Dinosaur sightings: NFL Challenge
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nfl_challenge_a01.GIF
nfl_challenge_a01.GIF
In 1985 I was just getting out of college and just starting my love of computer games. NFL Challenge was one of my first IBM Clone games. It is one of the best examples of a text-mode game ever. Unfortunately, the development of text-mode games has become a lost art.
In 1985 this splash screen was probably very impressive.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_a02.GIF
nfl_challenge_a02.GIF
While all the NFL franchises are represented, the cities where they play have changed for several. For example, St. Louis has the Rams and Phoenix has the Cardinals.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_03.JPG
nfl_challenge_03.JPG
Choose your teams then flip the coin. You could choose to play another human, the computer, or you can have the computer play both teams. Not much fun that way, but you could do it.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_04.JPG
nfl_challenge_04.JPG
I’ll say Heads this time.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_05.JPG
nfl_challenge_05.JPG
Heads it is. The Bengals elect to receive.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_06.JPG
nfl_challenge_06.JPG
You can keep the default starting roster or you can make changes — you are the coach. The rosters are simple text files with categories of data. The game is old so it is a roster from 1984.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_a07.GIF
nfl_challenge_a07.GIF
The grid iron never looked better.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_a08.GIF
nfl_challenge_a08.GIF
There are plenty of plays for both offense and defense. Offense can run the shotgun, the option, or the 2 yards and a cloud of dust fullback dive. Defensive plays include man-to-man, blitzes, zone coverages, and nickel packages. But you have to learn the playbook.
Mark W. Kaelin
IMG_09.JPG
IMG_09.JPG
Sorry about the next few screenshots. For some reason, I could not capture the plays as they ran. The capture sofware only picked up the ASCII and ANSI characters. Like I said, text-mode gaming is a lost art.
The play is about to start — the teams are in position.
Mark W. Kaelin
IMG_10.JPG
IMG_10.JPG
The results of the play. It’s close to a first down.
Mark W. Kaelin
IMG_11.JPG
IMG_11.JPG
Wait — there’s a flag on the play. Game events have to be read – no Al Michaels or John Madden to tell you what’s going on.
Mark W. Kaelin
nfl_challenge_12.JPG
nfl_challenge_12.JPG
And on to the next play.
Mark W. Kaelin
IMG_13.JPG
IMG_13.JPG
Finally a score! Even if it is just a field goal.
Mark W. Kaelin
text-mode_14.jpg
text-mode_14.jpg
You can still find old games like NFL Challenge on the Internet. This is the text-mode.com site.
Mark W. Kaelin
