There’s a load of great sports games available these days. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Sports video games are some of the most popular in the world, with annual franchises often selling more copies each year than the biggest AAA games that take years to make. But there’s good reason for this, with most of us unable to play sports at a high level, the virtual space offers us the chance to live out our dreams of winning the Super Bowl or World Cup, and it’s great fun. From basketball to soccer, motor racing and even skateboarding, there’s a game for almost every sport you can think of. But with so many sports games to choose from, it can be difficult to find ones you want to play, especially when there are multiple franchises covering the same sport. So to help out, these are the best sports games you can play today.
While more niche sports may not have a virtual representation, almost every major sport you can think of has some kind of game that mimics it, and the biggest even have multiple options. Many also release annually, to keep up with the ever-changing rosters and rulesets in the real world.
The most common are simulation games, that try and simulate the real world sport as closely as possible, usually with real world players and teams thrown in for good measure. However, in years gone past a more arcade style was also popular, with over the top games such as NBA Jam and NFL Blitz becoming true fan favourites. This style is less common today, but some still exist. However, you won’t be seeing any on this list as we are looking at the best games you can play on modern hardware, with only one game from each franchise allowed in the list. The rankings are based on critical and fan reception.
Good golf games that simulate the real thing seem to come in waves, with PGA Tour 2K23, which was released in 2022, being the best of the last wave from that time. Developed by HB Studios, this is easily your best bet if you want a reasonably modern golf game.
There isn’t too much in the game that is outdated by this point, and from the standpoint of actually playing the game and it being fun, then the 2K games are still ahead of any slightly more recent games released from other devs. It features a load of recognizable courses, giving you an easy way to play some of the most exclusive greens in the world, and does a solid job at mimicking the real world physics of golf. If your a golf fan, especially one who follows the PGA Tour, then this is your best option and it’s available on all the new hardware such as Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC.
The NHL games can be complex for those who don’t know all the rules of the sport, but for those that do these are good simulations of the sport that keep faithful to how the real thing operates, fights and all. The most recent iteration from 2023 is solid, but not incredible.
Some on ice changes from developers EA Vancouver make 24 worth picking up over its predecessors, but a lack of major changes for a few years have left the franchise in need of a big shake up to make it a must-play for everyone, not just hardcore fans. But if you do love the NHL, or hockey in general, then NHL 24 is still the best way to experience the sport virtually, with versions available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
The Madden games have a long history and vary a lot in quality, with the most recent iteration from 2023 being a solid entry that didn’t set the world alight. But with the constant churn of NFL rosters simply buying the most recent to get an accurate team is generally worth it for fans.
While the Madden games are no longer the only football show in town, they are still the best when it comes to on field action, with a control scheme that has been perfected and player impacts that will make you cringe on the sofa. Developers EA Tiburon focused on improving the on field action for this iteration, but a lack of innovation for years when it comes to the off field game modes, menus and general UI makes this feel like a game from five years ago at times. Hardcore fans will love this, but more casual players might want to wait for this year’s iteration. Madden 24 is on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
There are a few really good non-simulation style baseball games worth checking out, but if you want a faithful recreation of the big leagues, then MLB The Show is the one for you. Trying to replicate the tense action of the MLB, The Show does a good job of getting close to the real thing.
Developed by San Diego Studio and released earlier this year, MLB The Show 24’s big new addition was a female story mode to back up the others, which are all decent and worth sinking your teeth into. But your mileage will likely vary on how much of a baseball fan you are, given it can be difficult to make the sport exciting to newcomers. That said it’s simple enough to pick up, and could be the thing that gets you into the sport, so if you’re curious it’s worth a shot with the on field action generally be great. Despite being published by Sony, it’s available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Switch.
When an all-time classic gets remastered then you should always pay attention, especially if the package includes two all-time classics. That’s what 2020’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is, bringing the classic skateboard games back to modern hardware in a faithful recreation that actually makes them better.
Vicarious Visions did the impossible of adding improvements from later games without ruining the original experience of these two epic skateboarding games and the result is a sports game where you don’t even have to be a fan of the real life action to appreciate it. If you even have a passing interest in skateboarding then this is one to pick up and ride around the iconic levels, hitting epic tricks and racking up high scores. It’s not exactly a simulation, but it’s dam good fun. It’s available on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and Switch, making it easily accessible for everyone.
F1 24 is a very divisive game, with many veteran players complaining about the overhauled handling and tire systems that were introduced this year. But for more casual players, it remains the best F1 game you can get and is incredibly easy to pick up, which is more than can be said for its competitors.
With the full F1 grid to play as, as well as F2, living your fantasies of driving in the pinnacle of motorsport is incredibly easy, especially with more than a full calendar of tracks to drive around. Codemasters delivers online racing, career modes and challenges give you lots of options to keep your drives feeling a little different. There is a lot of unnecessary cosmetics and off track distractions, but when you drive it feels great, which is what matters. Hardcore sim racing fans will likely find more complex options, but for anyone just wanting to try the cars and tracks this is your best option, with versions available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.
The WWE games aren’t always top quality, but 2K24 is the best in years and quite simply a must-play for any wrestling fan. With an up-to-date roster, one of the best in ring experiences ever and incredible visuals, it really is the best wrestling game out there.
Developed by Visual Concepts, 2K24, which released in its titular year, packs all the changes within the Fed from the last year into a massive package that could keep you playing in its exhibition modes forever. But two story modes, a GM mode and the My Faction mode offer multiple ways to play as you see fit. Action in the ring is smooth and easy to pick up, and it’s rarely frustrating, making it a joy to play. WWE fans will love this, and even casual graps enjoyers can find fun here. It’s available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC.
Some say Football Manager isn’t a sports game, but with one of the most complex tactical systems ever seen, you’ll struggle to find a more accurate sports management simulator anywhere. The annual releases don’t always improve much, but you’re playing the most recent release from 2023 for the up-to-date database of players.
If you’ve ever thought you could manage a soccer team, or are secretly a tactical genius whose physical skills let them down, then this is the game for you as you can manage every aspect of a club other than actually getting on the pitch and kicking the ball. Developers Sports Interactive nailed the format by this point, but it’s surprisingly accessible to new players and a slightly simplified version is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, iOS, Android and Switch along with the fully featured PC version. It can take some persistence to get into, but it’s well worth staying with it.
If you want a basketball game, then NBA 2K24 is the one for you, as the series rarely makes a misstep. It has up and down years, but the latest release from 2023 is a solid iteration and of course comes with all the latest rosters and some nice improvements over its predecessor.
Developed by Visual Concepts Austin, the 2K series is a sports game that has a more challenging control system than most, which makes it great for hardcore fans who want to master it but a bit of a turn-off for the more casual players. But stick with it, and you will be rewarded with an excellent basketball sim that will keep you playing for hours. There’s also cross play between consoles for the first time which means players on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 can play together, but there’s also Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC versions as well.
The franchise formerly known as FIFA has been the king of soccer games for over 15 years at this point. What was once a two horse race in the mid-00s has become almost a monopoly in the genre, but for good reason, because the games continue to be some of the best sports simulations available.
EA FC 24 is the first game in the renamed franchise that launched in 2023, but it’s still developed by EA Vancouver and is effectively the next FIFA game, just with a new name. It still boasts all the licences you expect, along with the usual slew of game modes that will keep you playing for hours. But it’s on the pitch where things really matter, and as ever it’s great fun to play and the perfect example of easy to pick up but difficult to master. It’s the best virtual soccer recreation out there, and it’s available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 PC and Switch, making it perfect for every soccer fan.
Bottom Line
Your enjoyment of sports games will likely go hand in hand with your enjoyment of the sport it mimics, but even for non-sports fans, some of these games can be great fun. These days, there’s not many truly bad entries from big franchises, but stick to these games, and you won’t have a bad time.
