I’ve always been big into sports video games, from Madden to NHL. I don’t care about playing online, and typically just play with friends or play a franchise mode occasionally. I don’t play any other video games for that matter, as I could care less about running around shooting people or whatever people like to do.
I’d argue that sports video gamers are completely different than typical gamers. I think fans of shooting games are true gamers, while sports video gamers are not nearly as intense. Perhaps on a related note, sports games have seemingly been trending downward in recent years, making me yearn for the heyday of my childhood. What are the best sports games of all time? We’ve got to go back quite a bit to find the true gems.
Triston Casas hitting nukes in MVP Baseball 2005 (modded) is so weird but just feels so right.
🎥: @dhsox182 pic.twitter.com/9XhghQOG19
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) November 28, 2023
#3: Madden 2005
As a big time Madden fan, I’ve been incredibly disappointed at the lazy attempts at improvements that the franchise has made over the years. I truly believe that this 2005 game is as fun as anything that has come out since. The main reason that this game makes this list is due to the amazing improvements that were made in comparison to the previous year’s games. They included an amazing story mode that had a lot more complexity than in previous iterations. They also had cool aspects like mini games that they have since taken out, for some reason. The Madden franchise would be wise to bring back some elements from this game for next year’s game.
#2: NCAA Football 14
College football lends itself quite well to video games, due to the sheer number of teams and the awesome solo player mode, called Road to Glory. Taking a player over as a freshman and trying to win a Heisman trophy or National Championship before they graduate can be a lot of fun. This game received phenomenal reviews, but EA Sports unfortunately lost the licensing rights to make another NCAA game. Thankfully, after a 10 year absence, the series will likely make its triumphant return in 2024. This is a massive win for sports video gamers everywhere.
#1: MVP Baseball 2005
2005 was quite the year, eh? This game was an absolute jewel, as baseball fans still rejoice about how incredible the gameplay was. Similar to NCAA Football, EA Sports lost licensing rights for all MLB games after this year, leading to the MLB 2K series and The Show being the only baseball games now produced. These games are simply no where near the same level as MVP, with all kinds of gameplay glitches, even in recent years. Baseball nerds figured out years ago that MVP Baseball is a very hackable game, meaning that people will release visual improvements and roster updates every year. This means that there really isn’t a good reason to play any other baseball game, possibly ever again.