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Biggest Sports Gaming Disappointment of 2009 (So Far)
Nominees:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K9
NCAA FOOTBALL 10
WII SPORTS RESORT
GRAND SLAM TENNIS
Winner (or is it?): NCAA FOOTBALL 10
Major League Baseball 2K9 was lambasted by critics and customers alike, but it was, essentially, a first year effort by a new development team at Visual Concepts. Wii Sports Resort and Grand Slam Tennis don't have much depth in spite of all their hype, but their innovative and complex Wii Motion Plus controls redeem them from being disappointing. NCAA 10 on the other hand, defines disappointing. No, it's not a horrible gameplay experience (in fact, it just may be the best college football sim on the 360 today) but it's getting very stale and pales in comparison to Madden 10 and its myriad of gameplay, graphic and presentation improvements. NCAA 10 contains the same core features and presentation as its predecessors despite boasting improved gameplay, which will unquestionably put off many of those who logged many hours into NCAA 08 and 09. The stellar but shaky Teambuilder feature is one of many features that could have redeemed NCAA 10 but its glaring problems far outshine its positives. If NCAA 11 receives the same overhaul that Madden 10 did, next year may just be the finest year of NCAA Football that we've seen on any console generation. As for now, NCAA remains a shadow of the dominant series it used to be.
Biggest Question To Ask In The 2009-10 Sports Gaming Season
Nominees:
CAN 2K SPORTS IMPROVE ITS NHL SERIES?
WILL NBA LIVE 10 CLOSE THE GAP?
IS MADDEN NFL 10 FOR REAL?
CAN PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2010 RETURN THE SERIES TO ITS GLORY DAYS?
Winner: WILL NBA LIVE 10 CLOSE THE GAP?
There's no doubt people will be upset over Madden despite its obvious improvements this year, and PES 2010 and NHL 2K10 are certainly aiming to make things interesting in the soccer and hockey genres after suffering tarnished reputations the past few years. But no one story this year is as captivating as the possible return to prominence of EA's long-suffering NBA Live series. Marred by horrid editions of the franchise in the Xbox 360 and PS3's infancy, the series finally made some noteworthy (but not groundbreaking) improvements in NBA Live 09. However, early news about Live 10 points at a new beginning for the series. Everything from graphics to gameplay to presentation has received a much-needed once over, signalling that EA wants to close the gap between their series and 2K's. Whether or not Live 10 will deliver is still very much up in the air, but there's no doubt that there's a level of excitement in the basketball genre that hasn't been felt in a long time.
Biggest Sports Gaming Surprise Of The Year (So Far)
Nominees:
MADDEN NFL 10
NHL 10
UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED
FORZA MOTORSPORT 3
Winner: UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED
EA Sports certainly raised many eyebrows by overhauling Madden's gameplay, graphics and presentation this year but, without a doubt, the single greatest surprise this year was the emergence of THQ's UFC 2009 Undisputed. Many gamers were skeptical of the title initially given the poor track record of past MMA games, but as soon as Undisputed's demo hit, sports gamers took notice almost instantly. Undisputed's realistic gameplay, stellar graphics and true-to-life broadcast presentation instantly made it the single greatest representation of mixed martial arts despite not being as fully-featured or as deep as EA Sports's Fight Night Round 4 or even THQ's own WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009. It not only met all expectations, but exceeded them, surprising many a skeptical gamer along the way.
Sports Game Of The Year (So Far)
Nominees:
MLB 09: THE SHOW
FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4
TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 10 (Wii)
UFC 2009 UNDISPUTED
Winner: TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 10 (Wii)
Has CTW lost his mind? Tiger Woods 10? On WII?! No, kiddies, I'm dead serious. The Wii iteration of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is probably the most accurate representation of a sport I've ever played in a video game. Unlike Tiger 09, getting the most out of your shot requires the right form, the right power, the right trajectory and just the right amount of luck. Of course, this wouldn't be possible without the power of Wii Motion Plus, which gives Tiger 10 a huge dose of realism never before seen in sports video games. However, being the first-ever game to use the peripheral doesn't mean it's perfect, and more years experimenting with the technology will only make the Tiger experience on Wii better. But why does it make a difference? It's a Wii sports game after all, one without flashy graphics. Why choose this over The Show, FNR4 and UFC 2009? Well, for starters, Tiger offers arguably the most realistic gameplay out of the four...and arguably the most true-to-life gameplay experience next to stepping out on the tee and trying it for yourself. No, Tiger 10 isn't quite as challenging as the real sport, but it can be in years to come. I'd say with more years of experience with Wii Motion Plus under their belts and with the same care and attention to detail Tiger 10 recieved, this series will become what Flight Simulator became for the PC - a game that comes so close to the actual sport it portrays, it'll be used as an educational tool. Tiger 10 on Wii isn't quite that yet, but it is an experience you'll never forget. Quite possibly the most impressive sports game this year so far.
Will Madden, NHL, NBA 2K or Forza 3 have the poise to take Tiger 10 Wii's crown away after the second half of 2009? We shall see. Join us in December for the First-Annual CTW End-Of-Season Award Ceremony!
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