The Top Sports Games Enhancing the Fan Experience in 2020
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Sport, at its core, is an entertainment business, with the fellow entertainment industry of gaming finding a tremendous amount of success by blending the two together. Whenever there’s not a game on, or it’s the middle of the offseason, fans will often turn to a digital game of their favourite sport. Either to just be among the usual sights of its contests or to take matters into their own hands, somewhat, in simulations.
With gaming having burst through into the mainstream, sports games have become more accessible than ever, meaning that regardless of your device of preference, you should be able to find a top-class sports game.
The lesser-known sports game gems on consoles
Anyone who has experienced gaming will know that EA Sports are the biggest producers of sports titles. However, with some sports being dropped and little changing in their release’s year-to-year, other developers have been able to creep in to offer their own take on console sports simulation titles.
One of the ditched sports, which is proving to be incredibly tricky to replicate in a game, is rugby. As detailed by Games Radar, the Eko Software-made Ruby 20 offers some challenging scoring mechanics but lacks polish, laying the foundations of a potential classy rugby game.
If cricket’s more your sport, Cricket 19 offers the best total experience on the market. Created by Big Ant Studios to follow on from Ashes Cricket of 2017, Cricket 19 was very well-received at launch, being praised for its accurate gameplay and solid graphics.
Of all of the hidden gem sports games on consoles, however, Boxing Champs is among the best. For an indie price tag, the PC and Nintendo Switch game offers a boxer creation suite, a career mode, and single bout options while also having simple but effective controls which give you a full selection of each punch from both hands.
Browser-based gaming is loaded with sports games
A classic form of gaming that’s still incredibly accessible to anyone with an internet connection, browser-based sports games are still prevalent and playable through computer browsers and mobile browsers. One of the classic sites for such gaming is still going, too, with Kongregate offering Retro Bowl and New Star Soccer for web browsers to enjoy.
Partially due to the sheer number of the games that have been released over the last few years, as well as the eye-catching welcome bonuses, the online casino sector has become the most prominent type of browser gaming. While games like Book of Dead and Rage of the Seas stand among the most popular titles now, sports games continue to draw a virtual crowd.
While there are many long-standing sports slots at Royal Panda, the biggest right now all came out this year, offering the latest in innovative gameplay features. These include the high volatility 11 Champions from Gameburger Studios, the licensed skateboarding title Nyjah Huston: Skate for Gold by Play’N Go, and the remaster and enhanced version of a classic, Break Away Lucky Wilds, coming from Stormcraft Studios with 88 win lines.
Convenient and good fun on mobile
Due to the limited controls and power of the device, it can be tough to find a fun and immersive sports game in the Play Store or App Store. Perhaps the sports game which utilises the platform the best is the expansive snowboarding title Grand Mountain Adventure. Amidst the snowy slopes and the bears, you’ll be able to free-roam the wilds or challenge your skill against the clock.
As for the most popular sport in the world, football, Konami offers the consensus best game with eFootball PES. With clubs like Juventus, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona fully licensed in the game, the famously realistic gameplay of the PES console series is in full force on mobile.
Regardless of your platform of choice, you can find a classy sports game to immerse you in the action when the live games aren’t taking place.