Sports Games have had a difficult year in 2022. Most countries have implemented lockdowns. Major sporting events such as UEFA Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics have been canceled. Fortunately, this year has also seen a slew of excellent new sporting video games, which have helped to fill the void.
The sports genre in gaming is in an odd place right now; franchises that used to dominate these lists, such as FIFA, NBA2K, and WWE, have all been criticized by both fans and critics for many years. This opportunity for other developers to shine has not gone unnoticed. And this year’s list of great sports games on Metacritic is more diverse as a result.
Sports Games EA Sports UFC 4
Mixed martial arts has become so synonymous with the UFC brand that, to Dana White’s credit, many people mistake UFC for the title of the sport itself. For many years, MMA was known as the world’s fastest-growing sport, but it has now reached the heights it always had the potential to reach.
With the success of UFC 4, it’s easy to see why EA recently signed a 10-year deal to continue making UFC games. The most recent game featured an excellent revamped combat system as well as the fantastic new online mode Blitz Battle.
WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship
FIA World Rally Championship WRC 9 racing gameplay
2020 was a fantastic year for motorsport games, with WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship being one of the best. WRC 9 has a well-developed career mode with surprising depth, as well as some of the best car handling mechanics in the genre.
The game did not disappoint in key areas, such as its excellent sense of speed and enjoyable multiplayer, but it did fall short in terms of sound and visual design.
DIRT 5 – Hot Sports Games
Codemasters has been a staple of the racing genre for decades, thanks in large part to their DIRT series, which took over the Colin McRae Rally series after Colin McRae’s untimely death.
With Dirt 5, Codemasters did not try to reinvent the wheel, instead keeping the core mechanics consistent with previous iterations. The off-road racing game has continued to offer more arcade-style gameplay than its competitors, a niche in which it has excelled.
MLB The Show 20
Despite not having the global popularity of soccer or basketball. There have been several baseball releases in 2020, and (spoiler alert) MLB The Show is only one of two like basket random.
San Diego Studio and Sony Computer Entertainment collaborated once more for their annual MLB release, and the game did not disappoint. It’s never easy for developers to make significant improvements to yearly releases, but San Diego Studio’s did it with the game’s new and improved fielding mechanics.
The best Sports Games – What The Golf?
Golf, like the FIFA and NBA2K franchises, was once a mainstay in lists like these. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003, for example, received a whopping 92 on Metacritic. With What The Golf?, the sport has made an unexpected appearance on this list.
What The Golf? began as a crowdfunding project on Fig and was released on Windows PC and iOS devices in 2019, before making its way to the Nintendo Switch in May of this year. When it was released, the game was nominated for numerous awards, including Best Mobile Game at the Game Developers Choice Awards.
Lonely Mountains: Downhill
Downhill biking gameplay in Lonely Mountains
Lonely Mountains: Downhill is a physics-based cycling game in which players must navigate difficult terrain while cycling downhill. Lonely Mountains: Downhill, like the previous entry, was first released on other platforms before making its way to the Nintendo Switch this year. Another resemblance to What The Golf? is that it was nominated for multiple awards, including Best International Indie Game from Poznan Game Arena, which it won.
Sports Games – Football Manager 2021
he disappointing FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer releases contrast sharply with Sports Interactive’s Football Manager series, which continues to dominate the management side of sporting games. When Sports Interactive left their popular Championship Manager series and teamed up with SEGA to create Football Manager 2005. They hit the ground running, and the series hasn’t missed a beat since.
There were concerns that the sim was losing its edge following a poor run of releases from 2015 to 2018 that nearly saw the series drop below the 80 mark on Metacritic multiple times, but a rebound into 2019 helped kick start a rejuvenation. This form was carried over from FM20 to FM21.
The most recent iteration makes no significant changes, but it does address a few previously identified issues. Team meetings, press conferences. Individual meetings now carry more weight, new statistics such as XG provide more insight. And the game runs faster than ever before, with shorter load times and a smoother match engine.
Super Mega Baseball 3
MetalHead Software outdid themselves this year with one of the best unlicensed sports games in recent memory, the second baseball game on this list. Despite the character models, Super Mega Baseball 3 is not an arcade experience. And there are no power-ups or special moves like in NBA Jam or WWE 2K Battlegrounds. Instead, the game provides surprisingly realistic baseball gameplay while using simpler controls than its MLB The Show counterpart.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
It was always going to be difficult to remake two games with a combined Metascore of 190. Vicarious Visions did an excellent job re-inventing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 to appeal to a modern audience while remaining true to the source material. The gameplay, which is as exciting as ever, takes place on beautifully redesigned classic levels.
1/10 F1 2020 racing gameplay (91) F1 2020 racing gameplay
Since their first Formula 1 release in 2009, Codemasters has steadily improved each of their annual F1 entries. The series has now surpassed DIRT and appears set to dominate not only the motorsport genre, but the entire sporting genre for many years to come.
Along with fantastic driving mechanics, F1 2020 continues the series’ tradition of providing incredible depth to the Formula 1 management aspect. My Team mode allows players to build a team from the ground up, with a fantastic range of customization options and management mechanics that provide more than enough content to keep players engaged until the inevitable release next year.
THE FOOTBALL SERIES
The EA Sports Fifa series is a well-known and iconic soccer game. It debuted on December 15, 1993. And has spawned countless sequels as well as an ever-growing fanbase. With the release of Fifa 21, the series has reached its 28th installment. As one of the most successful video game franchises in history, it’s clear that this series has no plans to end anytime soon.
Sports Games – WII SPORTS
While not a traditional sports game, Wii Sports is still considered a sports game. Wii Sports is a collection of five sports: baseball, golf, bowling, tennis, and boxing. If you are interested, there is also an additional training mode. Wii Sports was the Wii’s definitive game and is truly remarkable.
Overall, don’t be fooled by the childish graphics; this game is a lot of fun that will have you staring at your TV screen for hours and causing a few arguments with your family!
THE MADDEN SERIES Sports Games
The Madden series has been around for decades and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. It is probably one of the most iconic and highly recognizable sports series in the sports genre. Madden NFL debuted in 1988 and has since grown in popularity thanks to yearly releases and an ever-expanding fanbase.
American football is the most popular sport in the United States. While it isn’t as popular in other countries. It is slowly gaining popularity thanks to Madden’s coverage of the sport in action.
Check out the most recent Madden 21 edition right here!
SOCCER PRO EVOLUTION
When you think of Fifa’s competitors, you probably think of the iconic but underappreciated Pro Evolution Soccer series. While many may argue that this series is a “rip-off” of the FIFA series of games, a closer examination reveals that the games are very different and distinct from one another.
Pro Evolution Soccer is like Fifa’s younger brother in that they were released at different times. On March 15, 2001, nearly 8 years after Fifa, the Pro Evolution Soccer series debuted. While Fifa has the advantage of recognition, Pro Evolution Soccer is still a great series to get into. Contrary to popular belief, PES Soccer is not a clone of Fifa soccer; in fact, it is quite different in many ways.
Overall, if you don’t mind the mechanics of Fifa, Pro Evolution Soccer is a great alternative. Pro Evolution Soccer is also a good place to start for gamers who want to get into the sports genre of games.
THE NATIONAL HOCKEY SERIES
Another one of EA Sports’ greatest gems, the NHL series is a fantastic series. The NHL series is essentially ice hockey, but with a magical EA Sports twist. The NHL series debuted in 1991 and has maintained its popularity with yearly releases and an ever-growing fanbase.
Although ice hockey is not popular in all areas, it is still a fun sport to play. Overall, the NHL series is a great game to get into, and I highly recommend you give it a shot. You’ll also learn a lot about ice hockey.