Today’s gaming industry has hit a roadblock, particularly in the sports world. Most games are a recycled copy of the previous year’s game with an updated roster. However, the past most enjoyable sports video games prove that presentation is only a tiny piece of the puzzle of what makes a memorable game.
WWF No Mercy & WCW/NWO Revenge
Combining these games as one entity makes sense because they are essentially the same game. Both had the same graphics, gameplay, and style but incorporated different rosters of the rival wrestling companies. If you were a fan of the Monday Night Wrestling Wars in the late 90s and early 2000s, these games assuredly tickled your fancy.
Playing with legends like The Rock, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and D-Generation X in the WWF version and “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Goldberg in the WCW/NWO edition provided hours of enjoyment for those playing solo or with their friends.
NHL Hitz & NFL Blitz
In the same tune as the wrestling games, these two share a similar over-the-top aesthetic. NHL Hitz and NFL Blitz are two games of years past that were a hoot to play. Generally, hockey games are fun to play, even if you know nothing about the game. That was especially true with NHL Hitz, considering you could check your opposition through the boards, shattering the glass.
On the flip side, NFL Blitz was one of the most elite arcade-style football games, letting players turn the ferocity of football up to 11. Driving an opposing quarterback to the dirt and popping helmets off was the gratification you needed if your favorite team lost that Sunday.
NBA Jam
If you are a child from the 90s, you rushed to the arcade room at your local movie theater to get your hands on the joystick to play NBA Jam. Flaming three-pointers from half-court and slam dunks that rivaled those in Space Jam made this game a hot commodity for birthday parties across the country. The duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone may not have gotten a championship in real life, but they took home many fictitious crowns in this game.
Tecmo Super Bowl
While the gaming world has evolved so that you can immerse yourself into the action with superior technology and graphics, something is charming about playing a 16-bit game. Tecmo Super Bowl is still a popular choice amongst gamers, especially when you can run the rock with Bo Jackson. And the name Christian Okoye will still send shivers down some people’s spines.
MVP Baseball 2005
MVP Baseball walked so MLB: The Show could run. MVP Baseball forever changed the baseball gaming world with meter pitching, zone hitting, and a more detailed franchise mode that assured you months of entertainment. Add fun game modes in junkyards with the incomparable Jon Dowd, the exceptional soundtrack pumping you up, and you have the best sports video game ever.
The most enjoyable sports video games may not have the graphics of today’s games, but they have a uniqueness to them that we don’t see now, solidifying them as legendary works of art.