The Top Ten: Best Sports Video Games

With the release of Madden ’10 looming on the horizon and NCAA Football ’10 still fresh on the shelves, it seemed like the perfect time to break out a list. What list? The ten best sports video games ever conceived by mankind.

There are no fancy ranking systems or formulas to determine which of these is the best sports video game; purely my own personal experience and bias. If you don’t like my choices, post your own in the comments. Before we get to the list, though, we’ve got a few games that didn’t quite make the cut for best sports video game. And just as a point: racing games were not included for consideration.

Best Sports Video Game – Honorable Mention:

Mario Tennis (N64) – A game so easy to pick up and play, it’s amazing it took so long to think of it. Mario and friends play tennis. What could be easier? Still fun no matter how much graphics change things. One of the best sports video games, but not quite reaching that upper echelon of “best sports video games” that the games on the list reached. Sometimes could play a little too slow.

Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf (NES) – An obscure game that consumed my youth on the NES. Was it the best sports video game ever? Far from it. Two courses and four characters? Not exactly a whole lot of depth to the game. But golf games have always been pretty simple and I enjoy them quite a bit. But since I played this game so much in my memory, it’s on the list. Barely.

Excitebike (NES) – Excitebike has gotten quite a bit more pub recently after being rereleased on the Game Boy Advance and spawning its own “Excite series.” I don’t have very many memories of this game, but if Matt Lawrence vouches for it, well then, by God, it’s good enough for me.

Best Sports Video Game – The List

10th Best Sports Video Game

Major League Baseball featuring Ken Griffey Jr. (N64) – The Nintendo 64, for my money, is the best video game system of all-time. I do have a bias, as that system is the one I grew up playing, but it was a system full of great games. One of which happens to be this title, released in 1998. This is not a straight baseball simulation, which does hurt its standing. But a simple hitting graphic (put the circle around the box) led to some fun play and the 10th best sports video game on this list. Graphics aren’t that great, but you can get through a whole season with stats (that was a big deal once) and all of the ballparks are included. And pitch speeds range from 47 mph to 106! What’s more fun than that?

9th Best Sports Video Game

FIFA Soccer Series (XBOX 360, PS3) – I greatly enjoy soccer. I played it for most of my life, and I enjoy watching it. FIFA is a fantastic game, especially if played on a huge HD screen. This may seem a little low with all of that taken into account, but to me, it’s a game that I could always find a way to put down. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that I’m not that good. One of the best sports games out there, but I suppose I prefer to just watch people who are better at it than me.

8th Best Sports Video Game

Tecmo Bowl (NES) – The sequel to this game, Tecmo Super Bowl, might actually be the game that’s played more today, I’m putting Tecmo Bowl on this list because it created the sequel. (After all, without Tecmo Bowl, there’s no Tecmo Super Bowl.) One of the best sports video games along with the oldest in our top ten, Tecmo Bowl had four plays per team. Bo Jackson had one. Talk about injustices.

7th Best Sports Video Game

NFL Blitz (PlayStation) – Check your expectations of a realistic game at the door. On this list, NFL Blitz stands up with the best of them for simple, pure fun among the best sports video games ever. Put in some cheat codes (or agree to not have any) and just go to town. Penalties? Pssh. We don’t need no stinkin’ penalties. An added bonus: A great announcer. IS THAT LEGAL???!!!

6th Best Sports Video Game

Madden NFL series (All systems) – The Madden games are great, but they’ve gone downhill over the last couple of years after EA Sports bought the exclusive license for the NFL and the NFLPA. (Related story – this is why The Show is the only baseball game worth getting) When EA had some competition, there wasn’t much argument over who had the best game. So why did they even have to buy the rights in the first place? Why am I asking questions of myself? Am I going crazy? Still excellent games, though, and worthy of this spot on the list of best sports video games.

5th Best Sports Video Game

Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey (N64) – There have been quite a few arcade-style games in this list of the best sports video games. Why is that? They’re fun. This one is another sports video game that is just fun. Get the game fired up, pick a team, pick a line of three players from that team, and you’re on your way. Power shots? Check. Power checks? Check. An overly excited announcer? Check. (See a pattern here? I’m a sucker for over-the-top announcers.) Put it all together and you have an awesome game. It’s so simple!

4th Best Sports Video Game

Tiger Woods PGA Tour Series (All systems) – As far as golf games go, you can’t get any better than these. This latest entry on to our list of best sports video games ever has such a multitude of features that “completing the game” is a task equal to that of most adventure games. Some of the best courses in the world are on these games, and if there’s a golfer you want to play as, just pick one, and he or she is probably in there. A series that continues to get better in every way.

3rd Best Sports Video Game

NBA Jam (SEGA Genesis) – The original arcade sports game. I don’t care what the facts say; this was it. 2-on-2 action complete with eight pointers, HE’S ON FIRE!!!!!, and even players who were left out (MJ). Arcade sports games dream of becoming NBA Jam. In fact, I’d argue that NBA Jam is still on top of the list of basketball video games, 15 years after its release. Boomshackalacka.

2nd Best Sports Video Game

MVP Baseball 2005 (XBOX, PS2, GameCube) – The last EA Sports baseball game, and quite possibly the deepest sports game ever created. I’m still trying to unlock all the created players and uniforms, four years after this game was released. Near the top of the best sports video game list because you could have a dynasty featuring a major-league team and its top three minor league affliates. Also – you could be an owner and build up your team from minor-league level to Yankees-level cash cow. Practice modes, plus tons of unlockable players, uniforms and stadiums.

Best Sports Video Game

NHL ’94 (Sega Genesis) – If you haven’t played this game, you’re missing out. The best sports video game ever, hands down. Realistic (and fun) gameplay, you could play through a whole season with stats, crash through the glass, and one-time a shot past the goalie. For those lucky enough to still have a Genesis, this game must be in your collection, no matter what.

So there you have it. There are still great sports games out there, but some of the better ones have been around quite awhile.

PICS:

Gretzky cover: http://www.gamespot.com/pages/image_viewer/boxshot.php?pid=199279

Blitz cover: http://www.vgmuseum.com/scans/psx.html

NHL ’94 shot: http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=445412

Griffey cover: http://www.gamespot.com/pages/image_viewer/boxshot.php?pid=197847