Tecmo Super Bowl 49ers Collection

[jplarson]

Tecmo Super Bowl is one of the best games on the NES, the first football game to feature full team names, player names, and tracking season stats. I wanted a set of the TSB roster for my favorite team in the game, the 49ers. Easy as a kid to be a fan of that stacked roster. My brother and I would play a season and compete for league leader stats and often had to make sure we didn't play each other during the regular season. He usually but not always beat me. When we did play each other, it led to.... conflicts and resetting the season and picking new teams. And thrown controllers. And bruises.

Anyways! I put together a set of rookie cards for all the players on the team with the following stipulations:

1. All cards had to be before 1991 sets. No card later than 1990 to reflect the rosters from the game.
2. All cards had to be NFL rookies.
3. If a player has multiple rookies, I picked the "better" set or the more interesting card.
4. I'm allowed to break my own rules.

Here's the roster courtsey of Tecmo Geek - https://tecmogeek.com/teams/49ers/. Pictures are organized by starters (left) and backups (right) as they were listed in the game on offense.













1981 Topps Joe Montana, BGS 6.5 (6, 8, 8.5, 8.5)
1986 Topps Steve Young - no USFL for this one
1984 Topps Roger Craig
1988 Topps Tom Rathman
1990 Topps Tiffany Dexter Carter - I opted for this one over the Topps Update in a 49ers uniform.
1984 Topps USFL Harry Sydney - his NFL rookie card was in 1991.
1989 Score John Taylor - his All Pro card later in the set is a better picture but not a rookie card.
1986 Topps Jerry Rice, BGS 7 (8, 6.5, 7.5, 8) got it in a quarter machine.
1988 Topps Mike Wilson
1987 Topps Mike Sherrard
1990 Topps Tiffany Brent Jones - originally drafted by the Steelers! Also my favorite correspondence through my TTM requests, with Jamie Williams and Carl Lee close seconds.
1985 Topps Jamie Williams - he's a super smart dude.

1990 Pro Set Jesse Sapolu
1989 Score Supplemental Guy McIntyre
1989 Score Harris Barton - 1990 was the only season of his 10-year career he was a Guard.
1989 Topps Bubba Paris - the largest OL in 1990, listed at 6'6" and 299 lbs.
1990 Fleer Update Steve Wallace

1989 Pro Set Mike Cofer
1989 NFL Franchise Game Barry Helton - Hope Topps brings back a Topps Total type product.

1990 Topps Tiffany Kevin Fagan
1986 Topps Michael Carter
1990 Topps Tiffany Pierce Holt
1990 Score Bill Romanowski - his '90 Pro Set is cooler but I wanted a '90 Score in here.
1989 Score Keith DeLong
1982 Topps Matt Millen - he drafted HoFer Calvin Johnson.
1987 Topps Charles Haley - always be a 49er first, Cowboy second.
1987 Topps Don Griffin
1990 Fleer Update Darryl Pollard
1982 Topps Ronnie Lott
1982 Topps Dave Waymer - RIP, you'll live forever in the hearts of Saints fans of a certain age and TSB fans.

[49erRCCollector]

I could recreate 95% of this with PSA graded cards.

[DynaEtch]

Cool collection idea!

[hxcmilkshake]

Whatever. Just give me Bo.

https://youtu.be/3X-MODwmZGQ?si=JNpL157NXtDzHPw2

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[fabiani12333]

I'm not a good Niners fan -- I only have a few of these.

[Fenway55]

All the technology over the past 30 years and Tecmo Super Bowl remains, IMHO, the most fun football video game there is.

[swerve]

Originally Posted by Fenway55

All the technology over the past 30 years and Tecmo Super Bowl remains, IMHO, the most fun football video game there is.

NBA Jam as well.

[49erRCCollector]

OK, I'm going full nerd. Apologies to JPLarson upfront. Missing a few here but trying to go card-for-card - but here's what I got:

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by Fenway55

All the technology over the past 30 years and Tecmo Super Bowl remains, IMHO, the most fun football video game there is.

Agreed! If you haven't already, give Retro Bowl a try on Android or Apple. It's not a Tecmo replacement, but still very fun with recognizable graphics.

Originally Posted by swerve

NBA Jam as well.

NBA Jam Tournament Edition!

Originally Posted by 49erRCCollector

OK, I'm going full nerd. Apologies to JPLarson upfront. Missing a few here but trying to go card-for-card - but here's what I got

Love it all! Only makes the thread even more baller . I'm kinda tempted to do one for the Bears, it would be crazy cheap assuming I didn't have them all already.

I'll have phase 2 and 3 of this thread coming up soon, please stand by.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by swerve

NBA Jam as well.

And give me some good ol Ken Griffey Jr Baseball over some fancy and complicated baseball game based in realism.

There is a charm to these simplified sports games.

[quorthon13]

Originally Posted by hxcmilkshake

Whatever. Just give me Bo.

https://youtu.be/3X-MODwmZGQ?si=JNpL157NXtDzHPw2

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

Ya, it is funny how peoples memories of the game are so different

We used to play this all the time in the dorm back in the 90s, even had an official book of records we kept (at least 2 people had to witness the final screen for records to go in the book).

Prolly 75% of the time one of the 2 players was the Raiders - cause Bo on offense and Howie Long was the master of the dive sack on defense.

Then usually the Seahawks except my one friend who was a Cowboys fan

Unless someone intentionally picked a bad team like the Patriots - to get major bragging rights if you beat a "good" team with them.

49ers were just one of that 2nd tier of "good" teams after the Raiders here in the North


But anyways - awesome theme for a collection

[oplum29]

best football game ever made!

[49erRCCollector]

Originally Posted by quorthon13

Ya, it is funny how peoples memories of the game are so different

We used to play this all the time in the dorm back in the 90s, even had an official book of records we kept (at least 2 people had to witness the final screen for records to go in the book).

Prolly 75% of the time one of the 2 players was the Raiders - cause Bo on offense and Howie Long was the master of the dive sack on defense.

Then usually the Seahawks except my one friend who was a Cowboys fan

Unless someone intentionally picked a bad team like the Patriots - to get major bragging rights if you beat a "good" team with them.

49ers were just one of that 2nd tier of "good" teams after the Raiders here in the North


But anyways - awesome theme for a collection

The 4x Super Bowl Champs were 2nd tier?

They were unbeatable in that game.

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by oplum29

best football game ever made!

Agreed.

[jplarson]

Phase 2 of the 49ers Tecmo Super Bowl team: Memorabilia cards! As far as I know, there are only 9 players who have relic cards with 49er uniforms in them. My rules for this part of the collection:

1. Had to be in a 49er uniform with a jersey swatch/patch of the 49ers.
2. Whenever possible, source memorabilia cards with strong guarantees on the back indicating game used.
3. Prefer patches over swatches but both acceptable.
4. Prefer home jerseys over away jerseys but both acceptable.






2011 Totally Certified Heritage Collection #/249 Joe Montana - Redeemed on Panini's points page many years ago.
2011 Totally Certified Heritage Collection Prime 42/49 Steve Young - Pack pulled.
2011 Totally Certified Heritage Collection Prime 42/49 Jerry Rice - Same serial # as the Young.
2008 Donruss Elite Throwback Threads Prime #/50 Roger Craig
2010 Panini Crown Royale Majestic #/299 Tom Rathman
2010 Donruss Elite Throwback Threads #/299 Brent Jones
2001 Upper Deck Legends Past Patterns John Taylor
2021 National Treasures Century Materials #/99 Charles Haley - Has weak guarantee on the back.
2004 Fleer Greats Glory of Their Time #/299 Ronnie Lott

2018 Classics Combos Materials Steve Young/Jerry Rice - Weak guarantee. Previously a Jerry Rice placeholder.

[jplarson]

I'm working through Phase 3, autographs! My rules for this part of the collection (in order of preference):

1. Certified autograph of the player in a 49ers uniform
2. Pro Line Portraits certified autograph (sig on the back) of the player in a Niners uni
3. Certified autograph of the player
4. PSA/DNA or comparable service authenticating player in a 49ers uniform
5. IP/TTM of the player in a 49ers uniform

I have a number of them already I need to scan in. This one came today. It's a dear one because he passed away young. PSA's QuickCheck gave it the thumbs up and I'll be sending it off to be encapsulated this week.

[49erRCCollector]

This is amazing.

[scotthenrichs]

Nice! Here’s my Tecmo tresasure…

[stevebay]

If you still have the game, try the "False Start"

https://www.polygon.com/2016/6/5/118...ies-discovered

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by 49erRCCollector

This is amazing.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by scotthenrichs

Nice! Here’s my Tecmo tresasure…

LOVE IT!

Originally Posted by stevebay

If you still have the game, try the "False Start"

https://www.polygon.com/2016/6/5/118...ies-discovered

Bruddog is a straight up gansta in the Tecmo Super Bowl modding world. I learned a ton from him which helped me create a roster port from TSB3 (1994 rosters) for the Sega Genesis back to the NES. I put in a ton of time into that '94 ROM and it was hosted for a time on TecmoBowl.org. It must have been.... 17 years ago I was working on that. Wow.


Anyways, here's some updates to the project. Here's all the defensive players I've managed to snag, with Romanowski upgrading from a TTM.

Fagan requires an upgrade. I didn't notice the lack of Pro Line stamp when I picked it up. Having it signed on the front is usually a dead giveaway. On the plus side it's likely authentic. Probably someone else's TTM/IP.

Carter has no certified auto so my 1961 Topps custom is the final form.

Millen I do plan on upgrading from TTM to a Pro Line one with Washington unless I can find a neat PSA/DNA one in a Niners uniform. Given Pro Line is signed on the back, I'm willing to break my rules for it.

Darryl Pollard and Don Griffen have no certified autos as far as I know. I'll need to do TTM or PSA/DNA.

Waymer I posted before. That'll be going to PSA early next week.

[jplarson]

Here's the rest to date:










Both Montanas I got for a really good price due to condition issues. I'm on the hunt for a decent Young.

At RB hoping to obtain/upgrade both backups with Pro Line versions.

WRs I have an IP/TTM of Rice but I'd like to upgrade it to a certified copy at some point. Mike Wilson will have to be PSA/DNA.

At TE I adore the Topps Archives of the Fan Favorites Jones. Uses an actual cardboard back like the good ol' days. Williams I corresponded with a bit over email while he was part of the faculty at Nebraska. Super cool guy!

Finally we have the offensive line. 1990 was the only year Barton played Guard in his career (1987-1996) with Steve Wallace, a natural LT, shifted to RT in 1990 for his one year at the spot. When Paris Bubba Paris left, Barton and Wallace resumed their regular positions.

[jplarson]

Upgraded Millen to a PSA/DNA copy.

[Stifle]

Originally Posted by jplarson

Agreed.

The nicest autograph with a drawing for a pic, Harbaugh ?

[jplarson]

Originally Posted by Stifle

The nicest autograph with a drawing for a pic, Harbaugh ?

It seemed like for a time he wasn't signing anything NFL related so I figured I had a shot if I took the picture from the game itself

[jplarson]

I'm at 24/30 for TSB 49ers.