Once again, gamers worldwide have gathered up their gear, made it into their respective field of choice, and are eating good this year. While sports titles are typically associated with reskins and rehashes of previous titles, there seemed to be a renaissance of quality with the majority of titles on the market this year.
Rather than spitting out the same product once more, the titles on this list have done more than enough to separate them from their previous entries, with new engines, new quality control, and everything in between. With the smattering of choices that were available this year, these are the best of the bunch when it comes to digital sports recreation.
Attack Of The Fanboy’s Sports Game Of The Year: FIFA 23
While it may, unfortunately, be the final title released by EA that contains the true FIFA name, they made sure to bring their A-game for FIFA 23. Utilizing a new graphical engine, players were treated to an almost photorealistic interpretation of their favorite sport once more, and it is better than it has ever been in the past.
With realistic movement, increased graphical quality, and the ability to customize their game to their enjoyment, players were treated to an excellent Swan Song for this long-running franchise, and finally, have a Soccer title that is worthy of the name bestowed upon it. While the next title may not be under the FIFA name, we can only hope the quality continues to grow alongside it. W
Honorable Mentions For Best Sport/Racing Game of 2022
Need For Speed Unbound
The Need For Speed franchise needed a drastic reinvention, and Unbound was more than happy to bring that to the fans. While players may have initially been divided on the new art style, seeing the game in motion was more than enough to convince players that this was the real deal.
Alongside tight controls and plenty of content to keep gamers happy, Need For Speed Unbound has done more than enough to bring the franchise back from the dead, building upon the sturdy frame of Heat, and adding even more to it. A truly remarkable attempt in a genre packed with copycats. In our review of this title, we mentioned:
Bringing a fresh new art style to the franchise that we hope sticks around for years to come, this ain’t your daddy’s Need for Speed. And maybe, that’s a good thing.
Shaun Cichacki, Need For Speed Unbound Review for Attack of the Fanboy
NBA 2K23
While the NBA 2K series is known and clowned for its sometimes aggressive monetization practices, NBA 2K23 brought the fire this time around. Yes, there are still plenty of ways for gamers to drop their hard-earned cash on custom players and the sorts, but the on-field action is where this game truly stepped up.
Impressive visuals that showcase the power of the newest generation of consoles, alongside realistic animations helped bring NBA 2K23 into a new light. There may still be a few nagging issues that keep it from being the best in class, but players can’t deny that this is a stellar basketball title all around. According to our review of this game:
A few small portions of this game hold it from reaching full G.O.A.T. status, it’s easily the best sports game to come out this year, and can only get better from this point forward.
Shaun Cichacki, NBA 2K23 Review for Attack of the Fanboy
Madden NFL 23
Players are more than eager to jump onto the virtual gridiron every year, and Madden NFL 23 felt like a love letter to the late, great John Madden this year. Pushing graphical fidelity to a new level this year, alongside a plethora of improvements to make the general gameplay feel better than ever, this is a solid football game.
With increased pressure from gamers around the globe, hoping to see their favorite Football series make a return to the limelight once more, there is more in this title to bring gamers back to the gridiron for a repeated visit, even if there is still room to grow. However, it’s great to see the series move closer to the first down, rather than a loss of yards. We mentioned in our review of Madden 23:
I didn’t expect to walk away from this title, as someone that is not particularly well-versed with the sport of Football, loving this as much as I did.
Shaun Cichacki, Madden NFL 23 Review for Attack of the Fanboy
Gran Turismo 7
The Gran Turismo series has always been one of the most accessible and easy-to-understand simulation titles on the planet. With this new entry bringing plenty of eye candy to the current and last-generation consoles, there were a few issues that held it back from being truly the greatest game in the franchise.
However, with a steady stream of updates and new vehicles being added to this game, Gran Turismo 7 is finally where it should have been when it launched. With the ability to sell cars finally added, this title is sitting high on the pedestal of where it belonged at the start of the year. According to our Gran Turismo 7 review:
Gran Turismo 7 is a love letter to people who enjoy cars in general. Its next-gen capabilities create an immersive sense of realism down to driving on its expansive list of tracks.
Elliott Gatica, Gran Turismo 7 Review on Attack of the Fanboy
Windjammers 2
For gamers hoping to give something truly unique a try, the most unexpected sequel of all time finally graced us in the year 2022. Windjammers 2 combines the thrill of a fighting game, with the expert knowledge of a sports title to bring one of the most unique experiences to the big screen.
With a killer art style and an excellent soundtrack that helps raise the tension of each match to new levels, Windjammers 2 is something that can attract a whole new audience to the title. While the smaller roster of characters compared to other games could be held against it, the overall vibes that it brings are unmatched by any other title on this list.
