College Football USA '97 is that classic Sega Genesis football game that somehow still feels better than some modern ones. It’s the follow-up to Bill Walsh College Football, and you can tell EA was starting to figure out their NCAA formula here—just with way more pixelated crowds and that satisfyingly chunky 16-bit gameplay.

First thing you’ll notice? The teams actually feel different. Some squads are all about the run game, others have a QB who can actually throw. And yeah, the playbooks are simple by today’s standards, but there’s something weirdly satisfying about calling a basic HB dive and watching your running back plow through the line. The animations are stiff in that old-school way, but it works—especially when you break a big tackle or pull off a last-second Hail Mary.

It’s got that early EA Sports jank, but in a good way. If you’ve ever wanted to see what college football games looked like before they got all glossy, this is a solid time capsule. Just don’t expect a deep dynasty mode—this is pure, arcade-y football with a side of nostalgia.