We’ve come together to whittle our way down to the Sweet 16 of the best sports video games of all-time. Outside a few upsets in the second round of the tournament (goodbye, Madden ’05), this looks like the best representation of our original 64 games. One thing that must be addressed is Links 386 Golf getting more votes than any other game in the entire competition. We’re not saying Russians are meddling in this incredibly pure voting process, but Russians are probably meddling in this incredibly pure voting process.
The sports editorial team is very concerned.
Or, maybe there’s a large group of PC golfers out there, nostalgic for their favorite game from the ’90s. It’s hard to say. We have various non-partisan agencies looking into this situation.
Beyond the outlier that is Links, who is going up against behemoth Tiger Woods 2005, these titles are all monsters of their respective categories. As expected, NFL 2K5 has moved on, as has WWF No Mercy and Tony Hawk 2. Now, who will make it into the final eight?
The Basketball and Football Region
No. 9 NFL 2K5
Considered one of the greatest sports games ever, NFL 2K5 blew gamers away with its deep suite of features and impeccable gameplay — all for just $19.99 compared to Madden‘s full priced game.
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No. 4 NBA 2K12
Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird graced the cover of NBA 2K12, one of the truest love letters to a sport in digital form. It bridged the gap to the next generation with a painstaking attention to detail and endless ways to play.
No. 10 NCAA Football ’07
Featuring Reggie Bush on the cover and a nearly impossible to stop “momentum” game mechanic, NCAA ’07 offered one of the deepest dynasty experiences up to that point. Its Xbox 360 version was bare-boned, but the PS2 version is up there near Madden ’05 and ’06 as one of the most complete packages in EA’s library.
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No. 6 Blitz 64
Few things in the world of gaming were more satisfying than crushing a dancing Deion Sanders in the end zone well after the play ended. You were scored on, but they paid. Oh, they paid.
The Baseball and Hockey Region
No. 9 MVP Baseball 2005
Long considered to be one of the best baseball games ever before The Show came into its prime, MVP Baseball 2005 was EA’s final foray into America’s pastime before losing the license. The stats would go back over 100 years, the graphics are still phenomenal, and the deep franchise mode was so beloved, it’s still supported by modders today.
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No. 4 MLB ’16: The Show
Few games flirt with perfection as often as The Show series. The animations are impeccable, the features are deep, and the graphics have been making a passerby think a real baseball game is on TV for nearly a decade. It’s truly one of the best.
No. 7 Ken Griffey Jr. Presents: Major League Baseball
If you were growing up as a sports gamer in the ’90s, there was a great chance you owned Ken Griffery Jr. Baseball. The production values and sprite-based characters were second to none in 1994, and were the last hurrah before polygons took over in the N64 and PS1 era.
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No. 3 Blades of Steel
If you owned an NES back in the day, you played Blades of Steel. The intense faceoffs and fighting made you forget about your lack of team options, and games were intense.
The Soccer/Racing/Whatnot Region
No. 8 Wii Sports
Even if you skipped the boxing minigame completely, Home Run Derby, Bowling, and Tennis could entertain a household for years. Say what you will about the Wii, Nintendo caught lightning in a bottle with Wii Sports. The fun was probably enhanced if you were living with a bunch of roommates at the time.
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No. 13 Off-Road
I still have no idea who Ivan “Ironman” Stewart is, but I do remember Off-Road fondly. The isometric view was novel at a time when the camera would typically follow the player’s car, but this 4-wheeled arcade unit was about making the best multiplayer experience. Elbows to the ribs and all.
No. 2 Excitebike
The track editor is arguably one of the most “ahead of its time” features in all of gaming. In 1984 we were barely seeing coherent representations of sports games, then Excitebike comes out and dominates the field.
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No. 11 Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec
One of the first games go to another level of jaw-dropping visuals, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec was everything a car junkie wanted. Its graphics were so good and its controls so difficult, A-Spec made a sizable amount of people be content in just watching someone else play.
It still looks good considering it came out in 2001.
The Extreme Sports/Fighting/Golf Region
No. 1 Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
Improving on the first THPS in every way, THPS2 was more of everything — more control (manuals) more hidden secrets, a bigger and better soundtrack, and one of the most addictive combo-chaining mechanics in gaming. The game would refine itself and add much-needed features in later years, but THPS2 will always be loved forever. The level design is perfection.
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No. 5 WWE No Mercy
The gold standard of the THQ/Asmik Ace Entertainment/AKI Corporation run, No Mercy brought the create-a-wrestler to another level while delivering deep gameplay that built upon Wrestlemania 2000 and WCW vs. NWO. This was a 4-player staple.
No. 15 Links 386 Pro
Watching the courses load was half the fun, but for many, the stunning graphics and nuanced gameplay couldn’t be touched for a decade. There were so many options. You had such control. The golfer looks so real!
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No. 3 Tiger Woods 2005
With one of the best create-a-player suites in gaming, Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’05 was a favorite in competitive households. Tiger straddled the line between arcade and simulation gameplay, which allowed for close games between newbies and vets alike.
