Despite facing stiff competition from shooter and action-adventure games, sport continues to be one of the most popular genres with gamers of all ages.
Many sports-themed video games are part of long-running franchises, each of which sell millions of copies when a new release comes out.
From soccer to American Football, baseball to basketball and more, there are some truly magnificent sports related games on the market.
We have taken a close look at the sports genre to identify five games every player should have in their collection today.
FIFA
Whether you call it soccer or football, it is impossible to ignore the impact the FIFA series has had on gaming since it was first launched in the 1990s.
FIFA has sold around 330 million units, making it the number one selling sports-themed video game franchise of all time.
It remains one of the best football games money can buy, with its authenticity helping it to stand out from all of its competitors.
While the game will have a new name from 2023 after the end of the partnership between FIFA and EA Sports, its popularity is unlikely to diminish.
Madden NFL
When it comes to American Football themed video games, the brilliant Madden NFL series is undoubtedly in a league of its own.
First released in the late 1980s as John Madden Football, the franchise has become the go-to game for gridiron fans across the world.
An improved Franchise mode in Madden NFL 22 clearly took inspiration from other popular simulation games, bringing an added dimension to the overall gameplay.
NFL 23 could well be the best game yet, with the developers confirming it will pay tribute to Madden who sadly passed away last December.
Super Mega Baseball
Some sports have not translated particularly well to video games and that has certainly been the case where baseball is concerned.
However, Super Mega Baseball unquestionably bucks that trend by taking the best bits of the sport and transforming them into a superb arcade style video game.
With the latest edition incorporating simulation elements, Super Mega Baseball is the definitive game for fans of America’s greatest pastime.
Developers Metalhead Software have also added a new cross-platform mode called Online Leagues which allows users to create and join custom leagues online with friends.
NBA 2K
There are several different basketball video games on the market, but NBA 2K stands head and shoulders above the rest in this sector.
The game is unusual in that it delivers a more rewarding experience offline, with the online arena suffering a little from the number of players who use unscrupulous methods to win.
However, offline play more than compensates for this, offering an immersive gameplay experience that can keep you occupied for ages.
With the ability to take the greatest teams of yesteryear and pitch them against the best in the modern era, NBA 2K is unrivalled as the number one basketball game.
Rocket League
Given the global success of the eSports industry in recent years, it would be negligent not to include a game that has contributed massively to the sector’s growth.
Rocket League puts a novel twist on soccer, replacing the 11 players with rocket-powered cars for a truly ridiculous yet magnificent video game.
While the gameplay is largely centred around soccer, it is the incorporated elements of demolition derby that fire the game into another stratosphere.
Rocket League has won tons of awards since it was first released and is a worthy entrant onto any list of best sports-themed video games.
