Top 10 Sports Games of the Year

by pastapadre
Posted November 29th, 2008 at 10:06 am

Over the coming weeks I’ll be listing out my Top 10 Games of the Year. This won’t be a recap of the 10 highest rated games per Metacritic…reviews be damned. However it will be a summary of how I view the them from what has turned out to be one of the best years ever for sports gamers.

Some of the factors of consideration I have gone through are longevity, fun factor, general gameplay, technical achievements, online experience, and innovation. Last year the game that would’ve taken the top spot was The BIGS. This year there are several worthy candidates for the honor.

Before I begin listing off the best games I thought I would mention the two games I liked the least of any this year…FIFA Street 3 and Facebreaker.

Through most of the year I had FIFA Street 3 pegged as the worst game I had played. The only redeeming quality was the unique visual style of the game. It was frustrating and dreadfully boring to play. There are very few games that I just want to stop playing when I’m trying to form impressions and this is one of them.

Then came Facebreaker which I actually had some hope for but turned out to be exactly the opposite of what the new Freestyle label is supposed to represent for EA. The action was so fast and intense that it literally hurt my hands to play it, having to take breaks after just a minute or two and cramping them up again immediately after playing more. Any game that is physically painful to play is going to be a failure.

Tags: top 10, year in review

Skihawks

Yes, 1st….

My top five:

1) The Show 08
2) NCAA Football 09
3) NHL 09
4) NCAA Basketball 09
5) NBA 2K9

Honorable Mention: Madden 09…I know people are still hating on Madden but the game has improved.
Skihawks

Yes, 1st….

My top five:

1) The Show 08
2) NCAA Football 09
3) NHL 09
4) NCAA Basketball 09
5) NBA 2K9

Honorable Mention: Madden 09…I know people are still hating on Madden but the game has improved.
Skihawks

My opinion of most disappointing:

1) MLB 2K8
2) Lack of Microsoft first party sports games….Bring back LINKS
Skihawks

My opinion of most disappointing:

1) MLB 2K8
2) Lack of Microsoft first party sports games….Bring back LINKS
http://intensedebate.com/people/FreezerBoy FreezerBoy

Out of the sports games I played this year, I think NBA 2k9 was the best.
http://intensedebate.com/people/FreezerBoy FreezerBoy

Out of the sports games I played this year, I think NBA 2k9 was the best.
T-Mac

NHL 09 tops my list followed by Fifa 09 and NBA 2K9… NCAA 09 Was better than Madden due to the online dynasties and it just seemed a better play.
T-Mac

NHL 09 tops my list followed by Fifa 09 and NBA 2K9… NCAA 09 Was better than Madden due to the online dynasties and it just seemed a better play.
http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

id love to see your list
http://intensedebate.com/people/DrLogic DrLogic

id love to see your list
r00tabaga

Yes, Links was awesome and could be really good on the 360….

1) MLB: The Show
2) Madden
3) NHL 09
http://www.pastapadre.com/4984/top-10-sports-games-of-the-year ???????

1. NHL 09 2. the show 08 3. NBA 2K9 4. Madden 09 5. Fifa 09
r00tabaga

Yes, Links was awesome and could be really good on the 360….

1) MLB: The Show
2) Madden
3) NHL 09
http://www.pastapadre.com/4984/top-10-sports-games-of-the-year ???????

1. NHL 09 2. the show 08 3. NBA 2K9 4. Madden 09 5. Fifa 09
shwnbur77

1. NBA 2K9
2. MADDEN 09
3. THE SHOW 08 ( WOULD BE #1 IF THERE WAS NO LAG ONLINE)
99999999999999999999999. MLB 2K8 LOL
shwnbur77

1. NBA 2K9
2. MADDEN 09
3. THE SHOW 08 ( WOULD BE #1 IF THERE WAS NO LAG ONLINE)
99999999999999999999999. MLB 2K8 LOL
Jonathon

Don King Presents Prizefighter and NFL Tour get my vote for worst sports games this year…
Jonathon

Don King Presents Prizefighter and NFL Tour get my vote for worst sports games this year…
Jonathon

my top five: NCAA Football 2009, NHL 09, NBA 2K9, FIFA 09, and Madden NFL 2009
Jonathon

my top five: NCAA Football 2009, NHL 09, NBA 2K9, FIFA 09, and Madden NFL 2009
JR (cabrillo24)

Prizefighter was definitely the worst sports game this year. Facebreaker shouldn't even be considered a sports game. It's an arcade button masher. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw should be considered a sports game if Facebreaker is.
JR (cabrillo24)

Prizefighter was definitely the worst sports game this year. Facebreaker shouldn't even be considered a sports game. It's an arcade button masher. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw should be considered a sports game if Facebreaker is.
Justin Tuck

1>NBA live 09
2>Pro evolution soccer 2008
3>NBA 2k9
Justin Tuck

1>NBA live 09
2>Pro evolution soccer 2008
3>NBA 2k9
BruinsFan77

Not a single sports game has been as good as NHL 07, 08, or 09 in the past 3 years. Simple as that.

The show was awesome, and I think it's going to be awesome this year, the first year after the first TRUE ps3 quality game. Gonna be great.
BruinsFan77

Not a single sports game has been as good as NHL 07, 08, or 09 in the past 3 years. Simple as that.

The show was awesome, and I think it's going to be awesome this year, the first year after the first TRUE ps3 quality game. Gonna be great.
Blake

1) NHL 09
2) NCAA Football 09
3) Fifa 09
Blake

1) NHL 09
2) NCAA Football 09
3) Fifa 09
galveston ball

do u have any info on the black colle football game for 360. just saw the preview on tv during the grambling and southern game.
galveston ball

do u have any info on the black colle football game for 360. just saw the preview on tv during the grambling and southern game.
BtVS

1. NCAA Football 09 – 9/10
2. Madden 09 – 8/10
3. NBA 2k9 – 8/10

The worst is Head Coach for sure.
BtVS

1. NCAA Football 09 – 9/10
2. Madden 09 – 8/10
3. NBA 2k9 – 8/10

The worst is Head Coach for sure.
swizzy

LIVE B ILLMATIC PATNA

ANY an EVERY EA game>2Ks BEST

aint dat RITE PASTA???
swizzy

LIVE B ILLMATIC PATNA

ANY an EVERY EA game>2Ks BEST

aint dat RITE PASTA???
Anthony

Lots of good ones, the best were
1. NHL 09
2. MLB 08 The Show
3. FIFA 09
4. Tiger Woods 09
5. NCAA Football 09
6. NBA 2K9
7. Madden 09
8. NBA Live 09
9. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 09
10. NCAA Basketball 09

Bad ones (some have bad physics which kill it)
1. MLB 2K8
2. Facebreaker
3. Prizefighter
4. FIFA Street 3
5. Top Spin 3
6. NBA 09 The Inside

Medicore
1. NHL 2K9
2. Blitz 2

I'm probably missing something, but i've not played Head Coach or any of the All Play Wii games
Anthony

Lots of good ones, the best were
1. NHL 09
2. MLB 08 The Show
3. FIFA 09
4. Tiger Woods 09
5. NCAA Football 09
6. NBA 2K9
7. Madden 09
8. NBA Live 09
9. WWE Smackdown vs Raw 09
10. NCAA Basketball 09

Bad ones (some have bad physics which kill it)
1. MLB 2K8
2. Facebreaker
3. Prizefighter
4. FIFA Street 3
5. Top Spin 3
6. NBA 09 The Inside

Medicore
1. NHL 2K9
2. Blitz 2

I'm probably missing something, but i've not played Head Coach or any of the All Play Wii games
Machines

I can narrow it down to 2:
1. NHL 09
2. FIFA 09

All the other sports games come up short when compared to these two titles. When games like these two are being made at the quality that they are, it just makes the mistakes and annoyances in other sports titles (2K9, Live, etc.) that much more painfully obvious and inexcusable.
Machines

I can narrow it down to 2:
1. NHL 09
2. FIFA 09

All the other sports games come up short when compared to these two titles. When games like these two are being made at the quality that they are, it just makes the mistakes and annoyances in other sports titles (2K9, Live, etc.) that much more painfully obvious and inexcusable.
T-Dogg

What exactly is the new freestyle brand suppose to represent. Come on, they canceled NBA street in Favor in this Freestyle brand and they are not even gonna come out with another NFL arcade game when they have the license. Sports games are stating to all become the same. There is no creativity anymore.
T-Dogg

What exactly is the new freestyle brand suppose to represent. Come on, they canceled NBA street in Favor in this Freestyle brand and they are not even gonna come out with another NFL arcade game when they have the license. Sports games are stating to all become the same. There is no creativity anymore.
Sam

The show was amazing on the PSP. I'd love to play it on a PS3.
Sam

The show was amazing on the PSP. I'd love to play it on a PS3.
pat

wow nba 09 the inside lol i was in target the other day so i just decided to play it there for like 5 mins it was terrible i would neva buy it
pat

wow nba 09 the inside lol i was in target the other day so i just decided to play it there for like 5 mins it was terrible i would neva buy it
Sean

I'd probably go with:
1. Madden 09
2. NCAA 09
3. NBA 2K9
4. NHL 09
Sean

I'd probably go with:
1. Madden 09
2. NCAA 09
3. NBA 2K9
4. NHL 09
T-Mac

MLB 2K8 probably wins the biggest step back award considering how good 2k7 was…
T-Mac

MLB 2K8 probably wins the biggest step back award considering how good 2k7 was…
Ryan

This is an absolute joke…NHL 09 is the best sports game ever made, easy. I love Madden, NCAA and some others but it's not even close. NHL 09 hands down.
Ryan

This is an absolute joke…NHL 09 is the best sports game ever made, easy. I love Madden, NCAA and some others but it's not even close. NHL 09 hands down.