Accolade Sports Collection brings together a handful of sports games from the early ’90s. Though they definitely show signs of aging, I can’t help but feel a personal connection to them, owning three out of the five games in their original cartridge form. But the real question is, are these games worth adding to your Nintendo Switch library?
Let’s kick things off with the two games I hadn’t originally owned: the baseball classic Hardball and its sequel. Back in the day, the original Hardball broke new ground and earned a spot in The Princess Bride’s intro, but even by 1991, it was starting to feel a bit outdated. Today, it’s even more so. One of my goals was to relive the days of the ’91 NL champion Atlanta Braves. Sadly, the game restricts you to selecting only city names, which was a letdown. On the brighter side, the visuals hold up decently, though the repetitive music might have you reaching for the mute button if you’re planning a lengthy play session.
Then we have the sequel, which shakes things up by changing the gameplay perspective and dropping the in-game music. It also introduces more stadium options and a demo mode, all common features of the era. While there is a lot to explore, indicated by an in-depth manual, the game lacks immediacy and speed. The animations, though impressive for the time, don’t make for the snappiest experience. While the save feature is handy, unless you’re feeling nostalgic, particularly for the PC version of these games, they’re a tough sell for console play today.
Moving on to Summer and Winter Challenge, between them, they offer up 16 events. I won’t delve into each event’s specifics, but I’d wager these lean towards quantity over quality. But hey, if you are like me and wear your nostalgia glasses proudly, many of these events are still quite enjoyable.
For those with a soft spot for retro games, these might still charm you. The presentation is a big draw; attempting ambitious polygon graphics on the Genesis was no small feat! The “Behind the Athlete” camera angles give the classics a TV-style vibe in 16-bit form. Sure, some events are tricky with these angles, like avoiding a foot fault in pole vault, but get a few retro-loving friends together, and you’ll have a blast.
Lastly, we have Hoops Shut Up and Jam, which you might remember as Barkley Shut Up and Jam. During the ’90s, Charles Barkley joined the big league of NBA stars to score his own game. Unlike Michael Jordan’s platformer or Shaquille O’Neal’s fighting game, this one stays true to basketball. Although branding has been adjusted due to licensing, it retains that NBA Jam-style charm.
Crucially, it’s the most accessible game in the collection. While the whole package caters to “new to retro gaming” folks, this is the one you can jump right into without consulting lengthy manuals or tackling tough learning curves. It remains a star—even if its original star power has dimmed a bit.
Overall, the Accolade Sports Collection delivers exactly what you would expect—nothing more, nothing less. At a $19.99 price point in 2025, it’s a hard pitch, even for a nostalgia buff like me. Keep it on your wishlist and wait for a sale down the line.
