PCP Sports

When looking back at my youth (I was born in 1982, so my “youth” encompassed the 1990′s blow up of video games, computer games, virtual reality, etc.) I realize I was born into a great generation.  On a cold Saturday afternoon in March, what would I do if it were snowing and it was too cold to play outside in 1952?  How about if it was 1979 and it was a real scorcher outside, and even cut-offs couldn’t help me beat the hot streets of South Jersey?  Good thing I was born into the internet age! There is a myriad of things to do now when i’m bored, indifferent, or want to kill time.  There are games online, gambling, porn, fantasy sports, shopping, and sports statistics.  Now, with my playstation 3, I can even play my video games online.  Yes, i’m a 26 year old male who has no problem talking trash to an 11 year old in Iowa.  Not a qualm. 

All of this got me thinking: what are my all time top 10 favorite video games?  Glad you asked.  Before we start, here’s some criteria:  1.) No atari.  Sorry, I was too young.  Not to mention that the graphics were horrible.  2.) No year specific games, only their franchise.  Madden counts as Madden, not the exact year.  The features get better every year anyway, so thats a waste of time.  3.) Only sports.  This is a sports website (with pop-culture sprinkled in) so thats all we’ll talk about.  4.) I am a “realistic” sports gamer.  Translation : I like my games as real as possible.  If a game has restricted free agents, and hold outs, and injuries they get extra points.  So without further delay, I give you my list (counting backwards from 10-1).

10.) Joe Montana’s Football – Great game in the Sega Genesis days.  I spent lots of time in my 9-11 age range playing this game, and then again from 11-13 on my Sega handheld device.

9.) Double Dribble – Not all the teams, but it was just fine before I really got into statistics and transactions.  The beginning montage when the mascots came out were great, and so was the slow-mo.  (Side note: Classic when the Los Angeles “Laker” mascot would puddle his way across the court.)

8.) Nintendo Hockey – Another blast from my past, this was the quintessential hockey game for video gamers.  Your team had a fat guy, a skinny guy, and a middle guy.  You decided your combo, and the computer controlled the rest.  Sadly, this was also in the height of the “you can never beat the computer” heyday so I broke a lot of controllers as a youth, and my anger management problem started.

7.) RBI Baseball – Yet a 3rd Nintendo classic is on my list.  One of the first sports games where stats and players (real players) meant something.  I remember being the Phillies all the time, even though it was the 1991 team.  I also remember that if someone else was as die-hard a fan as I was and they wanted to be my beloved Phils, I’d end up with the San Fransisco Giants because Kevin Mitchell would SMASH home-runs in that game.

6.) NBA JAM – Yes, I know.  This game, as does certain other contradict one of my main rules.  I’m not big on non-real sporting games.  But this game single-handedly brought my 7th grade marks down a full letter on average from A’s to B’s.  I would never recuperate again,  besides a small aberration in college where I somehow pulled a 4.0 off for 3 straight semesters.  TE edition was simply stunning.

5.) NBA Live – This game started to change everything for me as I knew it.  You could make trades, it evolved to include salary cap, GM mode, Franchise mode, everything.  One of my favorite hobbies is taking the perennially bad New York Knicks and turning them around , despite my loathing for them.

4.) NCAA Football by EA Sports – EA sports is #1 in sports games for a reason (especially football, as we’ll soon discuss).  This game evolved to the point of being able to import draft classes.  Brilliant! Also, my alma mater (Florida Atlantic University) is in the game, as well as a huge selection of other sad football programs.  (Side note: FAU just made their maiden voyage last year in terms of bowl games, so lay off.  There are still teams that would love a bowl appearance and haven’t been there in years.  The program is in it’s infancy {this will be it’s 7th season} so id call that progress.  A Division I-AA championship appearance, and a bowl game in it’s first six years of existence. Are there too many bowl games?  Sure.  But they make the programs and the NCAA a boatload of money and they give geeky fans from FAU a reason to cheer in December. )

3.) MLB The Show – This game encompasses it all.  They allow you to upgrade stadiums, stock them with the appropriate amount of souvenirs and refreshments, and they even let you decide the promotional dates (which I have down to a science).  Travel arrangements, too.  I simply love it.  Is there flaws?  Yes, but then what would we have to look forward to the next year??

2.) John Madden Football by EA Sports – I know what your thinking, “John, your the same geek who just wrote an article about buying Madden at midnight and taking the next day off.” This is all true.  And Madden is unlike any other game in history because of the time they put in, the details, the graphics, the features, and the quirks.  The fan base is tremendous, the following is unheard of, and even girls will play it now and again.  But……from a pure fun standpoint, the best game EVER is……..

1.) Tecmo Bowl.  Bo Jackson and the Raiders.  The running game.  The celebrations.  The kickers.  The slow-mo.  The announcer.  Bo Jackson and the Raiders.  Tecmo Super Bowl was ok, too.