ESPN'S TOP 25 SPORTS VIDEO GAMES

[Luke]

http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/featur ... games-ever


Discuss.

I'll begin, the site doesn't list all platforms, which is bunk. NHL '94 is superior on the Sega CD, and MVP 2005 is vastly superior on the PC. It's a "top xx" list, so of course people will disagree, but not including all platforms (Tecmo super bowl is also on the Genesis, espn editors) takes away from their review, for me at least.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Not a bad list, actually. I was scared they'd rank something like Madden 13 as #1.

My list would look completely different of course - I'm mostly only into retro sports games and I don't like wrestling or skating at all.

[Ack]

http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/featur ... games-ever


Discuss.

NBA Street 2 ranked higher than NBA Jam? What?

[fastbilly1]

http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/featur ... games-ever


Discuss.

NBA Street 2 ranked higher than NBA Jam? What?

Both are solid games. Street 2 is one of the better 3d Basketball games. The lack of Sega Sports titles irks me though - NFL 2k1 is still my favorite NFL game. Though PES 2011 not being on there is just shameful. PES is one of the absolute biggest gaming series period, sales put it almost in the top 10 of all time, and 2011 is considered the best by many.

But he is entitled to his opinion, and he seems to favor baseball and football games.

[o.pwuaioc]

http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/featur ... games-ever


Discuss.

NBA Street 2 ranked higher than NBA Jam? What?

Street and Street 2 are phenomenal games. I can easily see someone preferring them to NBA Jam.

[Yancakes]

IMO, 96 was better than 94- it was practically the same game but with more shit and a full season mode- and there should be a more recent NHL game. Even lower down in the ranking, I'd play NHL 13 over Ice Hockey any day.

I would put THPS2 way higher, and push the Dreamcast one over the PS1 version.

And I'd put WCW/NWO Revenger above No Mercy.

[MyNameIsVince]

NBA Jam ranked at number 9? Whacksauce....

[Luke]

You do have to give the guy some credit for actually explaining why he rated the games as he did. I don't agree with his list, but at least he's not of of the thousands of "reviewers" out there who say..."And at number 9, NBA JAM, because I really like it. Okay, and now onto number eight!".

IMO, 96 was better than 94- it was practically the same game but with more shit and a full season mode- and there should be a more recent NHL game. Even lower down in the ranking, I'd play NHL 13 over Ice Hockey any day.

I'd still take NHL '94 on Sega CD over '96, based on sound quality and aesthetics alone. That said, I would crown NHL 2002 as the best hockey game ever. The last hockey game I could get into was '09, which brought back the classic controls (sorta kinda). I don't like using the nipples to "actually control the puck with your stick!". Too complicated and unnecessary. Give me Deke, Check, Pass, Shoot, Poke check, and I'm happy.

2002 also nailed the pace of the game. Of course the actual game has become aggressively quicker due to cherry picking and the lack of the two line pass penalty, but the NHL series* has gone from sport simulation to a run n gun style game.

*Last NHL game I played was 09, so I could be waaaaaaay off on this.

[jay_red]

And I'd put WCW/NWO Revenge above No Mercy.

I'd have to disagree here, No Mercy was and is the greatest wrestling game ever! It just kept building upon the great engine that powered revenge, then wrestlemania 2000 to make a wrestling game that can still be played today. I probably put more time into this game on my n64 than any other game.

[Violent By Design]

Well, ESPN is a sports site so I don't think one should expect many Sega CD references.

The list in itself is fine, no different from most other gaming sites. I disagree with some of the retro editions that were added from the NES era.

I'm also a big wrestling fan, and I thought No Mercy had a weak roster. Granted, the WWE was at its peak, so the roster probably is very familiar to a lot of people, but WCW games had stacked rosters. No Mercy was better just by virtue of being the most recent game in its engine.

I don't consider Punch Out to be a boxing game either

Pro Wrestling: No Mercy, Royal Rumble/RAW (16 bit games) (Here Comes the Pain I here is good too), throw in a Fire Pro Wrestling game or 2

MMA: UFC Undisputed (ESPN doesn't like MMA, so it is not surprising that they left this game out)

Boxing: Victorious Boxers, Greatest Heavyweights (used to be good at least, haven't played it in a while), Fight Night 3

Hockey: NHL 94 (only Hockey game I've spent time on)

American Football: NFL 2k5, NCAA 2004, Tecmo Bowl, One of the Madden's (I have 06, I assume there are better versions), maybe NFL Street if it's as good as NBA Street

Basketball: NBA Jam 09, NBA 2k11

Baseball: The Show 13, Super Mario Baseball (the Wii one, I know it has very simple mechanics, but I thought it was fun), MLB Power Pros, maybe a retro 16 bit era baseball game but I haven't played any in a while.

Tennis: Virtua Tennis (surprised this didn't make it, actually I don't think there were any Tennis games), maybe one of the Mario Tennis games though I think Virtua is way superior, Top Spin is cool too

Soccer: Some of the 360/PS3 gen Fifa's are pretty cool (used to play em at my friends house), haven't owned a Soccer game in years