The Accolade Sports Collection revisits five sports games from the early ’90s, and boy, do they show their age. While I’m not entirely sure if these over-30-year-old games qualify as "classics," they hold a special place in my heart since I own three of them on cartridge. Now, the big question: Is this collection worth grabbing on the Nintendo Switch?
Let’s start with the two games that I never had the pleasure of owning before—Hardball and its sequel. The original Hardball deserves kudos for what it brought to the table way back when, spawning a series and even showing up in the intro of The Princess Bride. However, considering it first hit the scene in 1985, by the time 1991 rolled around, it was already starting to lag behind its peers. Playing it now, I wanted to relive that era and take on the role of the NL champion Atlanta Braves; alas, you can only choose city names, which is a letdown. Even so, the visuals hold up decently, though the looped music could drive you mad if you play for a while (but hey, you can always turn it off).
Switching to the sequel, things change a bit with a different perspective, a lack of in-game music, a variety of stadiums to choose from, and a demo mode that’s typical of sports games from that time. There’s no shortage of depth here, as evidenced by an in-game manual with over a dozen pages—equivalent to the Olympic-style carts in this batch. But with that depth comes a slower tempo, and the animations, while impressive for their time, make for a rather sluggish experience. It’s not exactly a game you can just jump into, though the save feature is a plus. Unless you’re feeling nostalgic about these Hardball games (probably more so from the PC versions), I’m afraid they don’t translate too well on a console.
Next, we look at Summer and Winter Challenge. These boast a combined 16 events, and I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of each one. You might wonder if it’s a case of quantity over quality, and you’d have a point. Still, most events offer a degree of fun, especially with a hefty scoop of nostalgia.
Would I be surprised if folks with a penchant for retro gaming found some enjoyment in these games? Not at all. The visuals certainly contribute, as the ambitious polygonal graphics (quite a feat on the Genesis) indicate these games weren’t haphazardly thrown together. The "Behind the Athlete" perspective even gives them an appealing TV-style presentation in glorious 16-bit. Sure, this view can make certain events tricky (try not to foul on the pole vault), but with some retro-loving friends, you’re in for a button-mashing good time.
Lastly, there’s Hoops Shut Up and Jam, which older players may recognize as Barkley Shut Up and Jam. Like some of the mega NBA stars of the ’90s, Charles Barkley got his own video game. Unlike other sports legends, Barkley’s game was an actual basketball game, rather than a platformer like Jordan’s or a fighting game like Shaq’s. Although they’ve slightly altered his character model to bypass licensing issues, the game still delivers the same NBA Jam-style excitement.
More so, it’s the easiest of the five for anyone to dive into. While I’m a seasoned player, the Accolade Sports Collection also aims to entice newbies to retro gaming. For those who’d rather avoid digital manuals or slow learning curves, Hoops Shut Up and Jam stands out in this collection, even without its titular star.
The Accolade Sports Collection (QUByte Classics) offers exactly what I anticipated—no surprises, neither pleasant nor unpleasant. But dropping $19.99 on this bundle in 2025 is a bit steep, even for someone who leans heavily on nostalgia. Keep an eye out and maybe snag it when it’s on sale.
