#1 of 2008: NCAA Football 09

The NCAA Football series has always filled its role as the first football game of the year effectively holding me over until Madden. I’m more of a fan of the pros than college so there is more attachment to Madden. Once that was released I’d turn my full attention to it even though in many cases NCAA was a better game.

That was the case until this year anyway. NCAA Football 09 introduced Online Dynasties which changed the course of sports gaming and how the games can be enjoyed. I’m still playing NCAA to this day in multiple dynasties and have barely touched any others sports game over the last two months. That displays just how much value NCAA 09 offered.

The dynasty setup bypasses the difficulties of leagues in that you can have a dynasty that consists of teams that rarely have head-to-head games. Scheduling becomes less of an issue. Teams also always have something to play for. Even if they aren’t in the National Championship hunt there is always building for the future. This allows dynasties to continually progress at a smooth rate. Basically you have the interaction and competition by being involved with other users without the frustrating elements that have plagued online gaming. That would be mainly taking a larger member dynasty into consideration. It should not be forgotten that many of the active dynasties out there consist of 2-4 close friends where more head-to-head may be appealing.

Tiburon delivered the wide open gameplay that was promised with NCAA 09. It still seems to lack some of that “anything can happen” feel as the game leans towards offense but in more of an efficient manner than a big play one. There were some well documented gripes such as the ineffective pass rush, overly accurate QBs, and over-powered kicking. Despite that scores and statistics were realistic when using six minute quarters even with the “wide open” gameplay. Most importantly the games remain fun to play.

NCAA Football has always taken a backseat to Madden. This is the year where it really surpassed it though. While Madden remains somewhat stale avoiding any risks, NCAA took a big innovative leap by adding the Online Dynasty. Not only did it make it my top sports game of 2008 but it stands as a barometer for all future sports titles to live up to.

#1 NCAA Football 09
#2 NHL 09
#3 MLB 08: The Show
#4 FIFA 09
#5 NBA Live 09
#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#2 of 2008: NHL 09

Top to bottom NHL 09 was probably the highest quality sports game released this year. Excellent gameplay, a great secondary mode in Be a Pro, and an amazing online play experience that expanded past anything offered in the past. EA Canada really delivered with both NHL and FIFA this year and it is hard to imagine how they’ll top them with the 2010 releases.

Much of what I explained with FIFA 09 fits with NHL 09. It is a very realistic and clean representation of the sport that has a level of accessibility lacking from most sports titles. Be a Pro plays a big part in this again as focusing on one individual allows for the game to be more simple to play for someone who isn’t as familiar with the sport. It also presents the ability for natural growth in both how to play but also knowledge of the sport. It is a fascinating thing how some of these games have the ability to teach in that regard. We know the NFL feels that Madden is successful in doing so, and we’ll see if interest in hockey and soccer will increase in the US due to how well their respective games are doing.

The big thing though with NHL 09 was the introduction of the EA Sports Hockey League. This took Online Team Play a step further with the addition of not only a Club system but by turning the game into more of an MMORPG. Having your own player, with your own name on the jersey and the ability to improve them brought in this personal feel that is unmatched and had much more draw than taking over a real life player.

I really can’t remember having as much fun in a concentrated amount of time as I did with the first couple weeks participating in the EASHL. It didn’t matter that we were losing, or that I wasn’t any good. It was just an amazing experience. The MMO look and feel was so unique in that setting. And checking after the whistle was always good for a laugh. It should also be mentioned that the online performance, just as with NBA Live 09 and FIFA 09 was flawless. With some tweaks and additions next year the EASHL could be even better.

Though NHL 09 presented the most enjoyable and innovative mode with the EASHL, it wasn’t able to grab the #1 spot. The longevity wasn’t as strong given that even the appeal of the EASHL wore off over time. Still NHL 09 was a fantastic game and deserves all the praise it has gotten. The franchise now dominates the market and is growing it by bringing in the more casual crowd and even those who don’t follow the sport. NHL 09 isn’t just a great game but has significance reaching beyond that.

#2 NHL 09
#3 MLB 08: The Show
#4 FIFA 09
#5 NBA Live 09
#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#3 of 2008: MLB 08 The Show

There was probably no sports title out this year that replicated the authenticity and nuances associated with its respective sport to the extent that MLB 08: The Show did. The overall gameplay experience is excellent. What The Show really achieves is the true feel of baseball. Not only in the gameplay, but the presentation, pacing, commentary, and lots of other small elements of the sport. This is a game that is considered by some to be the best baseball game ever made, and by many others to be in the same league as MVP Baseball 2005.

Road to the Show is another great secondary mode in the realm of Be a Pro. The quick pace of completion is a stark contrast to playing the standard way and is refreshing in that regard. They also made some of the goals more reasonable this year. However there were some aspects that kept it from being completely enjoyable. I soon realized that a relief pitcher was the only position I wanted to play. Forcing you to wait on the bases during the at bats is a real waste of time. After realizing I would attempt to steal every time I was on (I’d rather get thrown out than wait around) I relegated myself to pitching. Also the loading times for The Show are on the slow side, and with RTTS moving quickly through your games that was another area of slight frustration. Still the mode adds a ton of value and variety to the game.

The main area of weakness for The Show was its online play. It was very inconsistent in performance, with some games being unplayable due to lag. The league system was also flawed because of some puzzling restrictions. However The Show did have a great website in SportsConnect that displayed lots of info about the completed online games as well as a tracker to monitor those that were ongoing.

MLB 08: The Show was first game to provide frequent and consistent roster updates. It could be seen as having started the trend that led to many other major sports titles improving themselves in this area. The Show had weekly updates that were more accurate and detailed than had ever been provided before.

Looking forward there are few sports titles that will be more highly anticipated than MLB 09: The Show and for good reason. MLB 08 did most things right. The potential of improved online play and Road to the Show along with the regular enhancements to gameplay and franchise could result in of the best sports games of all time.

#3 MLB 08: The Show
#4 FIFA 09
#5 NBA Live 09
#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#4 of 2008: FIFA 09

As I mentioned when it came to Tiger Woods, sometimes a sport has a ceiling for how much enjoyment I can get out of it. That is especially the case with those that I don’t follow like golf or in this case soccer. However FIFA 09 had the total package this year. Top notch gameplay, amazing online play, and the secondary mode in the form of Be a Pro.

What Be a Pro and Online Team Play does in a title like FIFA is constrict the scope of the game. For someone like myself that is critical. By controlling just one player I can focus on my individual goals and contribute to the team’s success. Instead of having to rely on myself to make everything happen, I can rely on teammates who are likely more knowledgable and experienced. Over time I start to improve and pick up on things.

EA Canada has done an excellent job with online play in their titles. Not only with the lag free performance but by increasing the number of options. That is seen in FIFA 09 with the Online Team Play which involves up to 20 users in a single game and a number of tournaments and competitions they run worldwide. It is an amazing experience to connect into a full OTP game and have it play as smoothly as if you were offline.

FIFA 09 is a great example of how a game can be accessible while maintaining its authenticity. The Online Team Play provided a near MMO type feel with so many users involved and that made it especially fun to participate in. Sometimes games can reach beyond the appeal of their sports. FIFA 09 was able to do just that.

#4 FIFA 09
#5 NBA Live 09
#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#5 of 2008: NBA Live 09

The NBA is one place where EA Sports now plays the role of the underdog. That isn’t a familiar scenario for them. How did they react with NBA Live 09? Improved gameplay and a big investment in the future. While the game still had issues it provided an enjoyable experience with fully functioning modes and a variety of features.

NBA Live 09 had the most innovative addition of any game this year with Live 365. While its value to the game remains questionable it does offer a great deal. Not only in providing a daily roster update, but changing the way the game plays and offering the opportunity to view some fascinating data that NBA fans normally would never have access to. This multi-year exclusive deal with Synergy showed that EA is serious about the franchise and would be attempting to achieve what they have done recently with FIFA and NHL. That is changing the perception around a franchise that lagging behind a competitor. While 365 hasn’t shown enough to justify it as a paid add-on next year it has proven it does have some value.

While gameplay is always going to be subjective, Live’s showed some big improvements this year. Additions such as the Pick and Roll Control and new play calling system were of big benefit. Despite that there were several areas that the game struggled with. Some of those include rebounding, lack of aggressiveness for loose balls, broken fast breaks, and terrible directional passing. The Lockdown Defense and Quickstrike Ball Handling were disappointments too. The animations keep the game from being as fluid as 2K9 and that flow is probably the most striking difference between the two titles. Presentation is still in need of an upgrade however the commentary is by far the best of the NBA offerings.

While Live 09 didn’t have a real Be a Pro mode, it did come through with the NBA Academy and excellent online performance and options. Online Team Play continued to run smoothly and bringing in the Clubs provided more reason to play it. Hopefully next year they go the MMO route seen in NHL 09. I also have to stress the importance of what the NBA Academy provided. Being able to practice specific situations not only provided opportunity for improving skills but it also added a new element to franchise mode with the team practices. More drills should definitely be added on next year.

Live and 2K9 easily could be flipped in order since they offer unique strengths while carrying their own weaknesses. Neither one offers the full package. The online performance and options, attempts at innovation, familiarity and accessibility, as well as general direction the franchise is headed pushed my preference towards Live. This was a great year for basketball gaming with three quality titles that excelled in their own distinct ways.

#5 NBA Live 09
#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#6 of 2008: NBA 2K9

This was the year, as we’ve seen with the sales numbers, that consumers overwhelmingly identified the NBA 2K series as the definitive choice for basketball gamers. Being #1 sometimes brings side effects and that has been seen through some dissatisfaction and growing pains. Outside of that though what NBA 2K9 offers is a familiar enjoyable gameplay experience.

With all three basketball games this year offering something different, what 2K9 stood out in was the gameplay. That includes being the best in terms of animations, presentation, and arena atmosphere. Essentially the on-the-court experience was the best.

What NBA 2K9 didn’t do is innovate. There really weren’t any new and exciting modes or features this year. Sooner or later that is going to have to change and 2K will need to provide something fresh and innovative. 2K9 also had severe problems with online play performance and design decisions which has caused a great deal of frustration and disappointment.

In terms of basketball gaming this was an exceptional year. All three titles could be enjoyed for what they offered as they all had unique strengths. Despite not really advancing the series NBA 2K9 lands at #6 in the Top 10 due to its widely recognized superior gameplay experience.

#6 NBA 2K9
#7 Madden 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#7 of 2008: Madden NFL 09

The biggest name in US sports gaming is by far Madden. Along with Fight Night they are the two sports franchises that transcend the genre. While there is a certain level of discontent surrounding Madden 09 within online communities there is no doubt that the majority continue to enjoy the franchise a great deal. This year though it was just eclipsed by several other games that either provided innovative modes and features or delivered better gameplay for their respective sports.

When I first played Madden 09 I fully believed it was the game that everyone was hoping for. To a certain extent it was. Solid enjoyable gameplay, much improved presentation and some innovation in the way of the adaptive difficulty. I think most people upon first playing the game were taken in by the leap made going from 08 to 09.

However I soon realized that it just didn’t have the staying power of some of the other titles this year and I’ve rarely played it since release. There just isn’t much reason to with what the other games have provided. The overall experience in Madden 09 is just rather bland. I’m still bothered by omissions such as a form of Home Field Advantage. When an element of the sport that large is not even represented in the game it is difficult to fully immerse yourself in the experience and believe that it is a valid one.

One of the best developments that came with 09 is the community interaction from the Madden team. That led to some direct changes being made and it is worth noting how that interaction resulted in an improved product. No other game comes close to providing the same level of input as well as the same distribution of information. That looks as though it will continue for 2010 and should pay even more dividends.

I know the topic of exclusive licenses is a touchy one. My opinion on how that has affected the Madden franchise isn’t in the quality. I still feel it remains a “good” game. The problem lies in that as the only NFL product the goal is to appeal to as many people as possible while attempting to limit anything that could be counter-productive to that. What you get is a vanilla experience that is “good” in most if not all areas. At the same time it isn’t exceptional in any but it also won’t be terrible in any. There just haven’t been any risks taken to carry the series into what people expect from this generation. That is where the license may be restricting the series from reaching its potential.

Madden 09…a good but not great game. Still it remains one that is enjoyed by the masses. For that it makes my Top 10 but lower than where many may have anticipated it would.

#7 Madden NFL 09
#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#8 of 2008: Blitz The League II

I went into Blitz: The League II intrigued by the campaign mode more than anything. What I found was an interesting story with gameplay that exceeded my albeit tempered expectations. Over the top action certainly, and flawed it was, but just good enough to keep me playing through and allow for the story to be the center of the experience.

Accessibility is a central to me when trying a new game. I have to be able to transfer between different games of the same sport and be able to play them naturally. If I have to think consciously about control schemes I’ve lost focus in enjoying the game. Blitz was able to provide that accessibility as I was able to jump right in while still feeling comfortable. The tutorial videos did an excellent job in explaining the on-the-field features.

One of the best aspects of the game was the voice work. Frank Caliendo as John Madden in the booth was cool to hear although they could have used more lines from him. Jay Mohr as the agent fit right in as well. And while it did get repetitive the injury scenes were brutally cool.

Blitz: The League II is another arcade game in the Top 10 that didn’t reach the heights of The BIGS from last year. It did provide a good story with the decent over-the-top natured gameplay that would be expected. Like NFL Tour when considering the lower price point especially it was able to provide enough value and enjoyment to slide into the Top 10.

#8 Blitz: The League II
#9 NFL Tour
#10 Tiger Woods 09

#9 of 2008: NFL Tour

NFL Tour is a game that, while lacking in many areas, was still a lot of fun. Tour was able to achieve the accessibility that many other arcade style titles have not been able to. It kept things simple with the control scheme and limited the amount of plays but there was still enough variety to keep things interesting. It was all about the brisk pace, constant action, and offensive prominence. Tour was designed primarily to be an enjoyable head-to-head experience and in that regard it did well.

While Tour wasn’t properly balanced what that did lead to was each game seemingly being decided on a single big play, or by which side would play the clock the best to end up with the final possession and a chance to win. Online play also ran well which resulted in some fun games including the tournament I held on the site. One thing I really look back on is how it got myself and a friend of mine playing against each other again. It had been a while since we had a game that we would go out of our way to play but Tour actually turned out to be just that. In all I ended up putting more time into Tour than I have most other sports titles this year.

No, NFL Tour isn’t this year’s The BIGS. Considering how much I played it and how much fun I got out of it I couldn’t justify leaving it out of the Top 10 though. And what would a Top 10 list be without a somewhat controversial selection?

#9: NFL Tour
#10: Tiger Woods 09

#10 of 2008: Tiger Woods 09

Tiger Woods 09 delivered a solid all-around experience while enhancing the online enabled aspects of the game. As with many of the other EA Sports titles it attempted to increase its accessibility, here with the addition of Hank Haney assisting with your progression. Ultimately it lands at #10 in my Top Games of 2008 and not any higher because it is golf and there is a limit to how much I can get out of it.

Improvements were made to GamerNet which is an innovative feature introduced in 08. The aspect I enjoyed most though was the simultaneous online play. What used to be a slow and somewhat boring time playing online now moves along at a much more enjoyable rate. Being able to see the colored ball trails of your opponents is a nice touch and provides that interactive feel.

Tiger is easily the best sports game representation found on the Wii. With as close to 1:1 swing motion the Wiimote can provide there is even more potential for 2010 when the Wii MotionPlus will be available. Despite the console not being known for its online options the simultaneous online play was available on this version also and performed surprisingly well. It may not have the graphical prowess of the 360 and PS3 versions but it conformed to the strengths of the Wii without being dumbed down. There is a reason why it continues to be the strongest seller for EA Sports on the system.

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