The 5 Best Sports Games of 2015

5. Madden 16

For almost 30 years Madden has been the perennial choice (even if the only choice, at times) for NFL fans. Throughout its history the series used competition with 989 Sports and 2k Studios to push the limits of football simulation. However, after ESPN NFL 2k5, Madden has held the exclusive rights to make NFL licensed games and the series has seen more poor iteration than good in that time frame. Madden 16 provided the facelift the franchise desperately needed.

From a gameplay perspective, the focus was placed squarely on the wide receiver/defensive back interactions. Previous Maddens had always struggled to replicate the battle that takes place every time the ball goes up in the air.  This year players were given several options when defending the pass. They could either play the ball, making deflections and interceptions the aim of the play, or play the receiver by issuing a jarring blow the moment the ball was touched.

Quarterback play also received some much-needed attention. Prior to Madden 16, there were only two options when it came to the type of pass the quarterback would throw; bullet pass or lob pass. While those options are still present in Madden 16, the player can also throw back shoulder fades, high point passes, and low throws in order to take advantage of what the defense is doing.

Madden 16, while nowhere near perfect, provided signs of life from a franchise that has often been criticized as a $60 roster update. With more focus on gameplay and adding to the on-field experience of an NFL game, Madden can return to the gold-standard it once was.

4. FIFA 16

It is no surprise that this juggernaut made its way into the top 5 for 2015. Year after year, FIFA offers one of the most feature and mode-heavy sports games on the market. Addictive online play, a polished Ultimate Team mode, deep career options, and the brand new Ultimate Team Draft mode made FIFA 16 one of the most replayable sports titles of the year.

“Physics” tends to be a buzzword when discussing changes that are made to annual sports titles. With every new iteration there seems to be some overhaul, or at the very least a tweak, to the physics engine, but the changes to specifically ball physics in FIFA 16 make a noticeable difference when playing. Touch passes, lobs, and through balls had a much lower success rate which resulted in a more balanced product when facing speedier teams. No touch dribbling added a level of sophistication to getting past defenders that no other FIFA offering had seen.

Coming hot off the heels of a Women’s World Cup finals game that drew a record 25.4 million viewers, the biggest addition to FIFA 16 was the inclusion of 12 women’s national teams. While for some this may seem like an addition of no consequence, the truth of the matter is there is a brand of soccer that has provided great excitement for a couple decades that was egregiously absent from a product licensed to include it. EA Sports saw the hole in their product and took small but important steps to fill it.

3. MLB 15: The Show

Sony’s San Diego Studio celebrated 10 years of baseball simulation with their release of MLB 15: The Show, and once again knocked it out of the park. Despite the all-to-normal lack of well-polished commentary (it can be downright bad at times) MLB 15: The Show is still one of the most well-rounded sports sims available.

For years, sports gamers have begged for the implementation of year-to-year saves. Baseball has gruelingly long 162-game seasons and core players take great amounts of time building franchises and developing Road to the Show players. What San Diego Studio began to realize is most of these players will forgo upgrading to the latest version of the game in order to continue in their existing season. To alleviate this issue, players were given the option to continue their career modes from last year’s version into MLB 15: The Show.

Big changes were also made to MLB 15’s card game, Diamond Dynasty. This year, card contracts were eliminated meaning once a card was found, either in a pack or in a post game reward, that card could be used for the life of the game with no restrictions. The changes removed the frustration of having to keep up with how many games a particular player had left on their contract.

Value was also added to cards that players received yet had no intention of using. Unwanted cards could be broken down and “fed” to a created player on your roster bolstering their stats. This player could then be plugged in at any position on the Diamond Dynasty squad.

There is no competition for MLB: The Show on the horizon. But regardless of what other developers are doing, SCE San Diego continues to deliver a pure baseball experience year in and year out.

2. Rocket League

Combine the back and forth non-stop action of soccer with the intensity of driving super-powered cars up and on every inch of an enclosed area and you get Psyonix’s sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle-Cars, Rocket League.

Released on PS4 and PC, Rocket League took everyone — even gamers who may not have an interest in more traditional sports titles — by storm when it released in July. It was propelled into the spotlight after a very successful beta campaign that saw gif after gif shared online showing off the same addictive action that has now been enjoyed by over 8 million people. The novelty of the concept, 2-4 cars per team fighting to score a giant ball in an exploding goal, mixed with the simplicity of the rules and controls made the game incredibly accessible.

Progression and replayability are created by the quirky nature of the unlockable gear. Different car body styles, antenna toppers, speed burst trails, and hats (yes, car hats) unlock the longer you play and the more you win.

Balance is the key to Rocket League’s success. There are no power-ups or unlocked upgrades to your vehicle. Every player, regardless of how long they have played, has an equal opportunity to dominate. Success is tied only to the level of skill, strategy, and luck a particular team has on it’s side. This balance makes Rocket League the epitome of online sports gaming.

1. NBA 2k16

With the NBA Live series dead, resurrected, and then effectively killed again (it sold about 8,000 copies week one) NBA 2k continues to make the single greatest simulation game of any real-life sport on the market. Every year, the team at 2K Sports delivers a denser and denser experience in terms of features and modes. This year is no exception.

The most touted new feature of NBA 2k16 was the MyCareer mode which featured a story written and directed by Spike Lee. For fans of a more narrative experience, the story followed a heavily-recruited basketball player from high school to college and all the way through his NBA career, and highlighted the major decisions pro players face both on and off the court.

Changes didn’t just come to this mode, but also to the core on-court experience through a list of small upgrades that added up to a major difference. Defense put its best foot forward in this iteration making for a much more balanced experience. Players whose shots were bothered as they drove the lane or who were quickly ran off the three point line found it much harder to hit their shots.

Simple yet effective changes also made their way to the offensive side of the ball. Dribble hand-offs, a more intuitive pick-and-roll system, an improved movement system that eliminates the feeling of gliding across the floor, and a completely overhauled AI that created offensive movement even when no play is called make NBA 2k16 the definitive sports title of 2015.

2015 was definitely a great year for sports fans. Established franchises either regaining momentum or continuing previous success and new IPs making a big splash. What were your favorite sports games of 2015?