Conclusive proof that not everything sports-related
EA touched turned to gold. This questionable fighter
saw Orlando Magic center Shaq fall into a wormhole
into another dimension, where he was forced into
combat with various monsters. But the biggest
monster of all was the sluggish controls.SHAQ FU 1994
A fast-paced sport taking place in an enclosed
arena, where it’s legal to bulldoze players with your
shoulders, or even fight them? Sounds like the
perfect material for a videogame tie-in, and EA’s
debut offering didn’t disappoint. (Even though the
NHL later made them take out the fighting.)NHL HOCKEY 1991
Marrying racing and fighting before Mario Kart
was anything more than a twinkle in Shigeru
Miyamoto’s eye, this was a classic ‘make your
way to the front of the pack’ racer, with the twist
being that collisions forced you to run back to
your overturned bike.
ROAD RASH 1991
01 The Legend of Galahad 1992
Amiga owners might know it better as Leander; a slick
and beautiful anime-styled platformer that’s notable for
being the debut offering from Traveller’s Tales, who now
make the popular Lego tie-ins of movie franchises such
as Star Wars.02 Rolo to the Rescue 1992
This sweet platformer saw escaped circus elephant Rolo
liberate the caged animals in each level; freed critters
could then be controlled to make use of their special
abilities. But one question: what kind of circus keeps
squirrels and moles?03 FIFA International Soccer 1993
An (ultimately successful) attempt to branch out into the
European market, FIFA eschewed the top-down viewpoint
made popular by games such as Kick-Off, instead going
for an isometric view. The result was a slower-paced
effort that felt more ‘real’, if not always as fun.