Sports-based video games have come a long way in recent years to the point where they are now hyper-realistic and offer players the chance to really feel immersed in the sporting game they are playing. Gone are the days of pixelated, blocky player shuffling across a green background. The evolution of these games has allowed the chance for many of these games to cement themselves as some of the most successful and best-loved gaming titles on the market. These titles offer excitement and immersion whilst also offering that realism that so many fans adore. But with so many sporting games now on offer out there, which ones really are the best sports video games?
- FIFA – The Biggest Game For The Biggest Sport
This game truly is in the god tier of games, never mind just sports games. The franchise has defined sporting video games and has done for many years now. 3 decades of the flagship game created by EA have brought ‘joga bonita’ to our screens with a realistic and immersive football simulation. The beauty of the FIFA games over the years has been their ability to combine official teams/players/managers with an authentic gameplay feeling that has fans hooked.
Over the years, developers of the game have created intricate gameplay that incorporates ball-physics and dynamic AI opponents, whilst also nurturing online servers for multiplayer modes and extensions to the original game, such as the popular Ultimate Team mode.
The different modes provide players with endless fun, taking their local team to the dizzying heights of the Champions League or beating players from around the world on Ultimate Team to get enough coins for Gold players. This allows accessibility for all levels, where newcomers can quickly learn the controls and veterans have options of depth to hone their skills.
FIFA has offered the chance for many players to create a career out of the game, with famous YouTubers such as KSI starting by streaming their FIFA content. The ecosystem of FIFA has developed alongside this creation and the emergence of Esports and Virtual football in recent years, with FIFA giving these newer forms of entertainment a platform to build from. These industries have rapidly expanded with high followings and the chance to wager on them. There are now plenty of sites that offer AI-based simulation analysis and fast-paced betting options (source: https://esportsinsider.com/kr/gambling/virtual-football-betting).
- NBA 2K – The Best Of B-Ball
The gold standard when it comes to games for fans of basketball is the 2K series. The visuals are effective and smooth, whilst the all-round gameplay, including the commentary, player animations, and soundtrack, is impactful.
Developers at 2K have focused on mirroring player animations in the game, with imitations of movements and styles of real-life players, whilst the soundtracks have been known to start a few cultural trends. NBA 2K has drawn on the successes of FIFA’s Ultimate Team model through the MyTeam gamemode, which offers a card-based team-building incentive, whilst MyCareer and MyLeague/MyGM modes allow you to craft personalized players and teams to navigate the life of a basketball star through playing games and dealing with off-court storylines.
NBA 2K games require players to develop timing skills and spatial awareness to succeed on the court, and this deep gameplay means it is one of the most competitive sports games on the market. This has allowed the title to flourish at esports events in recent years, peaking at 68,813 viewers in 2022.
- Tony Hawks Pro Skater – Bringing Arcade To Sports Games
Whilst many of the best sports video games focus on the simulation of major sporting events, not all do. Tony Hawks Pro Skater was first released in 1999 and changed skateboarding for many. The fast-paced gameplay and trick-filled experience pushed skateboarding into the mainstream limelight when this game rocketed to popularity.
Boasting a catchy soundtrack and artistic style over the realism of skateboarding, this game blurred the lines of what sports games could be like, taking away aspects of realism in favour of better gameplay and more entertainment for the player. These games are all about putting together killer combinations of tricks whilst discovering hidden areas, exploring the map, and mastering each character’s skills. They now have a cult following that solely plays the originals, but recent titles still attract new fans.
- Rocket League – Sports Without The Sport
The beauty of Rocket League is its uniqueness. This game has managed to create a whole new sport in itself, combining traditional football with rocket-powered cars to create a highly fuelled and entertaining game.
The game takes inspiration from small 5-aside games of football, and its rules are simple: outscore your opponent. But the beauty of the game comes in the chaos. Fast-paced with flips, tricks, and boosts, it allows each player to try to outsmart their opponent through control of their car. This game is accessible, but can be mastered. It allows new players to try their luck against veteran players with seasoned strategies.
- Wii Sports – A Cultural Revolution
When quantifying the best games, it is hard to ignore the impact that some games have had on the wider community. Wii Sports was one of these games that caused cataclysmic revolutions in the gaming world, becoming the right-selling game on an exclusive console. It is far flung from the real-life simulations of other titles on this list, but its cultural impact cannot be understated.
The motion-controlled sports included tennis, baseball, golf, and boxing. Whilst these were competitive games, these match-ups on the Wii were extremely accessible and were more of a social occasion than anything to be enjoyed with friends and family. The motion controls were intuitive and allowed gaming to become accessible to audiences who were otherwise not interested. It shaped how interactive games have been developed since and was a pioneer in its corner of the industry.
Final Thoughts
The best sports video games go beyond just capturing the rules and actions of players on a pitch. They dig out the raw emotions, the implementation of strategy, and the community that sports have, combining them. FIFA and NBA 2K focus on offering players an immersive realism, whilst Pro Skater, Rocket League, and Wii Sports focus on offering accessibility and celebrate all forms of sports, without the weight of expectations.
As technology continues to develop, there is no doubt that sports video games will continue to grow, improving the way players can interact with the game and connect with others. There’s no doubt future titles will be just as thrilling as the classics that have already been delivered.