NFL Street 2: A Sports Game with a Gritty Look
NFL Street 2 was a sports game released on the PlayStation 2 that took the classic arcade game NFL Blitz and gave it a story with a grittier, darker look. It was a solid game that built upon everything the first game did and did it better.
Gameplay Features
The main draw of NFL Street 2 was its “Own the City” mode, where players could create a character and build a team around them to take on other teams in pickup games with amateurs and pro players. All the flashy plays from the first game returned, but the newest addition was the ability to run and jump on walls. This small feature added another layer to the game, as players were able to easily run a 100 yard touchdown once they mastered it.
Style and Showboating
NFL Street 2 was all about style, plays, and showboating. It also had an exhibition mode, where players could be the leader of a top tier team.
NFL Street 2 was a great sports game that offered a unique experience with its gritty look and flashy plays. It was a great game for those who wanted to show off their skills and have some fun.
PGA Tour 05 is no different. The game was a huge leap forward for the series, introducing a career mode and a golf shop. The career mode was a huge draw for the game, as it allowed players to create their own golfer and take them through the ranks of the PGA Tour.
Muhammad Ali Boxing Games
Muhammad Ali boxing games have been around for as long as gaming and Fight Night Round 3 is one of the most realistic. To date, sure it may look a little dated, but all the mechanics lean more towards simulation than an arcade boxer. The simulation feels there from the start. The game starts with no HUD, and players will have to judge the status of their fighter from multiple indicators like their boxer stance, movement and by paying attention to their facial features. If this feature isnt for you, you can easily turn on the HUD, but youll lose some of the immersion Fight Night Round 3 has some of the best sound design in a boxing game, the way the punches land you can really feel them, especially when you hit Them with a finishing blow.
Aggressive Inline
Aggressive, inline, a somewhat forgotten extreme sports game. Aggressive inline took what made the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series amazing and tried to copy it in the world of inline. Each level felt unique and was full of challenges. These challenges will seem familiar if youre a fan of theps get a set score. Do a unique level challenge collect items. Aggressive inline may not have taken over the gaming space like Tony Hawk, but it is still good fun and one of the best extreme sports games.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 05
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 05 is one of the best annualized sports games. The game was a huge leap forward for the series, introducing a career mode and a golf shop. The career mode was a huge draw for the game, as it allowed players to create their own golfer and take them through the ranks of the PGA Tour. The game also featured improved graphics, better physics and more realistic golf courses. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 05 is still a great game to this day and is a great example of how annualized sports games can improve with each iteration.
PGA Tour 05
PGA Tour 05 is a golf game that adds eight new courses to the total of 14, giving players the ability to modify courses to make them harder or easier. The game also features a lengthy season mode, where players can take their golfing skills on a 52-week PGA Tour against the best of the best.
NHL Hits 2003
NHL Hits 2003 is a complete and total blowout, just like NFL Blitz. The game takes hockey and turns it into an arcade game, with a core hockey game and a franchise mode, where players create a team to join the NHL. NHL Hits is all about the hits, over-the-top movements, and, of course, hits. It’s not only a hockey game, but also a fighting game, just like real hockey.
HotShots Golf 3
HotShots Golf 3 is a PlayStation classic. It may look like a cute golf game, but the game actually has depth, making it the most accessible golf game on the PS2. The game’s hitting system is simple: tap the button at the correct time and you can land a perfect shot.
Everybody’s Golf
Everybody’s Golf is a golf game that anyone can enjoy. It’s simple enough for newcomers to the game, yet advanced enough for fans of golf games. It’s appeal lies in its accessibility and the fact that it is called ‘Everybody’s Golf’ outside of North America.
NBA Street Volume 2
NBA Street Volume 2 took the concept of high flying dunks from NBA Jam and somewhat grounded it. There was still fun alley-oops and long range three pointers, but there was more emphasis on style. The goal was to make your way up and down the court while showing off your handles and draining threes or throwing up a lob for a huge dunk.
NBA Street Volume 2 shined in its roster. It had current players at the time like Vince Carter, Kobe and Shaq, but the addition of Legends really was a blast. There’s nothing like seeing Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and Bill Russell go against A.I Ben Wallace and Jason Kidd.
SSX 3
Some would say that SSX Tricky is a better game. It’s really a toss up, SSX 3 focused on more grounded racing and tricks and is full of great snowboarding action with three main gameplay modes. Races are self explanatory, get to the Finish Line as fast as possible. Freestyle events were more trick-focused, such as slope style, super pipe and Big Air. Then there were other challenges like collecting items and jumping through hoops during a run.
Madden NFL 2005 and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Madden NFL 2005 was a revolutionary game in the Madden series, introducing the hit stick which is still a staple of the game today. It was full of features from creating a player to teams, franchise modes and even creating a Playbook. It practically set the groundwork for modern Madden games. Sadly, the online multiplayer feature is no longer available.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 is the top dog of the Tony Hawk series. It took everything from Pro Skater 2 and added one new feature that changed how we look at combos – the revert. It is probably the best feeling Pro Skater game, with tight controls and loads of combos. The unique levels and characters made progression fun and made players want to 100 each level. You could make an argument that Pro Skater 4 or underground are better games, but Pro Skater 3 is a much tighter package.
