News Post

ESPN Ranks 25 Best Sports Game Ever, Comes Up Close to OS'ers

11:45 AM - May 10, 2013 by RaychelSnr

ESPN's Jon Robinson has been going through his personal top sports video games of all time and came up with a list that was very similar to what OS'ers voted on last year during our second ever 'Best Sports Video Game Ever' tournament.

In his list, Robinson ranks Tecmo Super Bowl at the top of his list, which was the runner-up in our tournament. In the OS tournament, MVP Baseball 2005 (#4), WWF No Mercy (#5), Tecmo Super Bowl (#1), and MLB '10: The Show (did not appear) made up our final four. MLB '13: The Show did appear on Robinson's list at #18 though.

Other notables for were our first 'Best Sports Game Ever' tournament finalists of NFL 2K5 at number eight and College Hoops 2K8 at 18th.

Robinson's Top Five
#1 Tecmo Super Bowl
#2 NHL 94
#3 Mike Tyson's Punch Out
#4 MVP Baseball 2005
#5 WWE No Mercy

What do you think of Robinson's list? What would your own top five list look like?

Member Comments

# 1 DirtyJerz32 @ 05/10/13 12:12 PM

Nice list. I'd throw MTPO about NHL though. I would also replace WWE NM with NFL 2k5. Either way, that's a solid set.

I still play Tecmo Super Bowl mods to this day. Game is just flat out fun to play!

# 2 unfriendlyghst @ 05/10/13 12:28 PM

Still playing competitively on original NES. Great list.

# 3 Adzs K2 @ 05/10/13 12:52 PM

Surprised Pro Evo 3 didn't make it somewhere on the list but outside of that little to no complaints

# 4 GlennN @ 05/10/13 12:55 PM

Great list! Mine is somewhat similar:

1) NHL 94
2) NFL 2k5
3) Tecmo Super Bowl
4) MTPO
5) High Heat Baseball 2002 [for the PC] (for me, no baseball game has risen to that level!)

# 5 TreyzAllDayz @ 05/10/13 02:14 PM

Treyz top-5: MVP Baseball 2005, March Madness 2004, NCAA Football 2008-ps2, Madden 2006- ps2, NCAA Basketball 2010-ps3 (HM: Madden 2004, College Hoops 2K8- ps3, NFS: Most Wanted- ps2, Gran Turismo 3, ESPN College Hoops 2k5).

EA or 2K... please make a college basketball video game again!!

# 6 thedream2k13 @ 05/10/13 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Profit89


	It looks like it's more of a nostalgic list than anything but NBA2K13 is one of the greatest sports games ever made, imo.

i cannot cosign on nba 2k13, 2k11 was better imo

# 7 Armor and Sword @ 05/10/13 03:17 PM

Nostalgic list indeed. Hard to say my top 5. But today's sports games are just flat out amazing except for football. Some good football games this gen but nothing all time worthy.

1) MLB The Show 13
2) NBA 2K11
3) MVP Baseball 2005
4) NFL 2K5
5) CH2K8

# 8 rynecandy @ 05/10/13 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Profit89


	It looks like it's more of a nostalgic list than anything but NBA2K13 is one of the greatest sports games ever made, imo.

Coming from a 34 year old sports gamer it's hard to separate that when making an All Time list. You are almost guaranteed to include how a game made you feel when you played it when it was new and you were a kid. When you really think about it, how is Tecmo going to be better than NBA 2K recent basketball game. We complain about glitches in a game today but remember fondly how fun/frustrating it was to play with/against the LA Raiders. Its because we remember how fun it was to play the game as a kid.

# 9 eye guy @ 05/10/13 04:27 PM

Maybe this list should be called "Top 5 American Sports Games".

Too many good games to really have a top five that won't consistently change, at least on a yearly basis.

So here's my current top five in no particular order.

Jonah Lomu (ps1)
Shane Warne Cricket
Fight Night 2004
NBA 2K13
Kelly Slaters Pro Surfer

# 10 elgreazy1 @ 05/10/13 05:15 PM

All the top 5 games were heavy in game experience, innovation and fun, NOT graphics, bells n whistles, and gimmicks. If only more sports games would take these into consideration before trying to be too true to life.

# 11 datruth251 @ 05/10/13 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedream2k13


	i cannot cosign on nba 2k13, 2k11 was better imo

Absolutely agree. 2K11 hands down best basketball game ever best online gameplay also.

# 12 kchuskey @ 05/10/13 05:55 PM

I cannot believe there is no mention of College Hoops 2k8 anywhere.

# 13 kchuskey @ 05/10/13 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kchuskey


	I cannot believe there is no mention of College Hoops 2k8 anywhere.

I stand corrected..I saw it.

# 14 BreaksoftheGame @ 05/10/13 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rynecandy


	Coming from a 34 year old sports gamer it's hard to separate that when making an All Time list. You are almost guaranteed to include how a game made you feel when you played it when it was new and you were a kid. When you really think about it, how is Tecmo going to be better than NBA 2K recent basketball game. We complain about glitches in a game today but remember fondly how fun/frustrating it was to play with/against the LA Raiders. Its because we remember how fun it was to play the game as a kid.

I agree completely. 2k13 is amazing with the depth of the game. But I remember fondly Brad Muster coming out of the emergency room in Tecmo Bowl!

# 15 LionsFanNJ @ 05/10/13 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eye guy


	Kelly Slaters Pro Surfer

Most unexpected choice I've seen on best of lists.

# 16 CM Hooe @ 05/10/13 07:23 PM

Jon Robinson's list reeks of nostalgia.

Not that that is right or wrong, just an observation.

# 17 Gramps91 @ 05/10/13 07:57 PM

Those are all great games, not sure Tecmo football should be #1 though. I'm glad to see No Mercy has that well of a rank on the list.

# 18 Armor and Sword @ 05/10/13 09:38 PM

I love Tecmo Super Bowl. Still have the original NES and cart and I play it with my son every so often.
Great game, great memories.

I have lot's of sports games I love. But the 5 I listed.....are ones I still play to this day and with MVP 2005....I put 5 hardcore years into that one before switching to The Show series with the 2009 version. I still play NFL2K5 to this day as well as the other 3 listed.

The very best sports games today are amazing in every way.

Gameplay
Stats engines
presentation
player models
realism
franchise modes
be a player modes
AI
controls

Yeah I have great memories of games like Baseball Stars, Tecmo Super Bowl, Madden 93, NBA Live 95, Madden 99, Bill Walsh College Football

But wow.....we have it so amazingly good now.

For hardcore sim sports gamers....it does not get any better than right now for:

Baseball
Basketball
Soccer
Hockey
Boxing
Tennis
Golf

The only sport that has not lived up to the hype is football. It's been good.....but nothing like the other sports.

# 19 eye guy @ 05/11/13 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LionsFanNJ


	Most unexpected choice I've seen on best of lists.

Lol, I loved nearly everything about that game. The music, single player content, gameplay., for a first attempt, and lone surfing title, it deserves at least an honorable mention

To be honest, my top ten would also include Table Tennis by R* lol...

# 20 malky @ 05/11/13 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armor & Sword


	Nostalgic list indeed. Hard to say my top 5. But today's sports games are just flat out amazing except for football. Some good football games this gen but nothing all time worthy. 1) MLB The Show 13 2) NBA 2K11 3) MVP Baseball 2005 4) NFL 2K5 5) CH2K8

Sort of my list but I got 2k12/or 13 instead of 11

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