all 32 NFL teams. Like most other 32 team roms the main graphical errors for this mod come with a disconnect between the on-field uniforms and the cinema scene uniforms for certain teams such as the Seattle Seahawks. All the year labels have been changed to 2010 and the player portrait selection seems to be the best I have seen. This minor amount of polish makes this mod the best looking 09-10 mod out there. VERDICT: 95%

• Features – Ostensibly Mr. Paul Ryan says there is 32 roms but everything else is original. This is close but not entirely correct. Your standard Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Advanced Playbook hacks have been installed. Other hacks maybe installed but are not documented. The lack of documentation, bugfixes, and multiple versions would all be significant improvements to this ROM package. VERDICT: 75%

• Ratings/Simulation – This ROM has by far the most inflated ratings I have ever seen. Many players have 75 MS, some with even 81 MS. However there seems to be a method to the madness in that everyone is just better. Defenses are swarming drug addicts in this game of cocaine-covered football, WRs never get run down, even crappy running backs have amazing speed. An original Tecmo-like experience that it is said to be - it is not; Super Turbo Tecmo Super Bowl Remix it is. After looking through the ratings and playing games with various teams I would have to say that the big name players all have extremely high stats and that there are significant discrepancies. Nothing seems too gamebreaking but I found myself disagreeing with about 20% of the ratings even when I accounted for a two tick inflation. VERDICT: 75%

• Feel – Supposedly this mod is said to be a purists version of the 2009 season, very much like the original Tecmo. Nothing could be farther from the truth here. Besides Buck's 09-10 version I have never played a version of Tecmo that is so wildly different. The improved stats everywhere make the computer interestingly challenging; of course this could be because of the an undocumented Juice hack. However massive gameplay changes caused by the inflated stats actually make the game feel significantly different than normal Tecmo. The best way I could compare it would be to think of the difference between Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II Turbo, where this mod is like the Super Turbo edition of Tecmo Super Bowl. The unique gameplay and actual playbook variation help give this mod a solid unique feel. It may not be what the original author thought he was creating but it sticks out from the crowd enough that it warrants at least a download and a look. VERDICT: 85%

• OVERALL: 82%

[bruddog]

nice review work Rodman49.

[Rodman49]

nice review work Rodman49.

Thx, I do it while listening to your Radio Station.

[mrpaulryan]

Is there a link to the original 32-team rom that we know has no juice hack installed? When I downloaded the archive of roms from http://www.tecmosb.com, I used what was labeled as the original. I'd like to make sure. Thanks.

(And thanks for the review!)

[Rodman49]

Is there a link to the original 32-team rom that we know has no juice hack installed? When I downloaded the archive of roms from http://www.tecmosb.com, I used what was labeled as the original. I'd like to make sure. Thanks.

(And thanks for the review!)

It may not be juiced. The super inflated ratings results in extreme wet and wild games though. Like I gave up 28 points in the first game of the season with the Patriots, and the swarming defenses were on pretty quick in this ROM. It may just be a side effect of giving everyone high ratings, but if feels juiced compared to normal Tecmo.

[Rodman49]

Jeid's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010
A full review of Jeid's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010.

• Graphics – Two of the standard versions of Jeid's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010 feature the typical 32 Team Rom with all graphics updates. Everything has been relabeled to 2010 and the same small glitches that affect every other ROM affect his one (uniforms not matching up in-game and cinema scenes). Jeid does offer an alternate version with different uniforms - although they still do no match up to what is shown on the cinema scenes. Overall there is a little extra here that makes it slightly better than the rest of the field. VERDICT: 97%

• Features – One of the most documented and polished ROMs in the feature department, Jeid tells exactly what hacks are included and what they do. He also has multiple versions - Vanilla, Juiced, and Alternate Uniforms. A total list of the hacks included are PVP Grappling, PA/PC Defined, Every Play Conditions, Kickoff Position, Punt Return MS, Shorter Punt Kicks, Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, Advanced Playbook. An impressive set of hacks, documentation, and multiple versions makes this the top mod when it comes to features. VERDICT: 97%

• Ratings/Simulation – The ratings in Jeid's mod are compressed. By that I mean that the difference between bad players and good players have been lessened, especially in the department of MS. When you account for this deflation most of the ratings are spot on. Running Backs and Wide Receivers were definitely on the receiving end of the nerf stick though as MS has been heavily reduced across the board. There are a few mix ups with the Rosters - Vick as running back, Crabtree on the 49ers, etc. which keep this from being a top tier mod in regard to ratings. Simulation data is pretty good, everything is very deflated compared to original Tecmo, don't expect many simmed stats higher than 4,000 yards passing, 1,500 yards rushing, and very few players with more than 20 TDs. VERDICT: 90%

• Feel – If you think Tecmo could use more of a simulation feel this is the mod for you. Deflated ratings everywhere means you won't have insane mind-boggling stats everywhere. In general running is harder because of the lower MS for most players. Also some of the AI for teams acts very weird - the Cardinals ran the ball four times as much as they passed against me. The lack of playbook variation is awful but its unique sim feel give it a small edge in the overall feel of the mod. VERDICT: 80%

• OVERALL: 87%

[Rodman49]

Drummer's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010
A full review of Drummer's Tecmo Super Bowl 2010

• Graphics – Drummer's mod is one of the most advanced Tecmo modifications/ROMs when it comes to graphics. Drummer's version features a new opening, new field graphics, new menu graphics, and 2010 correct labels. I didn't notice any grraphical errors on my two play throughs although there could be some uniform issues like every other mod. Overall I would have to say that Drummer's mod certainly has the most graphical changes and visual polish. VERDICT: 100%

• Features – There is no documentation of what hacks are used with this ROM but right off the bat I can tell it has Adjustable Quarter Length, Weather, and Advanced Playbook. Previous versions of this mod suggest that there are other hacks but I could not find any official documentation. I believe it may be running KR/PR Dedicated Speeds, Increased INTs and Fumbles, and Juice but none of those are definite. Zero documentation and a lack of multiple versions keep features from being a strong point of this mod. VERDICT: 70%

• Ratings/Simulation – Ratings for Drummer's Tecmo ROMs always seem to cause some kind controversy but overall they are relatively solid when compared to original Tecmo. There are a few problems though, RBs probably have too high of REC ratings (when compared to WRs) and there are some huge individual player discrepancies - Jamal Lewis is rated too high, a lot of the QBs have extremely high stats. I feel many people would have an issue with at least 20% of the Player Ratings. Simulation ratings are even more extreme, most team favorites do well - Arizona and Minnesota for instance; but the Browns always seem to find there way to Super Champion status. The overall points scored are very high with most teams scoring 450-ish points a season while the RB stats are super inflated. Tomlinson and Peterson will eclipse 3,000 yards regulary while QBs seem to only to just barely cross 4,000 yards passing. The Ratings and Simulation aren't typical (slightly deflated in every category like every other mod) but they have problems on their own. Multiple typos and incorrect players/positions also stick out. VERDICT: 70%

• Feel – One of my favorite aspects of this mod is that it plays very similar to Tecmo and has lots of initial playbook variation. Some of the Player Ratings, Overall Team Performance, or Simulation Data may be off but in the end it plays just as good or better than most of the available 09-10 ROMs. I certainly would not say this is the best 09-10 ROM but it is definitely the prettiest and stays true to typical Tecmo gameplay. VERDICT: 85%

• OVERALL: 80%

[jeid1]

Very nice post and thank you for taking the time to do this. I say this should be sticked as it's a tremendous help to new players.

[buck]

Buck’s Tecmo Super Bowl 09-10
A full review of Buck's Tecmo Super Bowl 09-10

• Graphics –The main graphical errors for this mod come with a disconnect between the on-field uniforms and the cinema scene uniforms for certain teams such as the Seattle Seahawks. In one instance they had on full blue jerseys but in the cinema scenes they appeared with white jerseys.


• Features The only downside about these plays is that the diagrams and names for them are horrible, and do not clearly tell the user how the play will be executed.

• Ratings/Simulation – Ratings and simulation tend to be the biggest reason there are different mods available for the 2009 season. In general ratings are somewhat depressed from what they were in the original Tecmo Super Bowl except for defensive backs who all have a minimum of 50 Interception Rating. In general I feel a few players could use some minor adjustments but besides the high Interception Rating nothing stood out as super problematic.

The uniform problem with NFC West is a common bug to the 32 team rom.

The diagrams of the plays may be 'horrible', but maybe you didn't notice that the play names read 'formation - play name' in a pretty standard form. So, if you're changing playbooks in the middle of a game you can easily see what formations 'match-up'...I think that's pretty cool. (PRO, T, SG, SGT, SG3, 1B, 2TE, etc...)

Ratings/sims are a little bit fucked (maybe lower min INT to 44)...I will do one more update.
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Thanks for the reviews - if anything it's good to group all these roms in one place.

[PeepingMike]

Can one of yuo guys point me in the direction of the best NES game for coaching only? Thanks.