Accolade Sports Collection Review (PlayStation 5)

Rating: 7.2
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · Published January 30, 2025 · Updated January 28, 2025

Accolade Sports Collection Review, Relive the golden era of retro sports gaming with the Accolade Sports Collection! From legendary baseball to electrifying street basketball, and epic winter and summer challenges, this collection features 5 unforgettable classics! With nostalgic graphics and original gameplay, this is your chance to step back in time and experience the best of the ’90s. A complete retro gaming experience, where players can easily select from the different titles available, with features like save states, filter options, manual,s and more! Have easy access to a variety of sports experiences, all with the convenience of modern enhancements. The mechanics of each game have been preserved to maintain the original feel!

Accolade Sports Collection Review Pros:

Decent retro graphics.
283MB download size.
Platinum trophy.
Own in-game trophy list.
You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game.
Sports gameplay includes boxing, skiing, and baseball.
Five games in one – Summer Challenge, Winter Challenge, Hoops Shut Up and Jam, Hardball, and Hardball 2.
Game settings – screen mode (fit/fullscreen/4:3), backgrounds from each game or random, and filters (pixel perfect/smooth/scan lines/CRT/CRT without slippage).
Every game has its own game manual.
Each game has a list of modes and features supported such as multiplayer, rewind game, and which versions of the game are available.
Central game selection menu that you can get back to at any point.
You can remap the controls on a per-game basis and per-player basis.
Games can support local co-op play support.
Save and load when you want in each game.
Winter Challenge has two game modes – tournament (setup players and play through each event and training is where you go to practice any event.
The events in Winter challenge are – downhill skiing, the luge, the bobsled, cross country skiing, the giant slalom, ski jump, the bathalon, and speed skating.
Each event in Winter Challenge has a main window and then a side map view with Hud at the bottom.
Summer challenge has two game modes – tournament (setup players and play through each event and training is where you go to practice any event.
The events in Summer challenge are – 400 metre hurdles, kayaking, archery, equestrian, high jump, javelin, cycling, and pole vaulting.
Shut up and jam has four single player modes – compete, 1 minute quarters, timed play, and best of X games.
Shut Up and Jam is a basketball game that has elements of an NBA jam game but is unique in its own way.
Profiles of each player are in the Shut up and Jam manual.
Lightning-fast loading times.
An excellent collection of games with fantastic presentation.
Hardball offers four game modes – play ball, world series, batting cage, and demo play.
Hardball lets you set the opponent’s difficulty (majors/triple A/player 2), bats (normal and corked), errors (yes or no), and music.
Hardball supports password entry for the old-school gamer among us.
Hardball is an isometric baseball game.
Hardball 2 is also an isometric baseball game.
Team editor included in Hardball 2.
Game settings for Hardball 2 – designated hitter, visitor team, home team, and home stadium,
Game demo option in Hardball 2.
Hardball 2 is a huge improvement over the first game and offers a lot more.
Each game has a brilliant soundtrack.
The game uses the touchpad as a button.

Accolade Sports Collection Review Cons:

No proper history of the games.
You have no online interactions like multiplayer, Co-op, or leaderboards.
A bit of an odd choice to have Hardball 1 and 2 in the same collection.
It will take some time to adjust to the old-school mechanics and way of playing.

Accolade Sports Collection:

Official website.

Developer: QUByte Interactive

Publisher: QUByte Interactive

Store Links –

PlayStation

7/10

Graphics - 7/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
7/10

Length - 7/10
8/10

Fun Factor - 8/10

7.2/10

Summary

Accolade Sports Collection offers a nostalgic experience with its decent retro graphics and a manageable download size of 283MB. It features a platinum trophy and its own in-game trophy list, adding to the players’ sense of achievement. One of the highlights is that you get both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of the game, ensuring compatibility across different consoles. The sports gameplay includes boxing, skiing, and baseball, providing a variety of activities to enjoy.

The game is essentially five games in one, including Summer Challenge, Winter Challenge, Hoops Shut Up and Jam, Hardball, and Hardball 2. Each game comes with its own settings, such as screen mode (fit/fullscreen/4:3), backgrounds from each game or random, and filters (pixel perfect/smooth/scan lines/CRT/CRT without slippage). Every game has its own manual, and a list of modes and features supported, such as multiplayer and rewind games, is provided. The central game selection menu allows you to switch between games at any point, and you can remap the controls on a per-game and per-player basis. Local co-op play support is available, and you can save and load your progress at any time.

Winter Challenge offers two game modes: tournament and training. The events include downhill skiing, the luge, the bobsled, cross-country skiing, the giant slalom, ski jump, biathlon, and speed skating. Each event has a main window and a side map view with a HUD at the bottom. Similarly, Summer Challenge has two game modes: tournament and training. The events include 400-meter hurdles, kayaking, archery, equestrian, high jump, javelin, cycling, and pole vaulting.

Shut Up and Jam, a basketball game with elements of NBA Jam, offers four single-player modes: compete, 1-minute quarters, timed play, and best of X games. Player profiles are included in the manual. The game boasts lightning-fast loading times and excellent presentation.

Hardball offers four game modes: play ball, world series, batting cage, and demo play. You can set the opponent’s difficulty, choose between normal and corked bats, enable or disable errors, and select music. Hardball supports password entry for old-school gamers and is an isometric baseball game. Hardball 2, also an isometric baseball game, includes a team editor and various game settings. It is a significant improvement over the first game and offers more features.

Each game has a brilliant soundtrack, and the game uses the touchpad as a button. However, there is no proper history of the games, and there are no online interactions like multiplayer, co-op, or leaderboards. It is a bit odd to have Hardball 1 and 2 in the same collection, and it may take some time to adjust to the old-school mechanics and way of playing.

In summary, Accolade Sports Collection offers a diverse collection of sports and retro experiences with excellent presentation and fast loading times. While it lacks online interactions and a proper history of the games, it provides a nostalgic trip down memory lane with its variety of game modes and features.