The emergence of next generation consoles has resulted in gaming becoming more interactive and realistic. One genre to benefit the most from such advances is the sports catergory. To date almost every major sport, including football, American football, basketball, cricket, wrestling and even darts has made the transition to console gaming. Such games not only feature real life personalities but also give the gamer the ability to create their own dream team with the opportunity to choose sponsorship deals, team logos and kit designs aswell as player characteristic's such as hair colour, skin complexion and skill levels.
In this weeks Hitflip special we shall be compiling a list of the top five sports video games ever made.
#5 Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2
THPS2 took all the best bits from its predecessor and added new features such as Create-a-Skater and Park Editor mode resulting in one of the most addictive games you will ever play. Gamers were able to recreate Tony Hawk's signature moves in realistic free-roaming environments aswell as unlocking rewards along the way. Released in 2000 to critical and commercial acclaim, the game not only managed to make skateboarding cool again but also spawned numerous sequals on all major gaming platforms.
#4 Nintendo Wii Sports
Released in 2006, Nintendo Wii Sports exhibits exactly why everyone should own a Nintendo Wii; its fast, furious and painfully addictive. Featuring five games-tennis, bowling, boxing, golf and baseball- Wii Sports showcases the use of the consoles motion sensor controller. Players hand movements are mimmicked on screen by their respective in game character. For example in Wii Boxing, the player will hold a boxers stance and punch the air for effect.
#3 Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!
The original boxing video game! Created by Nintendo in 1984, Punch Out took the Nintendo Entertaintment System by storm with its simple yet addictive style of gameplay. You played as Little Mac against an array of opponents with crazy names such as King Hippo and Bald Bull, not forgetting Mike Tyson himself as the almost unbeatable final boss. Boxing games have evolved greatly since Punch Out in terms of realism but there are very few that can match the level of fun provided by Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!
#2 John Madden Football '92
Debuting in 1990, the John Madden franchise has long been a staple in American football gaming. It was not until John Madden Football '92 that the series became a phenomena amongst NFL fans worldwide. John Madden football is the only American football game to be officially licensed by the NFL meaning that it featured all the team rosters and official logos and kits. John Madden '92 is most notable for its attempt at using digitized animation during in-game Coach Madden speeches as well the hilarious animated sequence when an ambulances rushes onto the field running over as many as 10 players en route to injury. Great stuff.
#1 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Released at the end of 2007 on all major gaming platforms, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 made the best even better. Tweaking elements from its predecessor, Pro Evolution 2008 now featured improved graphics, increased on-the-ball techniques, a new set piece system aswell as face import via USB webcam. The refined gameplay means the Pro Evolution franchise remains as realistic and addictive as it ever has been.
vdj 01/04/08
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