This year the sports world has seen high levels of confusion and upheaval as players get sick, leagues struggle to maintain a schedule and games are postponed and cancelled due to coronavirus protections and precautions. Sports fans have had a disappointing year. Yet the PlayCroco online casino video game industry has been able to step in with some highly engaging and interactive games that will keep you sports-engaged until the stadiums fill up once again.
Some of this year’s top sports-themed video games include:
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020
In this new 2020 video game Mario, Sonic and all the familiar friends from the Super Mario video game franchise compete for gold medals at the 2020 Japan Olympics. The games, which were supposed to have taken place last summer, were postponed due to COVID-19. That means that we still don’t know who will win so that gives Mario and his gang another chance.
The game jumps from retro to modern styles and then back again as multiple mini-games are featured. Players have opportunities to participate in 20 different Olympic sports from surfing to horseback riding and disc-throwing to swimming. The sports-themed mini-games and events are fun and challenging. The gameplay is woven around the central game plot that sees Mario, Bowser, Eggman, Sonic and friends get trapped in a retro video game.
Everything takes place in a 3D game world of modern-day Tokyo where, depending on the event, players have the chance to use a local splitscreen or a pass-and-play multiplayer. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was AlphaDream’s last release before it filed for bankruptcy in 2019 so unless someone else adopts the series, this could be Mario’s last lap.
NBA 2K21
NBA 2K is the newest installment to the NBA video game series. Gamers will enjoy an authentic on-court experience which accurately matches the style and play of a genuine NBA game. It would be nice to see the game’s microtransactions minimized but all in all, NBA 2K21 is a solid addition to the franchise with nice improvements like the addition of MyCareer reskin and shot-stick aiming that gives players the chance to go beyond merely timing shots by aiming the shots.
It’s a lot harder than it sounds so even experienced players will find themselves challenged as they try to aim those shots. One of the most enjoyable additional task challenges involves the layups and floaters which appears as its dependent on successfully aiming the shot. If you manage to complete that task you’ll find that you have more to do elsewhere on the court.
This game’s changes aren’t always apparent to the viewer but they help to improve the gameplay. One long-awaited change is that the player now has a full range of motion for dribbling using the right stick. This includes pressing forward for size-ups. The gamer can create space for himself without the worry that he’ll accidently end up flinging up a shot.
Chaining moves together seems more natural than in past games and this game’s dribbling is more responsive than before. It doesn’t have the uncontrollable, awkward animations that have been an unfortunate characteristic of past games, making it a winner for NBA enthusiasts.
Need for Speed: Heat
Need for Speed: Heat is a compelling arcade racer which outshines some of the other Need for Speed games. It’s an open-world street racer that’s fast and fun. The game combines many of the franchise’s other popular elements such as Most Wanted and Underground features. There are cop chases, deep vehicle customization and a back-to-basics approach that adds some modern modifications.
The race takes cars around Palm City, a Miami-inspired locale with cool spots like a container yard and an abandoned racing oval. Everything depends on the time of day that you race – during the day, the race is sedate and serene with sanctioned street racing that takes place on marked courses for cash payouts.
If you head out at night however you’ll be participating in underground racing as you try to build up your rep points. Whatever you do you need to stay away from the cops. You must do a little of both in order to progress through the story. You can play Heat either offline or online.
FIFA 21
FIFA 21 is the 28th installment in the FIFA franchise. This game brings a new Ultimate Team to the pitch along with a Career Mode and 100 icon players plus other new additions. FIFA brings the action of the field to the gaming screen with smooth moment-to-moment action, more realistic player models and a new lighting system. FIFA 21 is an improvement over FIFA 20 thanks to attention to the stadium atmosphere that includes crowds in the stands who are brought to life with the kind of contextual animations that gives the game a realistic flavor.
One of the biggest upgrades involves the ability to flick the right switch to tell the AI attackers where to go so that you have significantly improved intelligence that leads you to more opportunities to score. Another improvement is the new collision system that allows for slide tackles and other challenges that give the player more chances to gain possession. Crossing – specifically heading – is another improvement that creates more goal-scoring opportunities.
Gamers will be pleased to see the introduction of Volta’s The Debut which is a short single-player mode that re-introduces new arena locations from Sydney to Sao Paulo. With Volta you can now play cooperatively online with friends.
The most impressive feature is generally agreed to be the interactive match sim option that lets you watch the game from a 2D birdseye viewpoint. That means that you can retake control of the players if the match isn’t going well. Together with new training and player development systems that allow you to run training sessions, the new upgrades have made FIFA 21 a super game for football enthusiasts who want a virtual piece of the action.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brings back the old favorite fighters and adds new one for a new Super Smash Bros. adventure. Many reviewers are saying that Ultimate is the best Super Smash Bros in the series thanks to its imaginative storyline and smooth gameplay. The fighting series highlights both crazy multi-player brawls and high-level, hard-fought skill-based matches.
The Ultimate game brings together iconic characters which are pit against each other. Each character possesses his own fighting skills including dodges, mid-air movements, grabs, shield timings and more. The game is faster than previous episodes but players have opportunities that they didn’t have before. There’s an option to make custom rulesets plus a Stage Morph rule option that allows you to pick two maps and then set them to transform the level from one stage to another at a pre-determined point in the match.
It’s hard to wait for the return of a “normal” sports season but in the meantime, get out your gaming console and sooth your sports-jones with some sports-themed video games
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