Video games have never had more going on than they do today, but more doesn’t always mean better. While games of the 1990s and 2000s may fall behind their modern offspring in visuals and processing power, these two decades remain host to some of the greatest sports video games ever made. Here are 10 sports games from the 1990s and 2000s that still slap today.
Oh, and we also apologize to Ken Griffey Jr. fans in advance, I had to make some tough cuts along the way.
1) NBA Jam
There may not be another sports game that holds a dearer and more unique place in the heart of gamers of a certain age than NBA Jam. It’s hard to overstate the popularity of the game in the mid-90s. No arcade was complete without an NBA Jam cabinet, and the home edition was a must-have for any console gamers as home gaming systems became more and more commonplace. You might have some people who favor Tournament Edition over the original, but the point is that we all played this game for a reason.
The ball and hoop literally catching on fire when a player goes off on a three-score streak is iconic, and kids on blacktops around the country had Tim Kitzrow’s “he’s heating up,” and “he’s on fire” calls on their lips while shooting with friends. It’s hard to argue any sports game is more uniquely memorable than NBA Jam. NBA Street was a more than worthy successor, but I’m still giving the OG the title here.
2) FIFA Road To World Cup 98
The FIFA series is one of the most popular in sports gaming, even as fans have grumbled about stagnation through the years. Amazingly, it was a game from more than 25 years ago that set the mark for what a FIFA game could and should offer. While graphics on the N64 may leave a lot to be desired compared to modern editions, this game had a special trick up its sleeve: a full qualification phase with all 172 FIFA nations who took part in qualifying for France ‘98.
Like many young gamers at the time, I pumped innumerable hours into this game, winning World Cups out of every region. While FIFA is no stranger to expansive collections of playable teams, the depth available in Road to World Cup ‘98 remains unmatched. The most recent entry into the series, EA FC 25, contains just 29 men’s international teams and 14 women’s — not even enough for a World Cup, let alone a full qualifying. And this is all without even bringing up the GOATed indoor mode.
3) Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl on the NES is a marvel for its time. While deep simulations are the norm for sports games now, Tecmo Super Bowl’s ability to put full 11-on-11 matches on screens with an official NFL license was game changing. The introduction of full NFL seasons — with players able to coach, play, or let the PC lead each of the 28 NFL teams at the time — was massive. And the gameplay took that great foundation and built a masterpiece on it.
Even in 2025, games in Tecmo Super Bowl are elegantly simple and fun. Not constrained by silly things like physics and reality, QBs in Tecmo Super Bowl can launch miraculous bombs while evading a fast cornerback blitzing for a big sack. The celebration splash screens of Tecmo Super Bowl remain iconic to this day and it’s still a game many gamers would be more than happy to boot up for a game against friends.
4) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
When putting together this list, the hardest decision for skating was choosing which early Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game to pick. While both 2 and 3 have their backers for being the pinnacle of the genre, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 just edges its sequel in my book. The Pro Skater games absolutely nailed the feeling of skating on the very first try. Among the most popular games of their time, early Tony Hawk games set players loose in skate playgrounds that had you grinding on school roofs and catching huge air in airport hangers.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2’s revolutionary gameplay created the ravenous appetite fans had for its sequels and modern reboot. On top of that, its soundtrack is among the most beloved in gaming history. From Public Enemy to Rage Against the Machine, an entire generation of gamers will forever have their minds flash back to chaining tricks and finding tapes whilst one Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2’s iconic songs plays in the background.
5) NHL 94
Speaking of games for which fans demand revivals, there may be no sports game as revered by fans as NHL 94. Its popularity has even spawned an incredible documentary by Noclip. This popularity has led to the modern adaptations like the picture above, with the NHL series allowing players to try their hand at SNES/Genesis-era gameplay with modern players.
As the first game to release with full licensing for both NHL teams and players, NHL 94 gave fans a new level of connection to the sport. Thankfully, it wasn’t all flash, as the gameplay for NHL 94 was fun then and remains fun now. While highly simplified compared to modern NHL games which have complex stick handling and shot aiming, sometimes “basic” is best. While nostalgia plays no small part, there’s a reason a chance to play this classic style long after the industry moved past it remains so enticing to sports gamers. (For the record, NHL 2K5 would have been another worthwhile entry for this list.)
6) Wii Sports
The Wii was a norm-breaking console, and its launch title Wii Sports is among the best games the platform ever produced. Using the unique controls of the motion-sensing bar and Wiimote nunchucks, Wii Sports offers a variety of sports games to choose from. Whether you’re taking on a friend in the boxing ring, trying some doubles tennis, or going for a perfect 300 on the lanes, each game had its own special use for the console’s one-of-a-kind controls.
Like many popular Wii titles, Wii Sports carried a benefit that’s often not as available on modern releases: accessibility. Many families have spent a post-Thanksgiving dinner evening slugging home runs and making birdies with multiple generations playing together. If you get the chance to bust out the Wiimotes and get your arms swinging, you’d be well-advised to have a go, as these games are still outstanding fun in 2025.
7) Virtua Tennis
While broadly considered a flop, the Sega Dreamcast had plenty of outstanding games in its catalog. In addition to being the home of the 2K series of sports games which debuted as console exclusives, the Dreamcast was also home to the incredible Virtua Tennis. The game famously made use of the Dreamcast memory card’s unique screen, displaying a simplified representation of the on-screen match you could actually play and win points on. But that wasn’t all it had to offer.
The underlying engine for the tennis play was responsive and felt realistic, while being both easy to pick up and having a high enough skill ceiling to grow into. The title’s mini-games were also a fun way to learn how to properly use the different shots and techniques in your player’s repertoire as you worked your way through the single player World Circuit mode with your created star.
Tennis games like Top Spin would grow into worthy successors, but Virtua Tennis deserves a ton of credit for really getting the ball rolling on the modern tennis game.
8) NFL Blitz
Look, it’s easy to put Madden 04/05 or NFL 2K5 on this list. I would argue it’s too easy, and those games are still not as pick-up-and-play friendly as peak NFL Blitz. So, instead when you talk about games unlikely to be made in a modern landscape, NFL Blitz and its fellow Midway sports parodies feel like lost gems. With the modern understanding of the risk of brain injuries — and the NFL’s desire to shield itself from claims it condones plays that risk them — it’s easy to see where a game that allows you to dogpile an entire team on a downed runner is no longer on brand.
What a shame that is, however, as the level of over-the-top mayhem in Blitz was never meant to feel real. Instead, what it did feel like was a fast-paced and fun interpretation of the sport. NFL Blitz was a quarter eater in arcades, and a must-have game for any sports fan who also liked to pick up a gamepad in the late ’90s.
9) WWF No Mercy
Few sports have a more storied tradition in video games than wrestling, both great and not so great. With the wrestling wars between WWF (now WWE) and WCW still hot at the time, the ’90s were a banner time to be a wrestling gamer. There is no shortage of excellent options that could have found their way onto this list, but ultimately, it’s WWF No Mercy which has stood the test of time as the most popular option among wrestling fans.
THQ/Yuke’s are the undisputed world champions of wrestling video games, having spent the years prior to No Mercy developing beloved titles for both the WCW and WWF. The standout that wins the most praise is the game’s championship mode, which featured branching storylines based on your results in your matches throughout your wrestler’s career. While the chunky models may not stack up to the wonderful character creators of modern games, the gameplay underneath remains second to none.
10) Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out
For gamers of a certain age, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out may just be the most revered sports game ever. I would even argue what is so great about Punch-Out is what also pushes people to love FromSoftware games like Sekiro, Elden Ring, and Dark Souls. Offering a run of cartoonish opponents before an ultimate showdown with the titular knockout artist himself, Punch-Out is a classic for a reason. Even decades later, the game still feels smooth and responsive. And despite a control scheme offering just a few directional movements and buttons, it created a challenge that is just as engrossing today. It’s pattern recognition, muscle memory, and an ability to adapt after a misstep all pulled together in a perfect gameplay loop.
Boxing has had some excellent modern adaptations with 3-D graphics and complex control systems that allow for crafted punches and defense, and yet none are quite as fun as Punch-Out. The game is simply timeless — a simple system executed to perfection to create an evergreen challenge.
These are my picks for the best games from yesteryear that still play wonderfully today, but what do you think? Is your favorite retro sports game on the list? Let us know in the comments.
