Best Of
5 Best Sports Games of 2022, Ranked
Regardless of the type of gamer you are, there is always a game uniquely designed to match your liking. And for fans of sports, whether it’s cricket, football, wrestling, basketball, and many other sports you can think of, there is a game in the sports gaming genre sure to tick all of the boxes for the qualities you desire the most.
No longer do you need to leave your house to feel the rush of a great catch or scoring your first goal. With modern technology and games matching today’s standards, you can enjoy a quite similar experience to real-life games right from the comfort of your home—the only hold-up being where to start sorting through the tons of sports games out there. So you’re spending less time browsing and more time gaming; here are the five best sports games of 2022 you’ll want to add to your wishlist if you haven't already done so.
5. NBA 2K22
Without a doubt, NBA 2K22 is a game you’ll want to have in your collection for plenty of reasons. The franchise happens to be the only basketball-based gaming series quenching the gaming community's thirst for real-life basketball simulations. With the real-life NBA games garnering such a huge following, it’s easy to want to relive historical moments in NBA history or feel the thrill Kobe Bryant must feel right before making that historic shot.
Over the years, the NBA series has perfected its craft, releasing a momentous MyCareer story and MyTeam modes in NBA 2K22 for single-player experiences. Within it, you’ll have a go at some of the most popular, classic teams throughout NBA history, choosing the team you love most and going up against your nemesis team for a chance to reenact some new memories or build a new legacy. Being the 23rd installment in the series, NBA 2K22 is as close to the real world of professional basketball as you’ll get, offering the most immersive, engaging, and entertaining dribbles, blocks, dunks, and more action on the court.
4. FIFA 22
Perhaps you’re a football fan? At which point FIFA 22 will be the safest best to go for. FIFA has built a reputation as the leading football simulation series in the gaming community, creating such intense minor and major league games that truly make you feel like you’re presently in the game. With the newest FIFA 22 installment of the franchise, gamers can now create and manage their own teams, building their legacy as they see fit.
Modern technology like HyperMotion means that gameplay is the best yet. The goalkeeper’s AI is further enhanced to make smarter choices, quite similar to their real-life counterparts, and character reflexes, speed, ground fiction, and more physics mechanics are much more realistic. That way, your gaming experience elevates beyond the rough patches that used to hold gamers back, instead, allowing you to put your full focus on your technique and style against your opponent.
3. Super Mega Baseball 3
Diehard baseball fans also get a slice of the action via Super Mega Baseball 3. The game is especially welcome to the sports genre because there just aren’t that many great baseball games to devour. If you’re not a baseball fan or know nothing about how to play the game, don’t worry. Super Mega Baseball 3 is a pretty easy game to dive into, increasing in difficulty as you progress further.
Just like in NBA 2K22 and FIFA 22, you’re free to create and build your own team, managing their progress from beginner to expert level. You can even design your team’s uniform, logo, appearance, league, and more. Along the way, you’ll have access to the latest on-field simulations and graphics, with the free choice of competing against other gamers in online league mode or towering through history’s championships in franchise mode.
2. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2
Gaming is packed with variety, so if you’re a diehard skateboard fan, we’ve got something for you too. Tony Hawk Pro Skater isn’t new to the gaming scene, having released the OG in 1999 and some lackluster sequels soon after. If you’re feeling nostalgic and want to go back to the old days, you’re in luck. Fortunately, Vicarious Visions released a remaster called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, in which you can essentially enjoy gameplay from the first two games along with all the best aspects from later games in the series.
Skateboarding has never been better. The revamp stays true to the original, including incorporating the era-defining soundtrack from back in the day, while also updating the look and feel of the game to match modern standards. That way, you can properly fire up the legendary old days as Tony Hawk without having to sit through outdated graphics and clunky air moves.
1. Rocket League
Rocket League is one of the best racing games of all time, despite how simple it appears. Even in 2022, the simplicity of the game’s ideas is so beautifully executed that anyone will have fun getting their hands on Rocket League. Described as “soccer with cars,” the game is, in layman's terms, all about a team of up to four cars smacking a ball and competing against one another to score the most goals before the clock runs out.
But it’s much more than that. With teams of up to four, all you’re tasked with is slamming one button for either driving, jumping, or boosting. Once you have the basics in check, the other mad car driving skills are up to you. From flipping cars, smacking the ball, or making wild saves and floating jumps, which feel illegal. With haptic feedback, you can feel yourself bumping into other cars, so you’re more likely to watch out for others on the field. So far, what’s clear is Rocket League’s addictiveness and high likelihood of remaining a top-choice sports game well into the 2020s.
