For those who remember playing on the Atari 2600 or Commodore 64, it’s amazing to think how far the gaming industry has come in such a short time. Games today are reaching levels of realism never before dreamed of, and this is perhaps most evident in the segment of the market that caters to sports fans. However, realism isn’t always the hallmark of a great sports video game, as you’ll see as you scroll through our picks for the 8 best sports games ever.
8.Madden 2005
In terms of financial success, the Madden franchise is the best sports video game series ever made, but we had a hard time placing it higher as it has limited appeal outside of North America. Why did we choose the 2005 edition among the many available? Because 2005 included all the great innovations we now take for granted.
7. NBA Street Vol. two
Many people would argue that NBA Jam should be here, but those would just be the old farts who can’t put the past behind them. Street took NBA Jam and made it great for a whole new generation.
6. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
Just as Tiger Woods helped make the sport more appealing, the 2003 edition of the PGA Tour made golf video games available to entirely new segments of the gaming field. The people who wouldn’t be caught dead on the links were trash talking and messing with Tiger.
5. Soccer World Winning Eleven 7 International
There are many great football titles to choose from, and narrowing them down to just one is no easy task. In the end, we chose this one because it was revolutionary at the time of its release. Many football fans think of FIFA, but EA owes a lot to this Konami product.
4. MLB 09: The Show
Unlike the Madden series, games that revolve around America’s other pastime sell very well outside of North America. MLB 09: The Show stands out because it remains the standard for realism in a baseball game, and realism is king in baseball video games.
3.NHL ’94
You knew there had to be a hockey game on the list somewhere, but did you expect it to be a mid-90s entry? Maybe not, but when it comes to hockey video games, we think fun trumps graphics. This is the most fun hockey game ever created.
2. Pro skater from Tony Hawk 2
There was a time when many of us didn’t even consider skateboarding as a sport, but all that has changed. THPS2 is not only the best skateboarding game ever made, but it revolutionized sports gaming in general with its smooth animation.
1. Punch out!!
When you sit down to create a list of the best sports video games ever made, you might as well start typing Punch-Out at number one. No video game has captured the world’s imagination the way this one has.
Well, there you have it, the 8 best games ever according to us. We are sure that you disagree with at least some. Where would the fun be if you didn’t?
