The Best Sports Games in 2020 and 2021

The new console generation is upon us and with it are new games to be released on the platform. Both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 focused heavily on new single-player RPGs. The biggest titles everyone is talking about are Baldur’s Gate III which was recently released on Early Access this October, and Cyberpunk 2077 which is soon to be released in November 2020. 

Just like live dealer bonuses in casinos, the list of games to look forward to never settles with just a few items. If you are looking forward to sports-related video games, here are some of the games you need to add to your wishlist! 

Ball Games

NBA 2K21

The new release of the NBA series is always the game that everybody talks about every year, even more so than Battlefield and Madden. It is safe to assume that every console owner has a copy of this game in their library. It will be released on the new Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 consoles as well as the previous generation platforms. It is also available on the Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, and PC.

FIFA 21

The FIFA game series is to football what NBA 2K series is to basketball. Electronic Arts may have its reputation constantly under question but everyone is still looking forward to FIFA 21 for their new generation consoles. It will be released on the Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 upon release. However, it is already available on the PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Madden NFL 21

The National Football League has had its share of bad reputation during the past couple of years. Though people like the sports itself, they are wary of how the game is affected by the politics surrounding the actual industry. It will be available on the new consoles upon release but it is already playable on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC.

Street Power Football

One can only get enough of the familiar faces and strategies implemented in major leagues of football. It would be amazing to play the game on street level with unconventional tricks. Street Power Football is a cartoonish take on the sport with different rules such as having a smaller field and fewer members. Its main appeal is how the game uses hip-hop and capoeira moves in football. It is available on gen-4 consoles, the PC, and Nintendo Switch for now. 

Racing Games

Gran Turismo 7

Sony is known for its exclusives and the Gran Turismo series is one of its favourite properties. Gran Turismo 7 is coming soon in November 2020 as an exclusive title for the PlayStation 5. It features luxury sports cars on the city streets and dirt rallies on the derby. 

Forza Motorsport 8

Sony is not the only one who plays with exclusives. The Forza Motorsport series is Microsoft’s counter to Gran Turismo and it is every bit as fantastic, which makes the community rivalry between them all the more exciting. Since Microsoft owns Windows, Forza Motorsport 8 will be available on PC and Xbox Series consoles in February 2021. We’ve yet to see if it will be a timed-exclusive for the Xbox or same-day release.

Dirt 5

Dirt 5 is the kind of racing game that is available on both Sony and Microsoft platforms. It can also be played on Google Stadia. Dirt 5 is the 14th title in the Colin McRae Rally series featuring dirt rally race cars. Get comfortable rocky roads, sand, and mud because every racecourse is messy.

Ride 4

Ride 4 is a recently released racing game focused on 2-wheel driving. It features high-class top-speed racing with the same production quality and intensity as Gran Turismo and Forza but for motorbikes. The game can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Roller Champions

Ubisoft brings us a free-to-play racing game featuring roller skates! Unlike the other games on this list, Roller Champions is a derby racing game featuring humans on roller skates. The goal is to score points by holding on to a ball for one lap. The game ends in 7 minutes or when one of the two teams earns 5 points. 

Unlike the other games on this list, it is not adapted from any known sports. However, it may have been inspired by ‘motorball’ featured in Alita: Battle Angel, the film Rollerball, and the sports Roller Derby.

Sports Match Games

WWE 2K Battlegrounds

World Wrestling Entertainment is ever-present on consoles and pop-culture. Their roster is full of memorable characters with iconic chemistry between each of the other wrestlers. WWE 2K Battlegrounds is available on the Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Instead of showing the characters in their full glory, the game features a cartoonish style and caricatures of all members of WWE. 

RetroMania Wrestling

RetroMania Wrestling is the least hardware-demanding game on this list but it can also be the craziest. It features colourful 16-Bit graphics that pay homage to the retro styles of the past generation. Like Battlegrounds, the characters are represented by caricature sprites. Despite its graphics, it is not a game that you’d offer to younger audiences. RetroMania Wrestling can be played on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Stunts and Tricks

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remastered

Everyone who grew up with a console recognizes the Tony Hawk series of video games. However, only the first two were remembered fondly and that is why they are being remastered into a single package. The game is known for the outlandish stunts that the player can perform with the concept of consequences completely removed from the equation. It is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Session

Session is still on Early Access when it was released in September 2019. Its full version is yet to be announced but it is safe to assume that it will remain on the PC and Xbox One. This is a skateboarding game like Tony Hawk. However, it is focused less on creative freedom and more on control. Unlike the more popular franchise, Session aims to immerse the players into the feeling of learning how to skateboard before they begin performing dangerous tricks.