Publisher Rock It Games and developer Sickhead Games are continuing their retro revival project, bringing two iconic sports titles to modern consoles. Jaleco Sports: Bases Loaded and Jaleco Sports: Goal! are out on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch for $7.99 each. These modern ports were originally released on PC earlier this year.
While these retro classics certainly were not global blockbusters like FIFA or Madden, they started a revolution of simple, fast, and highly engaging pick-up-and-play sports games. NES and SNES gamers will remember both of these titles fondly, as they were some of the best sports games on the early Nintendo consoles.
Are These Games Still Any Good?
Bases Loaded launched in 1987 on the NES and stood out because of its behind-the-camera pitcher camera angle, something that was unique at the time. It did not have the same licensing power as the NES MLB, but many will remember it for having more thrilling, fast-paced action. It lets you pick from multiple teams, control different fielding positions, and play against friends. All of these features are standard now, but they were not a guarantee back then.
The SNES follow-up, Super Bases Loaded, added team stats, difficulty settings, a simple radar for fielders, and quality-of-life improvements like watch mode. It was more arcade than true simulation, but was ultimately beloved for its accessibility and fun factor.
Jaleco’s football entry, Goal!, took a slightly different direction. Many NES soccer games at the time were chaotic arcade games or simplistic top-down versions without a focus on tactics. Jaleco’s game featured formation choices, passing rhythm, and a bit more structure than other games. It was still fun and arcade-y, but not as simple as many earlier soccer games.
Neither of these games is being revived because they were particularly complex games of their era. They’re making a comeback as they still play well in shorter bursts and give you a glimpse into a time when meta tactics in EA FC 26 didn’t matter. To be clear, these console releases are not full remakes or modernized remasters. There isn’t any sort of new commentary, roster updates, or added mentions. They are lightly packaged rereleases with small conveniences like save support and a filter option to match retro CRT visuals. But for $7.99, that is a fair ask. Jaleco Sports: Bases Loaded is the better value, as it also includes the SNES sequel Super Bases Loaded in the same package.
