With both the NBA and NFL currently embroiled in labor disputes and the upcoming basketball and football seasons potentially shortened or even cancelled due to lockouts, there’s a good chance that sports fans will need something else to occupy their brains. Thankfully there are plenty of video games that should help. Which ever sport you follow, and which ever platform you’re playing on, there’s a game that can fill up that void that would otherwise be filled with ESPN.
With both the NBA and NFL currently embroiled in labor disputes and the upcoming basketball and football seasons potentially shortened or even cancelled due to lockouts, there’s a good chance that sports fans will need something else to occupy their brains. Thankfully there are plenty of video games that should help. Which ever sport you follow, and which ever platform you’re playing on, there’s a game that can fill up that void that would otherwise be filled with ESPN.
NBA Jam – There’s no better way to remember just how fun basketball can be than by spending a few minutes with NBA Jam. The recent iOS remake of the legendary arcade game offers up the same goofy, over-the-top, two-on-two action that made the series famous, and manages to squeeze it all onto a device that can fit in your pocket.
NBA Dynasty – If you’re more of the management type, Playdom’s NBA-licensed Facebook release lets you build up a team filled with the best players in the league. And not just current players, but players from every era. You can have Steve Nash feeding the ball to Wilt Chamberlain, or Kobe Bryant teaming up with Bill Russell. The possibilities are virtually endless, as is the gameplay: because unlike most Facebook games, there’s no limits on how long you can play NBA Dynasty in any given session.
NBA Legend – Also on Facebook, this game from Lionside lets you create your own player and then build them up into an NBA superstar. You act as trainer, manager, and even agent as you bring a young player of your own creation from obscurity to superstardom.
Madden NFL Superstars – If football’s your game, EA’s Madden series is now on Facebook, and the social game lets you manage your very own NFL franchise. You create a club, draft some players, build up a stadium, all in the hopes of earning money and winning the Super Bowl.
Madden NFL 11 – For a more standard Madden experience, the iOS version of the game brings a console-style experience to your phone, complete with 3D graphics. You pick the plays, you control the players, and you determine whether or not the Green Bay Packers will repeat as league champions.
Tecmo Bowl Throwback – For something a little more retro, there’s always Tecmo Bowl. No, it doesn’t sport an NFL license and all the teams you know and love (and hate). But it does have incredibly easy to understand gameplay, which makes it the ideal choice for more casual football fans.
And hey, remember, there are always other sports! You can try to get into hockey with Icebreaker Hockey or soccer with FIFA Superstars, or even shoot a few rounds of pool in Pool Live Tour.
