The Accolade Sports Collection brings together five sports games from the early ’90s that definitely show their age. While it’s debatable how “classic” these 30-plus-year-old titles really are, they hold a nostalgic value for me since I already own three of them as cartridges. The question remains: is this collection something you should grab for your Nintendo Switch?
Let’s kick things off with the two games I hadn’t already acquired: the baseball classic Hardball and its sequel. The original Hardball deserves credit for what it brought to the table back in the day, spawning a successful series and even making an appearance in the intro of The Princess Bride. Released initially in 1985, by 1991 it already appeared a bit outdated compared to other games of that era. While trying to capture the spirit of the ’91 season with the NL champion Atlanta Braves seemed appealing, you’re limited to selecting only city names—a typical but somewhat disappointing limitation. Despite that, the graphics hold up fairly well, though the repetitive soundtrack can grate on the nerves after a while, luckily, you can turn it off.
The sequel makes some adjustments, such as changing perspectives, introducing more stadium options, and removing in-game music, among others. It boasts a surprisingly comprehensive in-game manual with over a dozen pages, akin to the Olympic-style games in this collection. Despite this depth, there’s a noticeable lack of immediacy and pace, with the animations slowing things down even though they were impressive for their time. It’s not exactly a game you dive into for spontaneous play, although save features are a nice perk. If you’re not nostalgic for these particular Hardball games, perhaps due to fond memories of the PC versions, they might not provide much thrill on a console.
Moving on, we have Summer and Winter Challenge. Between them, there are 16 events, and I can’t delve into each individually. However, with a focus on quantity over quality, the nostalgic charm is apparent for someone like me. I think those with a penchant for retro gaming might also find them amusing.
The games do benefit from their presentation, utilizing some ambitious-looking polygons—an impressive feat on the Genesis platform—and the animations show these aren’t throwaway efforts. The “Behind the Athlete” view gives these games a TV-like vibe in 16-bit style. The viewpoints can make certain events, like avoiding a foot fault in the pole vault, quite challenging, but they’re still entertaining, especially with friends who enjoy a bit of retro button-mashing.
And then there’s Hoops Shut Up and Jam, which many recognize as Barkley Shut Up and Jam. Sir Charles had his own basketball game, reminiscent of other ’90s NBA greats. Unlike Jordan’s platformer or Shaq’s fighting game, Barkley kept it to straight-up basketball. Due to licensing tweaks, his character looks a bit different now, but it still packs the NBA Jam-style fun it’s known for.
Crucially, it’s probably the easiest of the five games to jump into. As an experienced player, I notice the Accolade Sports Collection is also marketed to folks “new to retro gaming.” So, if flicking through digital manuals or slow learning curves isn’t your style, Hoops Shut Up and Jam is the standout, even if it doesn’t feature its iconic star in the title anymore.
In summary, the Accolade Sports Collection (QUByte Classics) pretty much aligns with what I anticipated—no surprises here. However, at a price point of $19.99 in 2025, it’s a tough sell, even with nostalgic ties. Perhaps keep an eye out for a sale if this one’s on your wishlist.
