Competition and fandom is not just limited to the hardwood and the gridiron. The virtual world of video games illicit the same type of passionate and fervent debate that the sports world provides. From NBA Jam to Tecmo Bowl, sports video games have a close connection to sports fans.
Madden or FIFA? Mike Tyson 's Punch Out or Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball? The LeBron vs. Jordan debate has nothing on the sports video game debate.
MORE: NBA 2K player rating changes | Madden NFL '16 trailer
Sporting News has decided to let the fans decide what is the best video game of all-time, and like most video games, it won't be easy but it will be a lot of fun. SN video game contributor Bryan Wiedey ranked the 16 best sports video games of all time and provided explanations for his seeds, which can be read below the bracket.
You can vote on the bracket here.
We're down to the final two game and both are classics, games you could still pick up today and play for hours.
The final round of voting will take place starting at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday and will close at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, when a winner will be crowned.
VIDEO GAME BRACKET: Round 1 | Round 2 | Final Four
Boom Shakalaka Region
4. NBA Jam – No game defined fun like NBA Jam. Thanks to a combination of simple yet stylish gameplay – two on two instead of five-on-five allowed individual personalities to shine unlike anything before or since – and an unforgettable announcer whose catchphrases live on today (Boom-shaka-laka!) NBA Jam is the gold standard of arcade sports games.
Little Mac Region
3. NHL '94 – Many people point to the NHL series turning them into fans of the real sport, and not the other way around. Featuring delightful visuals and sounds, real players and teams, and the joy of skating the Stanley Cup around the ice after winning a championship, NHL remains a fond memory for a generation. The recognition the game got in the cult classic "Swingers" made it even more cool, if that was even possible.