There are a lot of people who like sports, and a lot of people who like video games. Enough of these people overlap for sports games to consistently release and gain a widespread player base. However, there is also a large number of gamers who are not interested in sports.
Fortunately, not all sports gamesareNBA 2KandFIFA.In fact, there are several sports titles on the market that can appeal to people who are less interested in sports. The enjoyment of these games over others can be attributed to the inclusion of either characters or gameplay elements, which are more popular with gamers who would eschew sports titles otherwise.
This classic game often came bundled with the Wii console, and was an instant hit with families everywhere. The gameplay was simple enough forless experienced players to latch on easily, and yet still enjoyable enough for those well-versed in the gameplay to have a fun time. With baseball, bowling, boxing, golf, and tennis, everyone can find a game they enjoy.
This lack of difficulty curve, the decent motion controls, and the variety of games have allowedWii Sportsto be remembered fondly by many of the console’s owners. The accessibility also made it a popular party game for many demographics.
4Golf Story
A Golf-Themed RPG
While more of a traditional RPG in terms of gameplay,Golf Storyputs an interesting twist on the formula. While many RPGs feature heroes gaining experience from slaying their foes,Golf Storyshows the player becoming better at golf as they experience the game, after not having played for many years. In addition to experience, they can also earn money to purchase improved equipment.
The game’s top-down perspective and stylish graphics are also meant to evoke the feel of a classic RPG. For people who want sporting events to play like RPGs with time-sensitive attacks, this game might be worth a try.
Because Regular Football Wasn’t Violent Enough
Mutant Football League
Mutants and monsters unleash maniacal carnage on the gridiron in THIS action packed, arcade-style football game.Mutant Football Leaguedelivers intense online multiplayer action, deep strategy and deadly humor.Fantastical arenas full of ruthless fans and deadly traps set the stage for mayhem in every contest that allows players to win by highest score or by killing and eradicating their opponents - a feat made easier as teams use their unique “Dirty Tricks” such as “Bribe the Ref” to overturn a call or having a player become “Ginormous” to grow in size and pummel the puny combatants in their path. Whenever a game begins you’ll quickly discover the only predictable element is broken bones.Mutant Football Leagueis the bloody-fun, next-gen, successor to arcade-style American football games, taking inspiration from over-the-top sports games such as NFL Blitz and the Sega Genesis classic, Mutant League Football. Digital Dreams' MFL game delivers deep strategic 7-on-7 gameplay, with bone-crunching, tooth-shattering, head splitting hits, and a roster of comical ghouls delivering tongue-through-cheek humor. Oh, and blood. Lots of blood.Features:Two player online or four player localMULTIPLAYERgives you the choice to clobber one another or team up and crush opposing miscreants.Choose from18 TEAMSmade up of blood thirsty, wisecrackingSkeletal Deadheads, Armored Bruiserbots, Criminal Aliens, Mutated HumansandMonstrous Orcs.NBA Jam and NFL Blitz hall of fame commentator,Tim Kitzrowgives unforgettable, adult-oriented play-by play commentary for every game.UseDirty Tricksduring game play toBribe the Ref, throwBombs, or equipShotgunsandChainsawsto your players to inflict maximum carnage against the unsuspecting competition for real difference-making moments!18 unique fieldsacross the league offerlandmines, booby traps, fire pits, toxic moatsandbuzz sawsas fun but deadly obstacles.Play asMFL All-Stars Drak Bloodclot, Despawn Rotsom, Jorgan Lustand more who dominate the league with their rising kill counts and ferocious abilities.Includes updated team rosters and player ratings for the 2023 season!Multiple punishing play modes likeEXHIBITION, PRACTICE, PLAYOFFS, or try to survive aFULL SEASONand reach the ultimate glory:THE MAYHEM BOWL!Make the most of POST-PLAY MAYHEM by bludgeoning your opponents with brass knuckles, body slams, and rib-crushing kicks after the whistle blowsExploding body parts, comically horrific deaths, and blood splatters fuel theMFL GORE FXvisual experience.
Some gamers enjoy the fantastical elements in their games of choice.The standardMaddengameis not one that will win gamers over on these terms. However,Mutant Football Leagueis able to fill this niche. The game’s irreverent sense of humor pairs nicely with the variety of mutants, advanced trash talking, and methods of unsportsmanlike conduct shown throughout. This is one of the few football games which takes player deaths and injuries into account. These can often be quite extreme, such as a player walking into a buzz saw that slices them into pieces.
While this game does have the potential to cross over to more sports-averse gamers, it is at its heart still a game with the potential to bridge the gap between them and actual football fans. As an affectionate nod, many teams and players in this league are clear parodies of real-life figures in the NFL.
A Hit Out Of The Park For Mario Fans
Mario Super Sluggers
Join Mario and his friends in a baseball extravaganza with fun and active Wii controls!Use a pitching motion to toss the ball!C Swing the Wii Remote to smack a home run!Challenge up to 3 friends!Control over 40 playable characters!Explore Baseball Kingdom and recruit new teammates
A lot of the fanfare around major sporting events has to do with the investment viewers have around the players. Some people, though, are just more invested in video game characters than they are professional athletes.Mariosporting gamestake this discrepancy into account, with nearly every major sporting event receiving aMariogame at one point or another.
Mario Super Sluggersis notable in part because of the depth in the roster. The game boasts 72 characters, 12 of whom are team captains with unique skills. While a handful of characters are admittedly reskins (albeit with different stats than their counterparts), there are many characters here who, around 2008 when the game was released, and even up until the present day, have had few other playable appearances in the greater series. The most notable example is theDK Wilds, whose sluggers filled up largely with characters from theDonkey Kong Countryseries.
For anyone who has wanted to play a baseball video game but wished the roster consisted exclusively ofSuper Mariocharacters,Mario Super Sluggersmight be a worthwhile pick. If players want to see Mario and friends in a non-Mario sports game, the GameCube version ofNBA Street V3features Mario, Luigi, and Peach among the playable teams of three.
Supergiant Style Sporting
Pyre
Pyre is a party-based RPG in which you lead a band of exiles to freedom through ancient competitions spread across a vast, mystical purgatory. Who shall return to glory, and who shall remain in exile to the end of their days?Experience the biggest and most imaginative world yet from Supergiant! Get to know an ensemble cast of characters struggling to earn back their freedom as you make your way across the forsaken land called the Downside. Battle against a colorful cast of adversaries in pitched, high-stakes confrontations where each victory (or defeat!) brings your exiles closer to enlightenment. Choose three from your party for each Rite, and outfit them with mystic Talismans and powerful Masteries.In Pyre, you will never be forced to lose progress. Whether you prevail or you fail, your journey continues. The interactive narrative is expressed through a story that no two players will experience in quite the same way. On top of the single-player campaign, Pyre features a local two-player Versus Mode, where you can play against a friend (or CPU opponent) in one of the game’s fast-paced ritual showdowns. Form your triumvirate from more than 20 unique characters.
Supergiant is best known for its 2020 hit gameHades,as well asits upcoming sequel.However, before its release, Supergiant developed another action RPG with varied influences.Pyreis perhaps the most uniqueof their four entries to date.
The game features a variety of exiles stranded in the Downside. They make up the player’s party, called the Nightwings. These exiles participate in 3-on-3 “rites” where they toss an orb onto a pyre enough times to win, while keeping the opponent from destroying theirs first. How these exiles are utilized affects the gameplay. Players must put effort into training them, but the ultimate purpose is to liberate them. Part of the strategy is determining which characters are to be freed first, adding an extra layer of challenge to the gameplay.Pyreis definitely the utimate sports game for those who do not like sports.
