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.
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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.
The second round of voting will take place starting at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday and will close at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday.
Boom Shakalaka Region
3. Tecmo Bowl – No football game captured the imagination of more people than Tecmo Bowl, which is revered to this day. Images of Bo Jackson swerving through hapless defenders, realistic statistics with playoffs and Super Bowls, and a rock-paper-scissors strategy opened up Tecmo Bowl to countless millions of people. Did we mention Bo Jackson?
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.
5. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out – Back when boxing was relevant, Mike Tyson was its undisputed king. Untold millions of Nintendo owners climbed the ladders of Punch Out, trying desperately to learn each fighter’s “tell” and ultimately get a shot at Tyson himself. In the age before the internet let you discover how to beat games in an instant, few video game accomplishments felt more daunting than knocking out "Iron" Mike.