Favorite Types of Sports Games

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:07 pm

since we have a bit of a "lull" in gaming talk, I though I would start a new poll. Here are my favorites in order:

1-baseball
2-hockey
4-motorcycle racing
3-auto racing
4-FPS'rs
5-golf
6-basketball
7-football

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:27 pm

1. Baseball
2. Football
3. Hoops
4. Hockey
5. Racing
6. Everything Else

GROGtheNailer · Post by **GROGtheNailer** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:30 pm

1. Hockey

2. Baseball

3. Football

4. Golf

5. Everything else

Badgun · Post by **Badgun** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:34 pm

1. Football
2. Baseball
3. Basketball
4. Racing
5. Golf

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:42 pm

Football
Hockey
Baseball
Soccer
Racing
Basketball

rheller · Post by **rheller** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:42 pm

1. Football
2. Baseball
3. Basketball
4. Racing
5. Golf

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:45 pm

1. Football
2. Football
3. Football

I used to be into baseball and basketball games too but they're still too immature as far as online support go.

Tried Live online very briefly last year and it was so bad, didn't want to try any hoops this year.

Never was big on hockey. NHL since Genesis days was a button-masher for me so I probably need to be more into the sport.

I will keep the faith in baseball. Nowhere to go but up.

Bought 3 football games and will probably do the same again this year.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:53 pm

1. Football
2. Hockey
3. Tennis
4. Baseball
5. Golf
6. Racing

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon May 17, 2004 2:15 pm

1. Racing

(Big gap)

2. Golf
3. Hockey
4. Baseball
5. Football
6. Soccer
7. Extreme Sports
8. Boxing
9. Basketball

Soccer probably would move to No. 2 on my list if I had a PS2 and Winning Eleven. But since FIFA is the only current, updated choice for the Xbox, then soccer drops way down the list.

My gaming choices are odd in that they really don't reflect my sporting preferences in real life, other than racing. I LOVE soccer and the NFL, yet golf is my second-favorite genre in sports gaming. I probably watch less than 18 holes of golf on TV per year. I never watch baseball until the playoffs, but I really enjoy baseball video games.

Racing probably is the only sport to which I have such a slavish devotion that I'll play almost any game in that genre. Play is the operative word, not enjoy. But thankfully, there are a lot of enjoyable racing games on the market.

And Jack, since when have first-person shooters been sports games unless it's a hunting game?

Take care,
PK

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Mon May 17, 2004 2:52 pm

1. Football
2. Baseball
3. Hockey
4. Hoops
5. Racing
6. Soccer
7. Golf
8. Everything Else

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:42 pm

ooops, can't believe I forgot soccer! I would put that somewhere around 4th. I can't believe how many have football as #1. I LOVE football and watching it on TV, going to games, etc., but could never get totally into video game football, for some reason. I always seems like you are just controlling 1 guy and the computer is doing 99% of everything else. I also was never really good at it, which might have something to do with my disliking it. I really can't put my finger on what it is that I dont get about video game football, but it remains a mystery to me. I try Madden and NFL2K every year, but never stick with them for a long time.

FloridaGators · Post by **FloridaGators** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:52 pm

Gonna go,

1. Football
2. Soccer (because of WE)
3. Basketball
4. Racing
5. Hockey
6. Baseball

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:57 pm

>>>I always seems like you are just controlling 1 guy and the computer is doing 99% of everything else.<<<

Jack:

You've absolutely nailed why I'm not a big fan of video game football and why I like racing and golf games. In racing and golf games, I'm in control of the only entity that matters, my car and my golfer. That aspect of control is heightened even more when playing online, as other humans control the other cars and golfers instead of relying on AI, which always can be questionable or dodgy.

In football and hoops, I'm only controlling a small part of the action, and I rely on the AI a lot more to deliver realism. And sadly, many games just don't have good enough AI to satisfy me. Online play does little to cure that, as the AI still controls quite a few of the players even when playing humans.

At least in baseball, 90 percent of the action centers around the pitcher and hitter, so I feel like I'm controlling a lot more of the action.

Take care,
PK

carljr · Post by **carljr** » Mon May 17, 2004 4:05 pm

1.basketball- Spurs
2.football- Fins
3.boxing- Roy
4.video games- fps,racing
5.rally racing- the only type of racing i watch.
6.golf- Tiger

(i've been tying to post for the last half hour but my teacher keeps walking by my computer. im in class right now

)

Later

snate · Post by **snate** » Mon May 17, 2004 6:09 pm

Baseball
Football
Soccer
Basketball
Golf
Hockey
Boxing
Racing

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Mon May 17, 2004 6:21 pm

Not what Im best at but what I have the most fun at

1) NFL Football...ESPN 2K4
2) NCAA Football...NCAA 2004
3) Racing...Moto GP 2
4) NHL...NHL 2004
5) Baseball...ESPN
6) Soccer.....WE6...No more PS2.Only game I miss
7) NBA...Inside Drive

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Mon May 17, 2004 6:24 pm

1. Baseball
2. Soccer
3. Basketball
4. Hockey
5. Golf
6. Tennis
7. Boxing
8. Football

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon May 17, 2004 6:32 pm

Hmmm, let's see.

Soccer has to be #1, since the free-flowing gameplay can provide the most immediate videogame fun.

Football has got to be #1A, since it's football, but it's so difficult to distill into a really satisfying game without flaws.

Baseball is #1B 'cause it's baseball and we don't get the best ones here in the States

Hockey then would be next; similar to soccer in many ways.

I have yet to play a hoops game that I feel gets it even close. The main problem I have is the whole concept of shot accuracy in a video game.

Of course, racing games I don't really consider sports games because, though they may or may not reflect real-life motorsports, I always look at them abstractly as simulations of driving. Except F1 games I guess. But that's all mostly because I don't really follow motorsports, and yet I love, love, love, love driving. Plus I've always thought driving games in general represent the best virtual simulation of a real activity. Ever since Atari's Race Driver and Stunt Driver , which were among the first games I ever saw that featured plygonal graphics, and the very first with which I ever experienced a force-feedback input device, I have felt that way about racing games.

But I would have to put racing/driving games in a #1C spot I guess. I really like the team sports because you can play 2 on 2 which is my favorite form of sports gaming. Even in football games, 2 on 2 can be tons of fun.

Ok that's a pretty lame answer, I know.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon May 17, 2004 6:41 pm

pk500 wrote:In racing and golf games, I'm in control of the only entity that matters, my car and my golfer. That aspect of control is heightened even more when playing online, as other humans control the other cars and golfers instead of relying on AI, which always can be questionable or dodgy.

In football and hoops, I'm only controlling a small part of the action, and I rely on the AI a lot more to deliver realism. And sadly, many games just don't have good enough AI to satisfy me. Online play does little to cure that, as the AI still controls quite a few of the players even when playing humans.

At least in baseball, 90 percent of the action centers around the pitcher and hitter, so I feel like I'm controlling a lot more of the action.

Take care,
PK

Interesting points, indeed. But I ould counter by saying this:

In racing and golf games, you are, for all intents and purposes, only playing against yourself.

What your oponent does or does not do has little to no relevance on your performance. Yes it is competitive, yes you are trying to achieve a lower score or a faster time, but in the end it's up to you and only you. Whereas in the ball sports, the obstacles are provided directly by the opponent, not your own limits. So it's more of a direct competition against another player. You don't quite get the same thing in the racing or the golf games. Tennis games however, would validate your argument fully if there were a really, really good one.

Also, one thing I have always loved about football games is the 'virtual coach' aspect; that is, the play calling. Play calling is such a huge element in our crazy little pigskin game, and that is something I think the video games capture pretty well. Yes, I am always dissatisfied with the playbooks in football games, and I do love to run my guy around and make those jukes and spins and so on. But the real meat and ptotatoes of video football games should be the play calling battle, not the joystick jockeying, and it's a big part of why I love them. No other sport quite has that kind of strategic element. Not quite.

skidmark · Post by **skidmark** » Mon May 17, 2004 7:20 pm

1. Football

NCAA is definitely the game I have gotten the most out of in the past year as I feel that it provides the most immersive single player experience. If you are into the whole franchise mode realm, this game has tons of replay value and offers the best all around experience in a football game to date.

2. Hockey

This is on my list for the exact opposite reason of #1. In my opinion, hockey provides the best multiplayer experience of any genre - especially when there are more than 2 players. Lot of fun having a few guys over and firing in a game like Hitz Pro... you really can't do that with just any skill of gamer in other genres.

3. Baseball

This sport could easily move up my list, but there just isn't a complete enough game yet. High Heat grabbed me more than any other, but its time has past. Until a new generation title can grip like it did, baseball is still a sport that grows tiresome to quickly. I'll binge on it at the start of baseball season, but I won't be coming back to it in december. Now if you throw in text-based, this would move up due to OOTP.

4. Racing

Never really got into this genre much as I've only played NFS3 for the past several years... I'd try a new one but walk away thinking it was too boring and repetitive, or it didn't really do anything measurably better than nfs3. That is, until TOCA2. TOCA2 on XBOX is the perfect feel between sim and arcade for my tastes. I'm also loving the variety as the vast amount of cars are much more than a new skin on the same driving model.

5. Boxing

Playing Fight Night and I'm liking it pretty well. Its a decent head-to-head game, and its nice to have the variety in ai when you are playing career. Boxers have many different styles and strategies to impose on you, not just the same ol dance with a little more speed or power.

Basketball just can't hold me with anything out there right now. Rebounding has been pretty awful in all of the current generation of games... in fact it has gone backwards in the Live series with 2000 or so being their peak. I haven't tried ID yet, but basketball has historically been something that shelves pretty quick with me, even when I was satisfied with the gameplay.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon May 17, 2004 7:59 pm

>>>In racing and golf games, you are, for all intents and purposes, only playing against yourself.

What your oponent does or does not do has little to no relevance on your performance. Yes it is competitive, yes you are trying to achieve a lower score or a faster time, but in the end it's up to you and only you.<<<

Zep:

You're exactly right. And that's one of the many reasons why I love racing and golf games. I can't blame sh*tty AI for my shortcomings, in most cases.

Poor performances can be blamed on only one thing: me. There's a certain justice and fairness to that which I really like.

Take care,
PK

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon May 17, 2004 10:13 pm

PK:

Indeed, and I agree. However, what I miss from the racing games is that head-to-head feel, the kind you really get in a baseball game when you play another person, and also to a large extent the other team sports games. Something like Mario Kart could give that head-to-head, 'what's he gonna do in this situation?' kind of dynamic really well, but realistic driving games require drivers to be within a very small window within the range of abilities for any real head-to-head competition. You know what I mean?

Don't get me wrong; I love a good golf game, have played tons and tons of Hot Shots 3 with buds of mine, and the competitiveness is great. Match play, stroke play, there's no doubt that what the other guy does has an impact on how I approach a given situation.

But it's not the same thing as when you throw that fastball up in his eyes and you just know he's gonna swing, or you sit on that change-up 'cause you can read his mind. That dynamic is what separates the sports games into two different groups for me, and while I like to have both groups, you have become too frustrated with the AI in the team sports games, which is entirely understandable. But again, that's why I was so in love with Rivals, because like skidmark said, 2 on 2 hockey is as good as it gets. Tennis is perhaps the only sports game where you can get that head-to-head dynamic in the pure, fighting game-style, "I'm in total control of what happens."

Although, boxing is a sport, but fighting games are not considered sports games.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue May 18, 2004 12:04 pm

Speaking of boxing games, I finally played Fight Night in multiplayer last night at Neck's apartment. What a fun, fun multiplayer game. You can fight tactically or slug it out and have good fun and an acceptable amount of realism.

Fight Night definitely is my "surprise hit" among sports games released so far in 2004, even more than ESPN Baseball. I expected absolutely nothing -- total sh*t -- from Fight Night due to EA's track record with the Knockout Kings franchise.

Take care,
PK