It all depends on difficulty level. I also think it depends on how the AI plays on those difficulty levels. For me, The Show is as about as challenging as any fame without feeling cheated.

I will say I struggled with NCAA 11 on Heisman.

Overall I think sports games play a much better one player game than they did a few years ago.

I have always loved MLB The Show and felt that was the most realistic. I have also played some soccer games and this is just my opinion but I haven't been able to find a good middle ground. Either they're too easy or way too hard, maybe with more practise I could challenge the AI but I have always felt games such as FIFA have always excelled in the couch warfare environment.

I agree. FIFA has always been a game that presents a challenge. The best part about today's games is the ability to tune the settings to your liking. I used to be a ***** of sliders with the thought that the game should play "perfect" out of the box. What I came to realize is that a perfect playing game for me may not be for someone else.

Today's games are so much better because of sliders.

I agree MLB the Show provides the toughest challenge from the CPU. In my RTTS I batted .228 last year with the Tigers, and in my current season I'm batting .242. When I play the Show I have to be completely focused on the game, if there are any distractions or I'm not focused I will lose, badly.

NCAA 11 with my minor slider adjustments on All-American has provided me a challenge as well. In 16 dynasty seasons I've yet to win a National Championship. But I do know I could "cheese" the CPU on certain plays almost everytime If I wanted too, but I choose not to take advantage of that for realism purposes.

MLB 11, there is nothing I can do to take advantage of the CPU and I do not have to make slider adjustments. I would say it is the most challenging sports game I've ever played

heck even with the right sliders MLB 2k10 and 2k11 are a challenge I was 46-47 with the Tigers when my dynasty file was corrupted

I think baseball games are the easiest to get the cpu to play smart, tough and realistic. It's the most individual type of team sport out there.

Football is the toughest because everyone has to work together and unfortunately the cpu plays like a 7 year old with regards to their play calling. EA really needs to improve the play calling. Part of the problem is that only half the plays in the playbooks really work well. As humans we can recognize which plays suck and not call them. We also call plays more to suit our talents on offence and how to stop what they are doing on offence as well. Currently I see very little smart adjustments in EA's football games. It's the biggest area that needs improvement imo.

Good point, Rudy. With football you have to nerf your play calling and sliders to get the game to play somewhat realistic and even then, the CPU is still bad at calling plays.

Baseball games have always been hard on higher difficulties but more so for them being somewhat unrealistic past the default setting.
I think Boxing games have always been frustrating when you attempt to battle it out on higher levels because you have to pretty much change everything about the way you play.
College football is funny how it gives you a bunch of games that seem too easy and then out of nowhere you can't do a thing against a team you should destroy.

Sounds like Madden on the highest difficulty