Another feature unique to Tecmo Super Bowl was how it imaginatively brought gamers closer to the action and to participating in the NFL experience. The viewpoint on the field and much of the action in general must have originally seemed very distanced and small in the eyes of the developers. In an attempt to make the action bigger and more exciting, the game would quickly cut from the tiny default sprites to large, in-your-face spot animation at various points in the proceedings. Crucial moments in a play—like a defender closing in on the quarterback just as the ball is thrown or a receiver and a defensive back jumping sky high to battle for the ball—took place in real time in sophisticated, superbly animated action sequences. Almost every facet of the game took advantage of this feature: Touchdown celebrations were brought to life as the quarterback would pump his fists while the receiver spiked the ball; following a sack, the responsible defender would jump up into the screen in triumphant fashion; and every field goal and punt became a thrilling affair.

Furthermore, the animation didn't only serve in the singular capacity of bringing more excitement to the game (though it is a noble function in itself). It had a much deeper purpose. The featured player in a particular sequence always had his name emblazoned below in large, bold type. The game actually made an effort to spotlight the NFL's stars, whether they were throwing a touchdown, breaking up a pass or blocking a field goal. Super Bowl even showcased three of the biggest stars of the time in a lengthy cinematic introduction, and also made use of animation sequences during half time and the closing credits. Tecmo Super Bowl was probably the first console sports game that was absolutely dedicated to capturing the atmosphere of the sport, and the excitement generated by its players and fans. That feeling was apparent all throughout the game, largely due to the expertly rendered animation that Tecmo alone used exclusively in its games. It was this same animation technique that Tecmo pioneered in their NES classic, Ninja Gaiden, and was used extensively in subsequent NES titles like Tecmo World Wrestling and Tecmo World Cup (a bizarre soccer game that was comprised solely of cinematic animation sequences). Tecmo Super Bowl merely took a design element that Tecmo had mastered and incorporated it into its basic structure.

Tecmo Super Bowl's season mode was perhaps the game's ultimate attraction and is probably the main reason why the game is remembered to this day. With this game, football fans could play through the entire 1991 NFL season. Since there was no limit to the number of teams that could be human-controlled during a season, friends could get together and play through the season together. The computer would simulate games you didn't feel like playing—which really had never been done before. There was even a primitive coaching mode that let you call your team's plays while the computer ran them for you. Such a season mode in a sports game was unheard of at the time, but even more rare was one that featured full stat tracking. Super Bowl not only used the in-game battery to save your progress through a season, but it also saved all player and team statistics for that season as well. You could read the basic team and player stats after every game, but you could also sit back and admire them as they piled up throughout a 16-game campaign.