Football fans quickly took notice of John Elway's quarterbacking skills, even if it would take him 15 seasons to actually win a Superbowl. An immensely popular figure in the sport, it was no surprise to anyone that his name would grace the cover of a video game. Leland Games gave the Denver Broncos star the spotlight in 1987, with John Elway’s Team Quarterback. It would play an enormous role in the evolution of the video football game, acting as a stepping stone between the archaic Atari Football and the modern versions players enjoy today.

As far as game play was concerned, much of this game was standard fare. Players first chose their plays, then executed them through control of the quarterback as they drove towards the goal line. Players switched between offense and defense after each score, turnover, or failed attempt at a first down, and all regulation NFL rules applied. In multi-player mode, a second player took control of the halfback or receiver depending on the situation.

Besides offering more play selections than any of the game’s predecessors, there were other features that set John Elway’s Team Quarterback apart from the competition. The first was the innovative use of a joystick, rather than a mere button to throw or kick the ball. This meant that players not only controlled the force of the ball, but also the direction. It was an important skill to master if one wanted to emerge victorious.

Leland also borrowed a popular concept from their Ironman Ivan Stewart’s Super Off Road racing franchise, allowing players to input their initials, birthdate and home city. Upon returning to the arcade at a later date, a player merely had to re-enter this information to pull up a comprehensive list of accumulated stats from their previous games. This feature alone made for a very compelling reason to keep coming back for more, and was a particularly shrewd innovation in sports games.

John Elway’s Team Quarterback may not have enjoyed the same longevity or iconic status as the hero whose presence graced this title, but it certainly left its mark in the history of football games, thanks to its unique and innovative approach – one that would be considerably borrowed from in the next generation of games that followed.