Submitted on: 07/23/2009 by
Andrew Watkins
Sports gamers are a difficult bunch to get along with -- I would know since I'm part of that bunch. We used to be happy with decent on-field action and a patched-together season mode.
Oh how things have changed.
Now it's almost fitting to compare modern sports gamers to fans of role-playing games. Ardent RPG fans demand nothing less than perfection. Woe is the developer that does not live up to the latest Final Fantasy. Woe is the developer who does not understand the subtle differences between a wood elf and a high elf. You get the idea.
Scoff if you will, but the fact of the matter is that aficionados of sports games are not much better. In fact, I would argue that we have become worse. We demand that our games be authentic, replayable, and somewhere further down this list, enjoyable. Sports games have turned us into monsters, highly educated and discerning monsters.
Sp let us take a look at what the modern sports game must include, as well as some of the culprits that have raised our expectations to these heights.
We can blame NHLPA '93 for our addiction to good gameplay.
Our insistence that sports games be smooth and highly enjoyable experiences quite possibly originated with NHLPA Hockey '93 for the Sega Genesis. Those of you who are old enough to remember when this game came out are probably smiling from ear to ear right now as you recall the many hours you spent playing this game. It is almost difficult to believe that Electronic Arts released this title 17 years ago.
NHLPA Hockey sent a shockwave through the sports-gaming world. It included monstrous body checks, slick stick handling and pinpoint passing. The game also moved at a frenetic pace. Quite simply, there had never been a sports game like it. Hell, there had never been a game like it, period.
NHLPA Hockey achieved the impossible. It converted nearly everybody who played it into a hockey fan. (I had been a hockey fan my entire life, but I found myself turning off the actual games to play virtual hockey on my Sega Genesis -- then again, I am a Toronto Maple Leafs fan so turning their games off is normally preferable to watching them.)
NHLPA Hockey became a cultural phenomenon. It even made a memorable appearance in the movie Swingers -- Vince Vaughn makes reference to Jeremy Roenick’s otherworldly overall game while chiding Wayne Gretzky.
There are few contemporary games that can match the impact of NHLPA Hockey.
Other notables: MVP Baseball, the Madden series, the 2K Basketball series
As far as authenticity goes, does anything beat MLB: The Show?
Authenticity
EA’s NHLPA Hockey could provide a number of thrills, but it was by no means authentic. But moving beyond NHLPA Hockey, it is hard to give the authenticity category to one single game. There have been so many great videogames that have bridged the gap between fun and authenticity. Still, I keep coming back to Sony's MLB: The Show as the winner. More than any other game, it has raised the bar in this category.
The Road to the Show (RttS) feature is what puts this title over the top. Let’s face it, in baseball videogames of yore we would simply hammer balls into the cheap seats during every at-bat with our sluggers. Games would be double-digit affairs that would be quickly erased from our memories after they were completed.
In The Show, double-digit runs occur, well, about as often as the do in real life. I don’t know about you, but I struggle to hit .300 during my RttS. I live and die with every at-bat, knowing that as long as I can scratch out a one for four at the plate, my average will not dip too far. The biggest compliment I can give this game is that as soon as I begin to feel that I have everything figured out, I take a drubbing at the hands of the savvy artificial intelligence (AI). Losing has never felt so good.
Other notables: MVP Baseball, NHL '09, text-based games in general
Dynasty Mode
Dynasty mode? Are you kidding me? Back in the day if we got a season mode it was like Christmas came early. There are some incredible experiences to be had if one has the time to commit to a dynasty mode. And every sports game that takes itself seriously must include a meaty dynasty feature.
Still, there is one game that does this mode better than any other. Let’s go across the pond and discuss the Football Manager series (known as Worldwide Soccer Manager in North America). I would hate to know how much time I put into this game. Well, in actuality I do know as the '09 version displays the number on the main page of the game. Embarrassment prohibits me from giving you the exact number, but the accompanying line of text reads: "remember, eating gives you strength to keep on playing."
Yeah.
Quite simply, this is the most addictive dynasty mode out there. Soccer is probably my fifth favorite sport, but it does not matter. You will buy and sell players, develop your youth club, tinker with formations and personnel, develop rivalries with other managers and so much more. The game does a remarkable job of throwing you curveballs to keep you on your toes. It is a cerebral experience that elevates gaming to an art form. It is responsible for raising my dynasty standards more than any other game.
Other notables: Out of the Park Baseball, Front Office Football, MLB: The Show
Statistics
Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) is the clear winner in this category. Frankly no other game is even close. One can get completely lost in the myriad numbers that this game compiles. I have been playing OOTP since the very first incarnation, and I am still utterly captivated by it.
Baseball is a sport that lends itself to statistics. OOTP gives us all the numbers we can handle and more. It is a remarkable achievement on every level.
Other notables: Every other title is still "in the park."
Gamers love a good challenge, and UEFA Euro 2008 offered that in spades.
Challenge is a difficult feature to get just right. Too much challenge leads to frustration and too little leads to apathy. Few games seem to be able to find that perfect balance. For my money EA's FIFA series best accomplishes this middle ground. In fact I would argue that EA’s UEFA Euro 2008 is the pinnacle of challenge. This was a title that bridged FIFA '08 and FIFA '09 by virtually representing the European Cup of Soccer.
In UEFA Euro 2008 it is possible to beat a soccer power with a lesser nation, but you had best be on your game to do so. Furthermore, you will have to wisely employ the many formations and mentalities at your disposal. Employ an "all out attack" mentality against Spain if you wish, but don’t expect to gain any Trophies or Achievements because you are going to lose.
Even playing with a powerhouse team is not always easy, as opposing teams will often flood their own end with players as they strive for a 0-0 draw. It can be maddening but in the best possible way. When you finally do score, it is cause for celebration -- one begins to understand why real-life soccer players celebrate their goals so flamboyantly.
Other notables: Pro Evolution Soccer, College Hoops 2K8, Madden
As far as fun, Fight Night is the epitome of a game which is just that.
An unfortunate byproduct of our demands for authenticity is that fun sometimes takes a backseat to realism. This is a shame as videogames should be, first and foremost, fun. EA's NHL series would be a definite contender here, but let us try to avoid repeat winners.
I am going to go with a dark horse in this category. For me the most fun to be had in a videogame can be found in the Fight Night series. The career mode is not great, the boxing can be a little bit artificial, but man, no game has kept me up until the wee hours of the morning like this title. And this has been true since the moment I fired up the first incarnation of the game on my Xbox.
And with each new release I fall in love with the series all over again. There is something extremely enjoyable about beating your opponent to a pulp while wondering how he keeps getting up off the mat. I think part of the appeal is that the matches are relatively short -- this is in stark contrast to the football, basketball and baseball games that are available. The bouts end quickly, and then you want to jump right into the next one. It is the ideal formula. The fact that you can try different styles in different weight classes is also simply awesome.
Fight Night has found the perfect formula for fun.
Other notables: Tiger Woods Golf, EA’s NHL series, Wii Sports
Conclusion
These are but some of the titles that have raised the bar in sports gaming, and compelled us to become more and more picky with our games. I am certain that people reading this article have their own list of games that have caused them to look down their nose at other, lesser games. That's why our new-found discerning nature is good for the sports-gaming consumer. It sets standards for developers to meet. A game that does not meet these standards is simply not going to be a success.
Let us all take a moment, however, to remember that gaming is still supposed to be enjoyable. That should be the ultimate goal for all developers.
...But they should also remember to include a meaty dynasty mode.
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