The Accolade Sports Collection gathers a handful of sports games from the early ’90s, all showing their vintage charm. Is this pack a must-have on the Nintendo Switch? To find out, I dove into games both new and familiar to me, as I’ve owned three out of these five title cartridges for years, giving me a dash of personal nostalgia.
Let’s kick off with the baseball games, Hardball and its sequel—titles I hadn’t previously owned. The original Hardball has earned its place in gaming history as a groundbreaking title that even made a cameo in The Princess Bride’s opening scene. However, having first hit the scene in 1985, by the time 1991 rolled around, it was already feeling as old as a dusty ’80s mixtape, let alone now. Aiming to capture that early ’90s vibe, I was keen to play as the Atlanta Braves, fresh from being NL champions, but the game only lets you choose city names—a nostalgia buzzkill. The visuals still hold up, but beware the soundtrack’s repetitiveness, which might get on your nerves after a while (good thing there’s an off switch).
Moving on to the sequel, it offers some tweaks with a fresh perspective, additional stadiums, and even a demo mode, which was all the rage back then. There’s an impressive level of depth here, as shown by the extensive in-game manual, yet that depth also tends to slow things down. The animations, which were quite impressive back in the day, can seem sluggish now. It’s not exactly a game you jump into for a quick match, although the save feature is a nice touch. Unless you’re driven by nostalgia, especially if you enjoyed the PC versions, these Hardball entries might not resonate on modern consoles.
Then there’s Summer and Winter Challenge. Between them, they pack 16 events. I’d be stretching to discuss each event, and you might guess there’s a bit of quantity over quality here, an assessment I can’t entirely dismiss. But through my nostalgia-tinted glasses, I find most events entertaining.
Would I be shocked if vintage game lovers also found them fun? Nope. The presentation makes a strong case with pioneering polygon visuals on the Genesis, and it’s clear these games were crafted with care. The in-game camera angles, reminiscent of sports broadcasts, add a special TV-style flair to these 16-bit activities. Some tasks, like nailing a clean pole vault, can be tricky with the view, but grab a few friends with a penchant for nostalgia, and you’ll be in for some button-smashing fun.
Finally, there’s Hoops Shut Up and Jam, fondly remembered by many as Barkley Shut Up and Jam. Back in the day, big-name NBA stars like Sir Charles made their mark with games. Unlike other stars who ventured into platformers or fighters, Barkley kept it real with basketball. Nowadays, his character’s adjusted due to licensing, but it’s the same NBA Jam-style enjoyment many recall.
Most notably, this game might be the simplest of the five to dive into. I’m not only speaking as a seasoned player but also considering the new wave of folks exploring retro gaming. For those who shy away from digital manuals and learning curves, Hoops Shut Up and Jam is the standout, even if its titular hero has phased out.
The Accolade Sports Collection (QUByte Classics) delivers just about what you’d expect: neither more nor less. Still, at $19.99, it feels like a steep offer in 2025, even if, like me, you harbor some nostalgia for these games. You might want to wishlist it and wait for a sale.
