5 things about Bo Jackson, unstoppable video game star

Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series acquainting fans with the Raiders’ illustrious 60-year history as the team moves to Las Vegas for the 2020 season.

A few weeks ago, Bo Jackson’s iconic 92-yard, leap tall buildings in a single bound touchdown run against the Cincinnati Bengals was discussed in this space.

The run was so jaw-dropping that the popular website Super 70s Sports recently paid homage to it in a Twitter post, though it transpired in 1989.

“We all loved him but let’s be honest that Tecmo Bo Jackson was a little too (expletive) good — hang on, being told this is actual NFL game footage,” read the message.

Though Jackson played only four seasons with the Raiders, his legend lives on. This is especially true in the nostalgic world of a rudimentary video game called Tecmo Bowl in which it can be assumed his pixelated image still is running roughshod over one representing former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Brian Bosworth.

Five things worth noting about Bo Jackson, video game deity:

1. His Tecmo Bowl sprite was rated 75 for speed. For context, Barry Sanders and Jerry Rice were next at 69. What it means in the game (according to a guy who actually conducted such an experiment): If Tecmo Bo and Barry lined up for a 100-yard dash, when Tecmo Bo struck paydirt, Barry would have lagged behind at the 12-yard line.

2. The invincibility of Tecmo Bo — and other stars of the day such as bruising running back Christian Okoye and former UNLV passing whiz Randall Cunningham (known in the game as “QB Eagles” owing to a marketing agreement) — was by design. “We did not aim for reality,” said the game’s programmer Hidehisa Yamaguchi. “Instead, we emphasized both the sense of speed and strength demonstrated by NFL players.”

3. Jackson is so dominant in the game that those playing as the Raiders have been known to field the opening kickoff and run out of bounds at the 1-yard line … and then let Tecmo Bo exhaust the entire first quarter with a zig-zagging, field-reversing, tackle-shredding 99-yard touchdown run.

4. Jackson’s reputation as both irresistible force and immovable video game object was alluded to in an episode of the animated TV series “Family Guy.”

5. And regarding the possibility of Tecmo Bo still running roughshod over Brian Bosworth, the former adversaries were featured in a 2016 Tecmo Bowl themed Kia commercial. While there’s nothing that can compare to a Kia Optima clicking on all cylinders, 8-bit Bo Jackson setting sail on another 99-yard touchdown run that lasts the entire first quarter might come close.

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.