Stadium Events on NES is one of those old-school track & field games that’s way harder than it looks. You’re sprinting, jumping hurdles, and flinging yourself into the sand pit—all with that classic NES stiffness. The controls take a second to get used to (mashing Z and X for running feels weird at first), but once you get the rhythm down, it’s weirdly satisfying.

It’s got that early sports game charm where everything’s exaggerated—your guy leaps like he’s on the moon, and the hurdles might as well be walls. Not gonna lie, the competition AI cheats a little, but that just makes finally nailing a perfect long jump even sweeter.

If you’re into other retro sports games, Super Sidekicks or Street Hoop might scratch the same itch. Just don’t blame me when your thumbs are sore from button-mashing.