The Best Sports Video Games of All-Time
The 7 Best Sports Video Games Ever
Chances are if you're a gamer, then you own a game in the sports genre.
Sports games have pretty much been around since the dawn of video games, and they have no signs of stopping soon, as their popularity only begins to skyrocket as many sports games are now making their way to the app store and many other large gaming platforms. To think a simple concept of replicating real-life sports into a video game could create such a popular genre is astounding.
Here is our personal Top 7, but they are not really in any particular order
1. THE FIFA SERIES
EA Sports Fifa series is a widely recognized and iconic soccer game. Debuting on December 15, 1993, it has spawned countless sequels and has created an ever-growing fanbase. With the release of Fifa 21, the series has reached its 28th game overall. It’s obvious that this series has no chance of stopping anytime soon, as one of the biggest video game franchises in history.
2. WII SPORTS
While not a sports game in the traditional sense, Wii Sports still indeed counts as a sports game. Wii Sports is basically a collection of 5 sports including baseball, golf, bowling, tennis, and boxing. There is also an additional training mode if you are interested in that. Wii Sports was the definitive game for the Wii and is truly a remarkable game.
Overall don't let those childish graphics fool you, as this game is loads of fun, and will probably leave you staring at your TV screen for hours, and cause one or two arguments amongst the family!
3. THE MADDEN SERIES
Probably one of the most iconic and highly recognizable sports series in the sports genre, the Madden series has been around for decades and has no signs of stopping anytime soon. For context, Madden NFL began in 1988 and has since been growing strong with its yearly releases, and ever-growing fanbase.
American Football is the most popular sport in the United States, and although it isn't widely popular in other countries, it is slowly becoming more widely recognised with the help of Madden showcasing the sport in action.
4. PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER
When you think of Fifa's competitors, the first one to probably come to mind is the iconic but less praised Pro Evolution Soccer series. While many could argue that this series is a "rip-off" of the FIFA series of games, at a closer glance the games have very astounding differences and are very distinctive from one another.
Pro Evolution Soccer is kind of like Fifa's younger brother in the sense that they came out at different times. The Pro Evolution Soccer series debuted on March 15, 2001, nearly 8 years after Fifa. While Fifa got the upper-hand advantage of recognition, Pro Evolution Soccer is still a great series to get into, and contrary to popular belief, PES Soccer is not a clone to Fifa soccer, in fact in many areas, it is actually quite different from Fifa.
Overall Pro Evolution Soccer is a great alternative to Fifa if you're not too big on the mechanics of Fifa. Pro Evolution Soccer is also a great starting point for gamers who are looking to get into the sports genre of games.
5. THE NHL SERIES
Another one of EA Sports' greatest gems, the NHL series is a great series from EA Sports. The NHL series is basically ice hockey, but with that magical EA Sports touch to it. The NHL series first debuted in 1991 and has continued its ongoing success with yearly releases and an ever-growing fanbase.
Although Ice Hockey isn't popular in all regions, it is still an enjoyable experience nonetheless. Overall the NHL series is a very good game to get into, and I highly recommend you give it a try, and you will also learn a fair bit about Ice Hockey at the same time.
6. NBA JAM
NBA JAM at this point in time is quite an old game. Being released on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive and Super Nintendo in 1993, it is certainly a classic to behold. Although its mechanics and graphics are quite outdated for the eyes of modern gamers, those charming retro 16-bit graphics, and cheerful and energetic matches make the game feel so satisfying and enjoyable.
Although it's a very old game at this point in time, it is indeed still playable to this day, having tons of replay value, and an excellent retro vibe to it, this is certainly a game you don't want to miss out on.
7. PUNCH OUT
Yet another oldie on the list, Punch-Out is an iconic boxing game starring the famous Mike Tyson. An interesting thing to point out is that Punch-Out has 2 versions, the original Mike Tyson's Punch-Out, and Punch-Out. The reason for the removal of the name "Mike Tyson" was due to the scandals and controversy he was in during the time, as a result, Nintendo opted for a version without his name included, since they no longer wanted to associate with him.
Punch-Out was released in 1987 for the NES retrospectively. Despite its outdated graphics in visuals, this game is surprisingly very fun and enjoyable, you essentially play as a character named "Little Mac" as you fight your way to the top. Overall Punch-Out is a very well-made game and is certainly a classic for the NES.
Conclusion
Overall Sports games have always been very popular in the gaming world, and they show no signs of stopping soon. Sports Games allow lesser-athletic gamers to truly embrace their sport enthusiastic minds. Even Non-sports fans find appeal in sports games since it is another "world" for them to explore.
Hopefully, you have found this list to be helpful and informative. Of course, I wasn't able to fit every sports game onto this list, but that's to be expected. If your favourite sports game isn't on this list, please don't take it personally as I was only able to pick a "select few" for this list.
Want to learn more about the world of esports and gaming? Check out our podcast with Video Game legend Andy Payne.
