2010: A Sports Gaming Odyssey

[Gramps91]

Yea I'm a huge basketball fan and 2K11 is indescribable. I keep wanting to say its amazing but that just doesn't cover it. People are talking all about Jordan being on it and while that is a great addition my favorite thing about it is just the gameplay it is just so real, I have played over 20 basketball titles from SNES days until now and I didn't even know what a basketball game was until 2K11. There were some games that I loved that were basketball like Jam 2000, Live 04, and Live 06 but man when I got 2K11 its just ... I can't think of the words the titles I mentioned were amazing games and 2K11 is beyond those. I also want to point out that I actually picked up a copy of Live 10 yesterday to get the new rosters, I have been playing 2K11 for 3 solid weeks and after putting in Live for 5 minutes I decided to take it back. Its an okay game but as far as NBA basketball goes i don't want to be playing anything else but 2K11. I really haven't played many other sports games this year but have read reviews and NCAA Football 11 in particular sounds great.

[Armor and Sword]

Quote: Originally Posted by eaterofworlds888

Yea I'm a huge basketball fan and 2K11 is indescribable. I keep wanting to say its amazing but that just doesn't cover it. People are talking all about Jordan being on it and while that is a great addition my favorite thing about it is just the gameplay it is just so real, I have played over 20 basketball titles from SNES days until now and I didn't even know what a basketball game was until 2K11. There were some games that I loved that were basketball like Jam 2000, Live 04, and Live 06 but man when I got 2K11 its just ... I can't think of the words the titles I mentioned were amazing games and 2K11 is beyond those. I also want to point out that I actually picked up a copy of Live 10 yesterday to get the new rosters, I have been playing 2K11 for 3 solid weeks and after putting in Live for 5 minutes I decided to take it back. Its an okay game but as far as NBA basketball goes i don't want to be playing anything else but 2K11. I really haven't played many other sports games this year but have read reviews and NCAA Football 11 in particular sounds great.

Could not agree more as well. I am still just taken back at how beautiful of a game Visual Concepts have given us. Some of the best sports gaming moments I have ever had have come from this game in just 3 short weeks.

It's a wet dream.

[vln13]

How about BACKBREAKER? Before the BIGGG patch, it was unplayable, but since, I have had tremendous fun with it. I think it does a much better job than Madden of simulating what it is actually like to play football, though Madden has the edge in the sim/strategy department (which is why I think gameflow is not something for hardcore users.)

For me, this year ranks like this:

1. NBA 2k11
2. MLB 10 The Show
3. NCAA Football 11
4. FIFA 11,
5. NHL 11
6. Madden 11
7. Backbreaker
8. EA MMA
9. MLB 2k10
10. UFC Undisputed 10
11. Tiger Woods
Crap-hole: NBA Elite 11
11.

[GlennN]

Quote: Originally Posted by jestep123

Madden is no longer the flagship title it once was. When I was in college in the mid to late 90's that is ALL the college students played. Thats it. You didnt see RPG's or shooters or any of that. Nowadays, even regarding sports. faster moving games like Fifa and NHL are taking over. This is part of the reason why gameflow was designed. With all of their commitments (assuming they are responsible teenagers) , teens just do not have the time or patience for a game like Madden My brother works on campus at NC State and he described it best to me the other day, he described Fifa as "The New Madden." and he is absolutely right. That is what the kids are playing. He said he cant remember the last time one of the students he works Fellowship with invited him into the dorm for a game of Madden. Its always Fifa. Think about the most prominent Madden commercial you saw this year. The one I saw most wasnt geared toward kids. It featured a young adult putting a baby to sleep in a baby swing and then sneaking over to his TV to turn on Madden when the baby was all settled. The tag line was "Get your Madden Back.", That is geared toward an older generation of diehard fans. Madden ads use to be ambiguous, now they are very targeted. I think that says alot about how EA views the franchise differently than it did 15 years ago.

Great points. I just wish Madden went that one tiny step further - in-game saves. As an adult with a wife, job and child, an in-game save would be awesome. Soccer just doesn't do it for me.

[acornman]

I agree man. NBA2k11, NHL2011, and NCAA2001 are all instant classics. Wish I could say the same about Madden. Im not bashing but the bar has been set, I'm sure Ian will come out all guns blazing and capture our hearts in 2012. I have faith!

[stlstudios189]

don't forget to include Raw vs. Smackdown 11 Universe mode has me pumped!!! One other ugly mention is the fact that we have no college BB game this year and no Nascar (that changes in Feb) I do not purchase non sports games brand new as I never get to them untill they are old. I am still playing Marvel Ult. Alliance 1 for petes sake!!! Sports gaming has taken me by storm.

[TheCreep]

Great article! Well, for me atleast, I've found that as my age increases, my interest in games other than sports seems to decrease. The thing is, my kid giddiness when it comes to new releases combined with a more disposable income culminates into me buying new games left and right then just sitting them on a shelf. The sports titles take all my time away from em.

I had to reevaluate my situation (I'm married now). I had to clean house. Dog, I had close to 60 GAMES (PS3,360, Japanese PS2, American PS2) with the only titles getting play time:

1. Madden 11
2. NCAA 11
3. FN4
4. EA MMA

Occaaaasionally, I'll throw in Read Dead, FallOut3, RB6 Vegas2, ArmedAssault2 (PC), and Gearsofwar2.

I recently bought FallOut Vegas and you guessed it, its still in the wrapper on the shelf. I'm in my Madden franchise right now.

My assessment on this years sports titles? EA hit the ball out of the park this year. I know this isn't an impressions thread so

1. NCAA 11=Greatness. Polish the locomotion and give me more presentation, I'll be set. Can I get my Ion schutt please. Fix the proportion of revolution facemasks thank you.
2. Madden 11=Greatness. Request same as above. Can I get my Ion schutt please. Fix the proportion of revolution facemasks please.
3. FN4=Greatness. A deeper career mode, quicker combos/true movement, bring back the broadcast camera from FN3 and I'm set.
4. EA MMA=Greatness. More robust career mode and I'm set.

[fcabanski]

2010 is the year when "we'll patch it later" has hit the wall. Sports gamers in particular are fed up with games released with bugs in basic game play. The devs figure they'll fix it in a patch that comes out in a month or two. NBA 2K11, for example, is touted as a great sports title yet has basic bugs such as players not leaving the game when they foul out of the game. Issues like that don't belong in released games.