NFL Challenge was a computer game, released in 1985

1985 in video gaming

-Notable releases:* Brøderbund releases Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, the first game of the prolific Carmen Sandiego series* Nintendo releases Super Mario Bros. on September 13, 1985, which eventually sells 40 million copies making it the best-selling video game of all time until 2008.*...

 by XOR Software. It was notable for being one of the stronger football simulations of its time, with statistical models to not only the NFL season, but also the outcome of a single football game. Being one of the first football games for the PC it is still considered one of the best requiring 10 man-years to make and over 30,000 lines of code.

Game play

Unlike most football games, this one was more abstract. The players acted as coaches, picking the offensive or defensive plays from a series of nested menus. The computer then ran the plays against each other, using the pre-configured abilities of the teams and players picked.

There was no interaction once the play was called, other than making a decision to accept or deny a penalty if called. This made for an abstract game, unlike others where the player actually participated in the offense or defense.

Cultural references

ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

 used the simulation in 1988

1988 in television

The year 1988 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1988.For the American TV schedule, see: 1988-89 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...

 for a program called NFL Dream Season. Historic NFL teams were computer-simulated against one another in an 8 week season, then playoffs, then the "Dream Bowl". ESPN used the computer simulation results to play back the game using NFL Films

NFL Films

NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...

 footage, to make it appear that one was watching an actual game. The 1978

1978 NFL season

The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...

 Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

 defeated the 1972

1972 NFL season

The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...

 Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 21-20,

The following year, ESPN broadcast Dream Bowl II, with the defending champion Steelers pitted against the then-Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...

. Even with John Stallworth

John Stallworth

Johnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...

 out early in the game due to an injury, the Steelers defeated the 49ers in overtime, when Joe Montana

Joe Montana

Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...

 was intercepted around mid field by Mel Blount, who returned the interception for a touchdown. Steve Sabol, NFL Films

NFL Films

NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...

president, said he disagreed with the simulation result, feeling that San Francisco had a better team.

XOR made available the Dream Season disk after the show's run, with the actual teams used by ESPN's program.

Company Demise

The company went out of business in the early 1990s, after advertising NFL Challenge Premium Edition, which never made it to market. There were several customers who had prepaid for the product, only to never receive the game.