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Sports games are an essential part of the gaming spectrum – they are probably the easiest games to get into because of how close they resemble their real-life counterpart. For example, football fans can look forward to the next iteration of the FIFA franchise, to have updated teams and maybe newer game modes to always be closer to their football heroes they dream to one day replicate. That said, it is not only football that has plenty of fans flocking to the sports game. There are loads of other sports games out there, and we’re going to look at our top 5 sports games available to play in 2021.
FIFA 21
FIFA 21 is obviously the head of the list. Apart from being already in full momentum having launched back in October, it is also having one promotion after the other. Promos in FIFA, specifically Ultimate Team, feature new cards consisting of players with different, improved ratings each week. A team of the week is published weekly with a number of players who performed very well in their league matches over the weekend.
Some other promotions feature players who not necessarily had performance-related boosts but fall into some category or another. This keeps players active in the game by trying to purchase or sell these special cards through the in-game market, or even buying points to purchase packs in the game to be able to sell these later. These packs, much like gambling or mobile betting, have limited odds of coming out better off, so players do well to think twice before spending money.
NBA 2K21
NBA 2K21 is another game that transfers fan’s love for the game onto virtual platforms. The basketball simulator title, much like its football counterpart, makes thousands upon thousands in sales each year, all from enthusiasts of the sport and lovers of the game. Being a yearly release is no issue for the loyal fanbase who each year keep on acquiring the annual title from 2K. This year, the NBA game has really taken its game to the next level, with unbelievably realistic graphics on next-gen consoles which are always blurring the line between real and digital even more.
Rocket League
Whilst not a traditional sports game, Rocket League has been around since 2017, yet still remains one of the most prominent sports titles. As simple as it sounds, Rocket League involves using a car to play football using a big ball. The only aim of the game is to put it inside your opponent’s net. The game’s simplicity probably adds to how addictive it is, as it is a clear case of “easy to learn but hard to master”.
The amount of people streaming the game on twitch is another incentive for players to keep on grinding the game, as the chance to one day become one of the best can only happen with practice upon practice. Prize money in tournaments is definitely good, meaning there can only be benefits of achieving a high level in this game.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2
An ode to the famed Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series back on the original PlayStation, the recent remaster in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 has made fans of the classic series rejoice. The launch late last year was welcomed with open arms from an incredible number of people, including players who had played the original titles on Sony’s first console, those who always wanted but did not, and newcomers to the series who want to experience what the hype is all about.
Getting to impersonate your favourite heroes on the skateboard is really fun, and playing the game is all about that fun. Pulling off tricks that defy the laws of physics in the game does not feel like a big deal at all. Darkslide or The 720 are only a couple of inputs away from execution, and while the inputs are not hard at all, watching your skater perform these insanely difficult moves fills your inner skater with incredible joy.
PES 2020
One last title to mention is surely Pro Evolution Soccer 2020. Konami’s football alternative to FIFA has long been in the shadows of EA’s colossus, but the story was not always like this. Back in 2006, Konami had in its hands the most fun and popular football title in PES 2006, which is regarded by football fanatics as one of the best football games in existence. Unfortunately, after PES 2008, which was similarly amazing, Konami dropped the ball and EA took over, reigning up until the latest release with FIFA over PES.
The most recent iteration of PES however is redefining the way the game works, and that may lead to the series regaining some of its previous glory. Coming in updates instead of full releases, PES 2020 was one single release, with single, half priced updates coming in every year to adjust for the changes throughout this past season. It’s a formula that is very original and promises to be the way going forward, and with all probability will permit PES to be able to compete better with EA’s football title.
What sports titles do you enjoy?
Sports titles, especially in this unfortunate time of the pandemic, is a meagre consolation to not being able to play sports outside, but at least it enables us to get in on the action from the comfort of our homes. It may not be much, but as long as we have something to keep us happy, we’ll definitely oblige. But what are your favourite sports games out there? Let us know in the comments below or on our social channels.