2010: A Sports Gaming Odyssey

[RaychelSnr]

I came to a realization the other night while sitting in my basement. As I sat on my couch enjoying yet another great game of NHL 11, I glanced over at my growing gaming collection. Nestled cozily in between my copies of NBA 2K11, NCAA Football 11, UFC Undisputed 2010, MLB 10 and FIFA 11 were barely touched copies of Halo Reach, Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect 2. It was at this moment that it hit me like a ton of bricks: 2010 has been the year of the sports game.

Halo Reach, Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect 2 are three of the best video games I have ever played. The problem is that with a plethora of great sports games currently available, it is downright impossible to invest the proper amount of time into these other gaming masterpieces. For the first time during this console generation, sports gamers are being rewarded with top-notch triple-A games. This year's crop of sports games can stand toe to toe with the likes of Call of Duty, Uncharted and Halo.

Read More - 2010: A Sports Gaming Odyssey

[statum71]

I can agree 100%. I have all the big name sports titles this year and feel that each is the best version of its respective series to date.

But with that said, like you, I really wish Madden would catch up to the crowd.

Everyone else's presentation is blurring the line between real TV and video gaming. And its not an EA thing because other EA games are closer to the 2K's and MLB's of the world.

[ps3veron]

Agreed 100%

It would be interesting how 2011 pans out: How will The Show 11 compare to MLB 2K11?
Will NBA 2K12 be able to match 2K11? Looovin it!

[Armor and Sword]

No question there has never been a better year for hardcore sports gamers than 2010. I just purchsed my PS3 a little over a year ago (August 2009 to be exact). I learned from my PS to PS2 transition that game developers need 2-3 years to fully take advantage and bring their new games up to snuff on the new cpu hardware at their disposal. And this is so evident in sports games more than any other genere.

So having this knowledge from past experience I saved myself the pain, anger and frustration that I went through with my early PS2 days (NBA LIve 2000-2003, Madden 2000-2003, Triple Play Baseball etc) and waited. Boy it was hard. The eye candy in the local Gamestop was tempting, but I kept waiting. Then I saw MLB The Show 2009 and I could not wait any longer. So finally I retired the PS2 (I still have and play some older games from time to time Star Wars Battlefield 2 , Metal Gear Solid, and Gallop Racer 2004 come to mind) and my XBOX (just play KOTR I II, Fable, Baulders Gate I, II and NFL2K5 from time to time) and went in with open arms to the new gen.

Wow! Just wow with The Show 2009 (still playing this version). Then of course I did purchase Madden 2010 and NBA 2K9 and NHL 2009. I was not happy with NCAA like most and Madden 2010 went stale quick once the exploits and bugs came to a ugly head and NBA2K9 was a major letdown in the gameplay department. So fast forward to today.

NHL 2011
NBA2K11
Madden 2011
NCAA 2011
The Show 2009 (still going strong)

These 5 games are sucking my game time. I did play BCBF2 for while and will again once the new DLC is released (that game rocks online) but I am totally immersed in my offline franchises as well as my online NCAA dynasty playing the Thundering Herd of Marshall. These games represent the very best sports games ever IMO. Even Madden 2011 which get so much flack around here is no question for me the best playing Madden in the series history. Yes it took a great slider set and gameplanning for the cpu for this to happen but it is going strong in my rotation.

As sports gamers we have never ever had it so good. I will date myself here. I come from the Atari 2600 generation and I think most of us as well as Genesis and NES players truly appreciate the amazing sports games of today. I will even throw in NFL Head Coach 2009 which I have played and own (I have not dove in just yet) as another great sports sim.

Of course all this has shelved some amazing non-sports titles for me.

1) Metal Gear 4
2) Oblivion
3) Fallout 3
4) Dead Space
5) Bioshock
6) Star Wars the Force Unleashed
7) Uncharted 2
8) Batman Arkyum Asylum
9) Red Dead Redemption

I own all these games as well and have barely cracked them. I really want to as they are all great titles....but I can't. My deep love for Sports games is too powerful to overcome, and being that all these sports games are so amazing I don't care. I know eventually I will get around to them. And the great thing is other than Madden 2012 (in which I hope we get that offline franchise overhaul otherwise no go for me), Top Spin 4 and Fight Night Champions, I see no reason I will need to buy another basketball, hockey, baseball, or college football title for at least another 2 years easy.


Again has there ever been a better time to be a Sports Gamer?

Great blog!

[GlennN]

Can't argue on the quality of games this year (Madden 11 and NHL 11 running away with my playing time), but I still miss when we had more than one choice in baseball, football and hockey (oh, and when there was sports gaming on the PC - remember the days of Front Page Sports Football/Baseball, Hardball, etc).

[Armor and Sword]

Re: 2010: A Sports Gaming Odyssey

Can't argue on the quality of games this year (Madden 11 and NHL 11 running away with my playing time), but I still miss when we had more than one choice in baseball, football and hockey (oh, and when there was sports gaming on the PC - remember the days of Front Page Sports Football/Baseball, Hardball, etc).

I can't disagree with that at all. More choices is always better.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: 2010: A Sports Gaming Odyssey

I also forgot to mention how amazing CHoops2k8 is. I picked that up about 7-8 months ago for 5 bucks and that game is just awesome. On the shelf too though till March

[jestep123]

Madden is no longer the flagship title it once was. When I was in college in the mid to late 90's that is ALL the college students played. Thats it. You didnt see RPG's or shooters or any of that. Nowadays, even regarding sports. faster moving games like Fifa and NHL are taking over. This is part of the reason why gameflow was designed. With all of their commitments (assuming they are responsible teenagers) , teens just do not have the time or patience for a game like Madden

My brother works on campus at NC State and he described it best to me the other day, he described Fifa as "The New Madden." and he is absolutely right. That is what the kids are playing. He said he cant remember the last time one of the students he works Fellowship with invited him into the dorm for a game of Madden. Its always Fifa.

Think about the most prominent Madden commercial you saw this year. The one I saw most wasnt geared toward kids. It featured a young adult putting a baby to sleep in a baby swing and then sneaking over to his TV to turn on Madden when the baby was all settled. The tag line was "Get your Madden Back.", That is geared toward an older generation of diehard fans.

Madden ads use to be ambiguous, now they are very targeted. I think that says alot about how EA views the franchise differently than it did 15 years ago.

[Gramps91]

Yea I'm a huge basketball fan and 2K11 is indescribable. I keep wanting to say its amazing but that just doesn't cover it. People are talking all about Jordan being on it and while that is a great addition my favorite thing about it is just the gameplay it is just so real, I have played over 20 basketball titles from SNES days until now and I didn't even know what a basketball game was until 2K11. There were some games that I loved that were basketball like Jam 2000, Live 04, and Live 06 but man when I got 2K11 its just ... I can't think of the words the titles I mentioned were amazing games and 2K11 is beyond those. I also want to point out that I actually picked up a copy of Live 10 yesterday to get the new rosters, I have been playing 2K11 for 3 solid weeks and after putting in Live for 5 minutes I decided to take it back. Its an okay game but as far as NBA basketball goes i don't want to be playing anything else but 2K11. I really haven't played many other sports games this year but have read reviews and NCAA Football 11 in particular sounds great.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: 2010: A Sports Gaming Odyssey

Yea I'm a huge basketball fan and 2K11 is indescribable. I keep wanting to say its amazing but that just doesn't cover it. People are talking all about Jordan being on it and while that is a great addition my favorite thing about it is just the gameplay it is just so real, I have played over 20 basketball titles from SNES days until now and I didn't even know what a basketball game was until 2K11. There were some games that I loved that were basketball like Jam 2000, Live 04, and Live 06 but man when I got 2K11 its just ... I can't think of the words the titles I mentioned were amazing games and 2K11 is beyond those. I also want to point out that I actually picked up a copy of Live 10 yesterday to get the new rosters, I have been playing 2K11 for 3 solid weeks and after putting in Live for 5 minutes I decided to take it back. Its an okay game but as far as NBA basketball goes i don't want to be playing anything else but 2K11. I really haven't played many other sports games this year but have read reviews and NCAA Football 11 in particular sounds great.

Could not agree more as well. I am still just taken back at how beautiful of a game Visual Concepts have given us. Some of the best sports gaming moments I have ever had have come from this game in just 3 short weeks.

It's a wet dream.

[vln13]

How about BACKBREAKER? Before the BIGGG patch, it was unplayable, but since, I have had tremendous fun with it. I think it does a much better job than Madden of simulating what it is actually like to play football, though Madden has the edge in the sim/strategy department (which is why I think gameflow is not something for hardcore users.)

For me, this year ranks like this:

1. NBA 2k11
2. MLB 10 The Show
3. NCAA Football 11
4. FIFA 11,
5. NHL 11
6. Madden 11
7. Backbreaker
8. EA MMA
9. MLB 2k10
10. UFC Undisputed 10
11. Tiger Woods
Crap-hole: NBA Elite 11
11.

[GlennN]

Madden is no longer the flagship title it once was. When I was in college in the mid to late 90's that is ALL the college students played. Thats it. You didnt see RPG's or shooters or any of that. Nowadays, even regarding sports. faster moving games like Fifa and NHL are taking over. This is part of the reason why gameflow was designed. With all of their commitments (assuming they are responsible teenagers) , teens just do not have the time or patience for a game like Madden

My brother works on campus at NC State and he described it best to me the other day, he described Fifa as "The New Madden." and he is absolutely right. That is what the kids are playing. He said he cant remember the last time one of the students he works Fellowship with invited him into the dorm for a game of Madden. Its always Fifa.

Think about the most prominent Madden commercial you saw this year. The one I saw most wasnt geared toward kids. It featured a young adult putting a baby to sleep in a baby swing and then sneaking over to his TV to turn on Madden when the baby was all settled. The tag line was "Get your Madden Back.", That is geared toward an older generation of diehard fans.

Madden ads use to be ambiguous, now they are very targeted. I think that says alot about how EA views the franchise differently than it did 15 years ago.

Great points. I just wish Madden went that one tiny step further - in-game saves. As an adult with a wife, job and child, an in-game save would be awesome. Soccer just doesn't do it for me.

[acornman]

I agree man. NBA2k11, NHL2011, and NCAA2001 are all instant classics. Wish I could say the same about Madden. Im not bashing but the bar has been set, I'm sure Ian will come out all guns blazing and capture our hearts in 2012. I have faith!

[stlstudios189]

don't forget to include Raw vs. Smackdown 11 Universe mode has me pumped!!! One other ugly mention is the fact that we have no college BB game this year and no Nascar (that changes in Feb) I do not purchase non sports games brand new as I never get to them untill they are old. I am still playing Marvel Ult. Alliance 1 for petes sake!!! Sports gaming has taken me by storm.

[TheCreep]

Great article! Well, for me atleast, I've found that as my age increases, my interest in games other than sports seems to decrease. The thing is, my kid giddiness when it comes to new releases combined with a more disposable income culminates into me buying new games left and right then just sitting them on a shelf. The sports titles take all my time away from em.

I had to reevaluate my situation (I'm married now). I had to clean house. Dog, I had close to 60 GAMES (PS3,360, Japanese PS2, American PS2) with the only titles getting play time:

1. Madden 11
2. NCAA 11
3. FN4
4. EA MMA

Occaaaasionally, I'll throw in Read Dead, FallOut3, RB6 Vegas2, ArmedAssault2 (PC), and Gearsofwar2.

I recently bought FallOut Vegas and you guessed it, its still in the wrapper on the shelf. I'm in my Madden franchise right now.

My assessment on this years sports titles? EA hit the ball out of the park this year. I know this isn't an impressions thread so

1. NCAA 11=Greatness. Polish the locomotion and give me more presentation, I'll be set. Can I get my Ion schutt please. Fix the proportion of revolution facemasks thank you.
2. Madden 11=Greatness. Request same as above. Can I get my Ion schutt please. Fix the proportion of revolution facemasks please.
3. FN4=Greatness. A deeper career mode, quicker combos/true movement, bring back the broadcast camera from FN3 and I'm set.
4. EA MMA=Greatness. More robust career mode and I'm set.