Sports are a big part of our culture and entertainment. From the most popular sports like football and basketball to the national sports like kabaddi, we are all drawn to these competitions where people show the pinnacle of athleticism.
In a similar way, video games have become a huge part of our society and culture. Gone are the days when we saw games as little more than toys for children to play. Games are now made for people of all ages and there are so many genres that there is a game for everyone. Including sports enthusiasts.
In this article, we want to discuss the most fun and best made licensed sports games that fans should check out. We’re also going to be covering a wide variety of sports, so stay here if you want to find your next favorite game.
FIFA football
The FIFA Football series is understandably one of the most popular licensed video game franchises of all time. We say understandable because of the huge popularity of football. It is the most watched sport in the world, with over 3 billion fans. Not only that, but it is also one of the most betting on sports in the world. For example, the Premier League is watched by millions and coverage can be found on numerous websites such as Sportsbet.io Premier League.
So it comes as no surprise that the video game series enjoys similar popularity. It’s worth noting that, due to certain disputes between EA Games and FIFA, the video game series will soon be renamed, so technically it won’t count as a “licensed” game anymore. However, there is a long catalog of games in the franchise worth checking out. Fans of the series often rank FIFA 10, FIFA 12, and FIFA 11 as the best in the franchise, so we recommend starting there.
WWF SmackDown! Series
While many might squint at putting a Pro Wrestling game on a list of sports games, we thought we could get away with it. After all it is sport- entertainment. In the world of Pro Wrestling, the WWE is the undisputed champion. Formerly branded as the WWF (World Wrestling Federation), the organization has licensed numerous games and game series over the years. However, none are as impressive and beloved as the SmackDown series.
The first game in the franchise released in 2000, with the main draw of the game Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who today enjoys the status of the most beloved celebrity. The game features the Pre-Season and Season matches, with single, tag team, and hardcore match styles. Players can choose from a range of characters, all of them popular wrestlers of the era. However, by far the most popular and beloved game in the franchise is SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, which was released in 2001 and is still fondly remembered as the best game in the franchise.
Madden NFL
Finally, we come to the Madden series of games licensed by the National Football League. The game series is named after John Madden, who dead recently, at the age of 85. The franchise has generated several million dollars in revenue and is one of the most popular sports game franchises of all time.
The series has been developed by Electronic Arts since the mid-1980s. So far there are over 30 games in the franchise with more to come. Over the years, the fans have spoken and named names Madden NFL 2005, Madden NFL 2004 and Madden NFL 13 as the best games in the franchise.