Video games have been around for over three decades and have expanded into numerous genres. These include popular game types such as FPS, RPGs, action-adventures, and some less famous game types such as rail shooters and play-by-post games. That said, there are a few genres that have completely disappeared over the years, and the most shocking one is arcade sports games.
In the late 90s and 2000s, arcade sports titles were everywhere. In fact, almost every popular sport had its own arcade-style games, and most players enjoyed them. Sadly, things have changed greatly in 2022, as most new sports games are either realistic simulators or low-quality knock-offs. Still, fans of the genre can always go back and play some of the classics that are still worth playing.
10 Super Mario Strikers
Super Mario Strikers is an arcade sports game by developer Next Level Games that came out in 2005 for GameCube. The Nintendo classic is one of the oldest and most fun sports games from the early 2000s and is still worth playing for various reasons.
Super Mario Strikers is a simple soccer game that offers amazing arcade-style gameplay mechanics with minimal rules and superpowers. The game also features iconic characters like Mario, Luigi, Toad, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Daisy, Peach, Waluigi, Birdo, Koopa, and more.
9 Punch-Out!!
Boxing is one of the most brutal sports humans have ever created. After all, it features two individuals fighting it out and showcasing sheer strength, speed, agility, and absolute annihilation. Hence, a combat sport like that deserves a game that can perfectly showcase its intricacies.
Thankfully, that’s what Nintendo and their sports game developer, Next Level Games, did with Punch-Out!! At its core, this game is an arcade boxing title with absolutely over-the-top gameplay mechanics that allows players to embody their fighters. Moreover, it is one of the highest-rated boxing games by Nintendo.
8 Super Dodge Ball
Dodgeball is one of the least spoken-about sports today, which is sad because the entire concept is pretty good. The sport consists of two teams that throw balls and try to hit each other below the neck level. At the same time, they have to dodge each other’s opposing attacks while outlasting the game.
Over the years, there have only been a few good Dodgeball video games, and most have been arcade ones. One such title is Super Dodge Ball from 1987, which still feels incredibly fun to play. After all, the game is made by Technos Japan, the same team behind Nintendo World Cup, Double Dragon, and WWF Wrestlefest.
7 NBA Jam
NBA Jam is a long-running series of arcade sports basketball games that started way back in 1993 when Midway published the first of its kind. The original classic featured beautiful 2D visuals with a 16-bit style and was one of Arcade's most successful basketball games.
The NBA Jam series has since expanded into various titles such as NBA Jam Tournament Edition, NBA Hangtime, NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC, NBA Hoopz, and more. However, the one game that is still worth playing is the PlayStation 2 version of the game, which features some of the best gameplay in the series.
6 Fifa Street 2
Soccer is perfect and one of the most critically acclaimed sports in the entire world. It’s simple, it’s fast, and it’s easy to understand. Moreover, most football matches have an ideal length, as they’re not as long as test Cricket and not too short as some of the UFC fights.
Hence, how can a game developer team make a perfect sport like soccer even better? The answer: by removing the rules and turning the game into an arcade sports title. Fifa Street 2 is a unique entry in the FIFA game series that allows players to enjoy the sport of football without restriction.
5 NBA Street V3
Similar to Soccer, Basketball is another fairly simple yet one of the most popular sports in the world. Hence, there is no shortage of games based on the NBA. A few good examples are NBA Jam, NBA 2K11, NBA Live 95, Space Jam, Rocket League’s Hoops, Lakers versus Celtics & the NBA Playoffs, and more.
Still, the one game that truly stands out from the rest is NBA Street V3 which came out on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in 2005. The EA Sports title features arcade-style gameplay, allowing players to pull off over-the-top moves without worrying about rules.
4 NFL Blitz
Similar to NBA Jam, NFL Blitz is another sports game series based on the American Football by Midway Games. The series began in 1997 when the original title came out on Arcade, Game Boy Color, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation. Since then, it has spawned over a dozen sequels.
NFL Blitz features arcade-style gameplay with a unique cartoony art style and fewer rules. It also has fast-paced animations and shorter matches. While most games in the series are worth playing, the one that still plays the best is Blitz: The League for PlayStation 2.
3 The Bigs 2
Baseball is one of the most iconic sports that have the least number of arcade video games dedicated to it. Still, the few games it has are all good, starting from the cult-classic Baseball game from 1993, which first came out on Famicom.
That said, the best arcade game based on the sport of Baseball is The Bigs 2. The 2K Sports title is one of its kind and still plays like a breath of fresh air. Sadly, critics of the later 2000s didn’t realize the game's potential, which ended the game series before it could evolve.
2 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Skateboarding was once just a thing for kids and teenagers and was rarely considered a serious activity. However, it has since become an Olympic sport and is regarded as one of the most meaningful recreational activities in the world. Therefore, it’s no secret that skating video games have also become equally popular with time.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is one of the best arcade skating games ever made and still remains to be the highest-rated one in the genre. Most fans of the sport can try the newer remakes of the older games, as they faithfully recreate the classic gameplay with more recent visuals.
1 Rocket League
It’s hard to believe that it has been almost eight years since Rocket League came out and blew everyone’s minds. After all, who could’ve imagined a sports game where players drive a rocket-powered car and essentially play a game of soccer in a massive stadium?
Rocket League is a one-of-a-kind arcade sports game and the highest-rated too. The game is free, has a huge community of players, and works on various platforms. Hence, it is in every way the perfect arcade sports game for most players, who won’t be disappointed by the game’s precise physics-based gameplay.