FInding good sports games among the rubble

I've noticed that with all the generic sports games, there are definitely the more niche ones that get glossed over. When looking over a shelf, I don't think to myself that some games are going to be any different than another sports game with the same generic cover showing a lawn. There are some that are exceptional and innovative that get passed over because of this kind of run-of-the-mill marketing. I am planning to pick up True Swing Golf and Curling DS for the Nintendo DS because they are probably in that camp. If games like Curling DS are not exceptional, they are at least niche, as is the case with Blast LaCrosse or Gallop Racer. Even Mini-Golf, which is probably to golf what Mario Kart is to games like Forza or Burnout, is not well represented. We don't get a lot of star or polished treatment of niche sports like Snooker like we do with PGA, NBA, NFL, FIFA, and everything else. I myself prefer more docile sports, hence my interest in these things. I am actually willing to branch out from my usual diet of JRPGs, Platformers, and general action games to play the occasional niche sports title. What have some of your discoveries in the sports genre been like, while scouring through all the Maddens, MLBs and so forth? I'd like to know.

Are you looking for current-gen or older games? I can speak to tennis games up until about the 5th or 6th gen, and the easiest answer there is "anything by Namco". Their tennis games are head and shoulders above just about all their competitors, though a few other titles from other companies along the way had real merit.

I've come to realize that I do actually enjoy sports games, but usually only what you might call the unpolished ones. Generally, any kind of sports game that isn't very technical and doesn't take itself too seriously, I can probably get into. Except football, which I just don't like. I mean, there's Jerry Rice Dog Football, but still.

Mini-golf is one that I've realized can be pretty fun as a video game. A usually enjoy many of the various Mario themed sports games, and I've been meaning to actually give Mario & Sonic at try some day. I quite enjoy Wii Sports, and many of the various compilation sports games it spawned. There's series like Deca Sports which has stuff like badminton, curling, bocce ball, etc. I think the motion controls work well with those types of games. Then stuff like the Hotshots and Outlaw series come to mind, NBA Jam I like, the Punch Out series of course, sometimes I enjoy the occasional "extreme sports" game, or games like Wave Race. Though I do tend to enjoy racing games on a broader scale, pretty much anything but racing sims which I find to be tedious, and slow paced. I'm not sure that people really consider most racing games to be sports games.

Fishing Resort for Wii (which was designed by Yuji Naka of Sonic fame) was one of the better fishing games to come around this decade, and was very appropriate given the Wii's motion controls. Fishing games are ideal on the Wii.

Do you know if that Minnesota Fats game on Saturn was any good? There really weren't a lot of notable pool-related games released, even now.

I think we're on the same boat in regards to actually liking sports games as long as they aren't too serious, but I wouldn't mind some realism, depth or complexity every now and then with the more unusual ones since they never get the AAA treatment. Most people don't want to take risks making it, and the ones that come close sell poorly, then end up rare, obscure, and maybe expensive, too.

One of the best Mini-golf games so far is that BS Super Famicom one that got translated recently. Certainly was a pretty solid little game.

I wish people actually tried the games that they call generic.

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Originally Posted by sull56ivan2010

I wish people actually tried the games that they call generic.

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I'm not saying that they're bad or aren't giving their fans what they want, but I'd like to see some of the more unusual titles brought to light that get shunned because they don't really stand out at first glance from any of the other games on the market. That's all I'm saying.

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Originally Posted by Jeckidy

I'm not saying that they're bad or aren't giving their fans what they want, but I'd like to see some of the more unusual titles brought to light that get shunned because they don't really stand out at first glance from any of the other games on the market. That's all I'm saying.

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Fair enough. However, do you really think people want a curling game? Regardless of quality and reception, what is there you can do that can make it stand out? Same thing with Golf beyond Hot Shots and Mario Golf. That sport is not exactly one that can be done easily. Even if you did add power ups, you're still doing the same thing as the realistic ones. And I like some of the T&E Soft games. I like the Pebble Beach games they had on the Genesis and Saturn.

I'm not saying these games shouldn't exist, but at the same time, I don't know what you can do to make them stand out. Same thing with other sports like Rugby.

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Originally Posted by goldenband

I can speak to tennis games up until about the 5th or 6th gen,

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Speaking of Tennis games from that era,

My absolute favorite was the original Top Spin on the oXbox. It had everything.
Pick-up-and-play gameplay, great career mode, but above all it really shone with regard to the online tournaments staged by the folks over at intertopspintour.

We used to have a full seasons worth of tourneys with ranking points and whatever else. At it's peak, each week all 32 slots (64 for the Grand Slams) were filled by players all over the world. Most fun I've ever had with any sports game.

Super Spike V'Ball (NES) is one of my favorite games. I played it just yesterday. Fun, simple game with fantastic music. As pricey as NES stuff tends to be now, you can find it very cheap, either the standalone cart or the one with Nintendo World Cup (a rebranded Nekketsu High School Dodgeball: Soccer), itself an excellent game. On that note, Super Dodge Ball's fun, too, and if you like that, get Nijiro Dodgeball on PSX. It's the best dodgeball game you can get now that Xbox Indies is closed, which took a good curling and lacrosse game with it. :/

Everyone knows about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1-4, but 720 and Skate or Die are worth checking out even if they can't live up to that series. For snowboarding, SSX or Steep Slope Sliders. Baseball Stars (and the Neo-Geo games) and Super Baseball 2020 for baseball. Tecmo Bowl, Pigskin 621 A.D., and NFL Blitz for American football. NFL Street is supposed to be good, too. NBA Jam (the new update on 360/PS3 is great) or Archrivals for basketball.

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Originally Posted by Jeckidy

Fishing Resort for Wii (which was designed by Yuji Naka of Sonic fame) was one of the better fishing games to come around this decade, and was very appropriate given the Wii's motion controls. Fishing games are ideal on the Wii.

Do you know if that Minnesota Fats game on Saturn was any good? There really weren't a lot of notable pool-related games released, even now.

I think we're on the same boat in regards to actually liking sports games as long as they aren't too serious, but I wouldn't mind some realism, depth or complexity every now and then with the more unusual ones since they never get the AAA treatment. Most people don't want to take risks making it, and the ones that come close sell poorly, then end up rare, obscure, and maybe expensive, too.

One of the best Mini-golf games so far is that BS Super Famicom one that got translated recently. Certainly was a pretty solid little game.

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Yeah Fishing Resort is a game I'd like to get. Never really been quite interested in fishing games, but I have to admit that one looks pretty cool. I've also been thinking of picking up Mini-Golf Resort, but I've heard kinda mixed things about it. No idea about Minnesota Fats, the only sports game I have on Saturn is Virtual Open Tennis and it's... eh, okay.

SEGA Soccer Slam and Jonah Lomu Rugby are both criminally overlooked and fab sports games. SEGA Sports Jam is also ace fun and worth it for the Golf mini game alone.

sports games are so underrated and people just hate them because nerds suck at sports anyway.

depending on what sports you like:
rugby 2008 (ps2)
jonah lomu rugby(saturn, psx)
all the pes gamesfrom ps2-ps24
nfl 2k2 - 2k5
virtua tennis 2 (dreamcast)
virtua athlete 2k (dreamcast, can't recommend this game enough) see my short review of this criminally overlooked game: https://www.gamefaqs.com/dreamcast/3...reviews/161599
sports jam (dreamcast) holy shit so awesome and arcadey
sega marine fishing (dreamcast) one of the best games ever period.
nhl 94 (sega cd or megadrive) still awesome
nba 2k2 (dreamcast) when playing on hard I still get a kick out of it and very nice to play although I never played the newer versions, so they might be a lot better.
sega extreme sports (dreamcast) great extreme sports game, also fun multiplayer.
tony hawk 2 and 3 (dreamcast, ps2, xbox) still incredibly fun.
world series baseball 2 and 98 (saturn) like the best baseball games ever
nba jam (32x, saturn best versions)
nba showtime (dreamcast) if you like nba jam.

also pretty much all neo geo sports games (series): neo turf masters, super side kicks, baseball stars, windjammers

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Originally Posted by Benjamin

Super Spike V'Ball (NES) is one of my favorite games. I played it just yesterday. Fun, simple game with fantastic music. As pricey as NES stuff tends to be now, you can find it very cheap, either the standalone cart or the one with Nintendo World Cup (a rebranded Nekketsu High School Dodgeball: Soccer), itself an excellent game. On that note, Super Dodge Ball's fun, too, and if you like that, get Nijiro Dodgeball on PSX. It's the best dodgeball game you can get now that Xbox Indies is closed, which took a good curling and lacrosse game with it. :/

Everyone knows about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1-4, but 720 and Skate or Die are worth checking out even if they can't live up to that series. For snowboarding, SSX or Steep Slope Sliders. Baseball Stars (and the Neo-Geo games) and Super Baseball 2020 for baseball. Tecmo Bowl, Pigskin 621 A.D., and NFL Blitz for American football. NFL Street is supposed to be good, too. NBA Jam (the new update on 360/PS3 is great) or Archrivals for basketball.

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And let's not forget Dodge Danpei on Sega Megadrive! One of the best imports and IMHO superior to the PC Engine and Super Famicom games based on the same franchise. ;)

Greatest Heavyweights on the Mega Drive is also the best boxing game ever made, Decathlete is the best 2 player Saturn game going and Steep Slope Sliders the best snowboarding game around. I also loved Brutal Sports on the Amiga and Jaguar too

California Games SMS
Super Volleyball
Virtua Tennis 2
Top Spin 4

Haven't seen these listed yet, and theyre all worthy entries.

NES
Super Dodge Ball
Capcom Gold Medal Challenge '92
Basewars

Genesis
The Mutant League games
Rugby World Cup 95

Dreamcast
Sega Bass Fishing
Sega Marine Fishing
But you've got to use the reel controller for maximum effect. Tons and tons of fun. Somehow Sega made fishing an exciting arcade experience.

There's also a Ping Pong game by Rockstar on the 360 and Wii, but I didn't like it much. Your mileage may vary.