Editor's Note: Operation Sports would just like to take a moment to congratulate Richard Chavez for landing an internship at WWE Magazine. While the "E" is stealing Rich from us -- Rich has been a great part of the writing staff since May 2008 and we will miss his contributions around the e-office -- we congratulate him for landing an internship at WWE Magazine. It should be a great experience and opportunity for him, and we hope that he can crack some skulls and learn the ropes while taking WWE Magazine to the next level (he also better send us some swag). And while Rich might not be writing for OS anymore, we know we will still see him on the forums -- at least this is what we keep telling ourselves to ease the pain. Good luck and congrats Rich!

We can always count on the "regulars" to get us through the year. The traditional NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL releases are usually enough to quench the thirst of most sports gamers. But every year there are also a handful of unexpected or atypical sports releases that we can spend even more time playing. Here are five titles to look out for during the rest of 2010. 

Backbreaker

Set for release in the spring, Backbreaker will be the first unlicensed football game released for consoles in over a year. It will also be NaturalMotion’s first attempt at American football. The game looks promising enough, and it potentially features the most unique physics engine ever seen in a sports game. The Euphoria engine, seen in Grand Theft Auto IV, will make way for different tackles and jukes during every single play. Though the game cannot feature real teams and players, Backbreaker may make Madden’s motion-captured animations seem stale by comparison. The inclusion of a franchise mode and online play means the game could keep spinning in gaming systems as long as the football feels right. The exclusive NFL license has left Madden alone in the green room so any alternative should get a look. 

Gran Turismo 5

We have had multiple Forza releases since the last full Gran Turismo came to consoles, but many gamers still long for this driving simulator. GT5 will be the first official outing on the PS3. Other firsts include damage modeling on cars and the NASCAR and Indy Racing League licenses. However, a 16-player online mode may be the biggest addition to the feature set. If you do not want to wait until the summer to grab GT5, you can snag a demo of the game from the PlayStation Store, or you can play GT: Prologue, which feels like it came out ages ago at this point.

EA Sports MMA

It does not surprise anybody that EA Sports is trying to get in on the MMA craze in the United States. Though the sport is dominated by UFC in this country, there are still quite a few organizations and fighters not inked to Dana White’s company. One of them is Fedor Emelianenko, the number one pound for pound fighter in the world according to nearly every publication that covers MMA. Other fighters include Frank Shamrock (who provides commentary along with Mauro Ronallo) and UFC legend Randy Couture. The game is set for release "sometime in 2010." EA Sports has a tough mountain to climb either way (see below).

UFC Undisputed 2010

Though Undisputed looks to be a yearly release from here on out, this entry is only the second in the series. The first version won the award for Best Individual-Based Game of the Yearhere at OS and received high praise in general. UFC 2009 beat out Fight Night Round 4 on OS, and UFC 2010 will now battle a foe in the same arena, EA Sports MMA. In comparison to MMA, details are scarce right now. Based on the trailer that debuted at the Spike VGAs, fans of Miami backyard fighting can now play as Kimbo Slice. I can also say for sure that Yukes has had nearly a year to work on an already well-done game. Either way, we will all be judges on May 25 when UFC 2010 is released.

NBA Jam

When Midway hit the skids, the company's licenses scattered in different directions. Unbeknownst to many, EA acquired the rights to NBA Jam. Nothing is known about the game beyond the press release that came out on January 11 (and the recent Nintendo Power cover story). EA Sports is promising "true-to-life body types, updated physics and visible player emotion to the over-the-top experience." While the old Jam game was virtually remade (and updated) via the NBA Street series, there are plenty of possibilities for this new version on the Wii. I would love to see classic uniforms and players, along with the current group of guys of course. I will be very disappointed if the ultimate team of John Starks and Patrick Ewing is unavailable.


Which new or updated title are you looking forward to this year? Can you choose between MMA and UFC? Can you say BOOMSHAKALAKA? Sound off with your comments below!