For those who remember playing on the Atari 2600 or Commodore 64, it is surprising to think how far the gaming industry has come in such a short time. Today, games reach 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 when you take a journey through our picks for the 8 best sports games ever.
8. Madden 2005
In terms of financial success, the Madden franchise is the largest sports video game series ever made, but we had a hard time ranking 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 that we now take for granted.
7. NBA Street Vol. 2
A lot of people would say NBA Jam should be here instead, but those would 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 give the sport a broader appeal, 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 talking bad and playing with Tiger.
5. World Soccer Winning 7 International
There are many great football titles to choose from, and narrowing them down to the best is not an easy task. In the end, we chose this one because it was revolutionary at the time of its release. Many soccer fans think of FIFA, but EA owes this Konami product great gratitude.
4.MLB 09: The Show
Unlike the Madden series, America’s other hobby-oriented games are selling very well outside of North America. MLB 09: The Show sets itself apart 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 somewhere on the list, but did you expect it to be a mid-90s entry? Maybe not, but when it comes to hockey video games, we believe that fun trumps graphics. This is the funniest hockey game ever created.
2. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
There was a time when many of us wouldn’t even consider skateboarding as a sport, but all of that has changed. THPS2 is not only the best skateboarding game ever made, but it revolutionized sports games in general with its fluid animation.
1. Punch-Out !!
When you sit down to create a list of the best sports video games ever made, it is best to start by typing Punch-Out in slot number one. No video game has captured the world’s imagination the way this one did.
Well, there you have it, the 8 best games in history according to us. We are sure that you do not agree with at least some. Where would the fun be if you didn’t?