If you can’t get enough of it on the field or court, you might be interested in sports games. Just like their real-world counterparts, these can be fiercely competitive and feature just as fast-paced excitement. Like other action games, this type of game places you in a rich virtual world where you have to think and act fast to test your skills.
One of the first video games, Pong, was actually a simulation of the game of table tennis. Other classic arcade games included basketball, baseball, hockey, and even racing. While these bear little resemblance to today’s sophisticated action games, they started a trend that has continued to this day. Sports games are one of the most popular categories of video games and the category continues to evolve as technology improves.
The modern era of graphically advanced action games began in the early 1990s. John Madden Football for the Sega Genesis console is arguably one of the most influential early sports simulations. The same decade also saw the advent of 3D graphics for game consoles and PCs. By the end of the decade, extreme sports became increasingly popular and began to appear in the context of electronic entertainment.
After the turn of the millennium, it became common for major league teams to endorse games. Many featured real-world equipment and even characters based on popular players. New types of input controllers, like Wii, created for even more realistic experiences. Today this category of games continues to thrive and the software itself becomes more and more realistic.
Sports games are generally those that put the player in the shoes of a participant in the sports challenge. These arcade-style action games are among the most popular. Another type of sports-inspired game is the one that allows the player to assume the role of coach or technical director of the team. This type of game relies less on reflexes and more on general strategy.
Are you ready to come off the bench and into the game? You don’t have to be an accomplished athlete to excel in the virtual world. Whether you prefer arcade, console, or PC, you have countless options available to you. In fact, there are even hundreds of free games you can play online without buying expensive software. You don’t even need advanced consoles or controller hardware. Many websites allow you to play with your keyboard and mouse within the web browser. A realistic and exciting sports experience is just a few clicks away.