Best Sports Game of the Generation Tournament: Quarterfinal Round
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The Best Sports Game of the Generation Tournament has reached the Elite Eight! The closest contest in the Sweet 16 was Madden NFL 13 drawing 51% of the vote over NCAA Football 09 while NBA 2K11 also got a fight from 2K12. Over 26K votes were cast in the previous round.
The pairings in the final eight feature FIFA 12 vs 2010 FIFA World Cup, NBA 2K11 taking on NCAA Football 14, Madden NFL 13 going up against NBA 2K13, and MLB 13: The Show challenging College Hoops 2K8. Continue on to cast your support and leave any thoughts in the comments on results and which games should move on!
NBA 2K11 vs NCAA Football 14
It was 2K11 that launched the series to a level that some believed wasn’t possible for a basketball game in terms of consumer reception and sales with the featuring of Michael Jordan. New “The Jordan Challenge” mode, “Creating a Legend” mode, and historic teams were big winners. NCAA Football 14, which it turns out will be the last entry in the series, improved significantly in gameplay and Dynasty mode while bringing in a surprisingly intriguing Ultimate Team mode.
NBA 2K13 vs Madden NFL 13
NBA 2K13 continued the streak of strong releases for the franchise by excelling in most areas including content, gameplay, presentation, commentary, and career mode while improving its online play. Madden NFL 13 rolled out Connected Careers in an attempt to revolutionize the franchise mode in sports games that had become somewhat stale. The “Infinity Engine” physics were first implemented and many legacy issues with gameplay addressed. Post-release support included adding in a bunch of requested features that were initially left out for free.
2010 FIFA World Cup vs FIFA 12
This World Cup offering was lauded for its accessibility, fun factor, and turning even non-soccer fans into loyal FIFA gamers. It included every national team and South African stadium, incredible atmosphere, and the “World League Ladder” online – an early look at what would evolve into Online Seasons. With FIFA 12 EA Sports debuted the new physics engine which pushed the series forward. Online Seasons mode made its first appearance and Ultimate Team became part of the base product.
College Hoops 2K8 vs MLB 13: The Show
The final entry in the College Hoops 2K series was highly regarded at the time and the fondness for it has even grown since. As “sim” if not more so than its college basketball competition and NBA counterparts, 2K8 made the crowd have an effect on the games and its dynasty mode was excellent. MLB 13 offered up excellent gameplay, authenticity, and graphics – those things that have been staples of the series for the whole generation. For the first time though it was a complete product by finally bringing the online experience up to par. Opening the timing window at the plate helped to make the game more fun without sacrificing realism and the new Postseason mode was excellent.