NEW YORK — Joe Montana remembers what it was like to start his first Super Bowl.

Montana was in his third season with the San Francisco 49ers when they faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the Pontiac Silverdome. The 60-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback knows the disadvantage players making their first start face in the game. Matt Ryan of Atlanta will do that against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Feb. 5 in Houston.

“That’s where the game is a little different. Once you get down to the Super Bowl city and you’re going for the first time, it’s nuts,” Montana said. “Everybody that you ever knew in your life comes out of the woodwork looking for something.”

Montana was 14 of 22 for 157 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ 26-21 win in 1982.

“Once you get out of the bus or and you get into the locker room, it’s just like another game. And yes, it’s a little bit more exciting until the game starts. Once the game starts and you’re still thinking ‘Wow this is the Super Bowl,’ you’re in trouble.”

Montana never had trouble, going 4-0 with 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Going into this Super Bowl, Montana is launching a new virtual reality video game, “Montana 17.” It’s an all-passing, seven-on-seven offensive football game with a series of quick-play quarters.

“I don’t think a lot of people knew about seven-on-seven, what seven-on-seven really meant, but now all the younger kids have seven-on-seven with passing leagues, whether it’s high school or even younger than that,” Montana said. “We started off trying to do a regular game. Obviously EA (Electronic Arts) is pretty big in that space. We’re looking for spaces to go. This kind of evolved into here.

“With the VR (virtual reality) space coming around and the ability to do in it there and be one of the first movers in there, we thought it was a great opportunity. And especially on the passing side, it just makes it a lot more fun.”

The game is set to launch soon and will initially be available on Samsung Gear VR and then on Google Daydream VR. Gamers will slide their phones into a headset.

And the game has a license from the NFL Players Association to use the likenesses of all current NFL players.

Montana has previous experience with video games, having endorsed games for Sega in the 1990s.

“I’ve always had an interest in it,” he said.

“I don’t play at as much because my kids were too good and (always beat) me, and I can’t stand losing.”