Madden? NBA 2K? The Show? Or a near-40-year-old Atari game?
Welcome to hallowed ground. A virtual hall of fame where only the 10 absolute finest specimens of sports gaming are allowed in. Breathe it in – smell that? Greatness. (Don’t worry if you can’t smell anything, this is just a webpage.)
Sport is a broad term in gaming, of course. Competitive Starcraft is athletic as heck, and the rosters of certain Nintendo karting titles and era-defining skating games would argue strongly for their inclusion here. But we’re being strict.
You can keep your blue shells, Mario Kart. And yes, that is a sick stiffy, Tony Hawk’s 2, but right now we don’t care. It’s numbers, face scans, animations, and forensically accurate kits that matter here. Sports games are about engines simulating and imitating life, and, above all else, making you feel like you’re performing a real sport at a top-level.
Below are the releases people still talk about, though their polygons might have wilted and their licenses expired because they took a leap forward toward perfect simulation and immersion of the stuff we shout at on TV. They’re the titles we dedicated ourselves to, and were richly rewarded for doing so. Ladies and gentlemen, the sports game GOATs.
When I was in college, aside from the many, many hours played on Mario Kart 64 (yes, I’m old, I’m aware of that), my friends and I spent a surprising amount of time on Mario Golf.
And if we had the features in the upcoming Mario Golf: Super Rush, it probably would have been A LOT more time.
The new trailer for the Switch game dropped, and WOW does it look good. There’s the normal, typical golf mode to play, but there’s also a wild speed golf mode where you run against your opponents to finish a hole, complete with moves to get you ahead. Battle golf and a story-mode are also pretty cool looking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvdmbJKoxqk
Others agreed:
New Mario Golf: Star Rush trailer has announced a new mode "Battle Golf"
Mario Golf: Super Rush. The battle mode looks really fun, good variety in the courses, a single player mode and local/online play options and… PLAYABLE CHARGING CHUCK!!! 😆
WNBA champion Aerial Powers is on a mission to empower women and people of color, not just through basketball but through esports as well.
WNBA champion Aerial Powers is on a mission to empower women and people of color, not just through basketball but through esports as well.
Powers, who won a title with the Washington Mystics in 2019, recently signed a new contract to join the Minnesota Lynx. The former Michigan State star caught up with For The Win to discuss the big move.
We also discussed her role in the gaming community, as Powers signed with professional esports organization Team Liquid last month.
Congratulations on signing with the Minnesota Lynx! What factors ultimately went into the decision?
Aerial Powers: I wasn’t sure if I was going to re-sign with the Washington Mystics or if I was going to sign with another team. This was my first year of unrestricted free agency. When I was talking with all of the teams, I had the best connection with Minnesota’s head coach Cheryl Reeve. Some of the players reached out to me and told me how much they wanted me on the team. I was thinking about my future and what I saw for the long haul and longevity of my game, I thought it was the best fit for me.
What are some of the biggest ways you will be able to help the organization for the Lynx?
AP: I’m very versatile. I’m not a girl that does just one thing. Not only do I bring a very high intensity when it comes to energy and just being there for my teammates, but defensively, I’m pretty good. I can shoot, I can pull up, I have midrange, I can drive to the rack and I can see the floor to find my teammates. When you have someone like that on your team, it really opens the floor for everyone.
As a former WNBA champion and gold medalist for Team USA, you also bring a championship pedigree. Minnesota is always a top team. Was that one of the aspects that drew you to the Lynx?
AP: I think that what Cheryl Reeve and her crew over there have built over there is a big legacy. They are known as good people. She is the winningest coach for a reason. She has four titles for a reason. Not only is she a good coach but she also makes sure that the culture remains what it needs to be so it can be the best organization.
For me, after winning a championship not too long ago, I also see what it takes to win a title. The culture is so important. Obviously, you have to have five good people on the floor. But you need everyone to step in and have a role. People don’t realize that if the second unit is performing well, too, that leads to more wins.
A lot of my new teammates have already won. Sylvia Fowles is an amazing center who has won two WNBA Finals MVPs. Reeve already has four but I want to win her more. I want to help her get to another level. I’m trying to bring another championship to the midwest because I am from Detroit.
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Something that is unique about you is that you recently joined an esports championship team as well. How did that get started and what is your role?
AP: I signed with Team Liquid in January. I’m a streamer, a brand ambassador and now I also lead their diversity and inclusion task force. It started last year during the Team Liquid ProAM Valorant Showmatch and it was one of the first PC games I had played. I was on Team Rakin with pro-gamer Rafael Knittel. It was a blast. The relationship built from there.
As a streamer, I provide content from my Twitch page, which is called POWERZsurge. I help elevate events for Team Liquid. They just re-signed their partnership with Alienware so I did an event with them and the rapper Logic.
How important was it for you to have the diversity and inclusion task force as part of the commitment when you signed with Team Liquid and how does that manifest itself?
AP: That was huge. I spoke with their co-CEOs Victor Goossens and Steve Arhancet. Their values align with mine and that really gravitated me to join their team. As you and I both know, gaming appears to be male-dominated. But it is not. More than 40 percent of gamers are women. When I spoke with their executives, we had the same vision. They realized that I was the right person to lead this task force because of my passion for this. Esports come down to the skills that you bring to the controller. But women in gaming still face some serious cyberbullying. I wanted to do whatever I could to help stop that.
So now with Team Liquid, I counsel and collaborate with them on ways to create meaningful change. That means really helping the development and initiatives to help foster the space for female gamers. For example, last year, I hosted an All-Female 2K Tournament. This gave the participants a safe community not only to be visible in front of a large audience to show that they are gamers as well and was a great opportunity to include women, especially women of color.
We had a lot of partners help with the funding for that event. One of those was Starbursts, which was so crazy because they’re a non-endemic brand for esports. They’re not tied to the market at all. But they flourished, which was amazing. We were on the front page of Twitch the next day and we got more than 26,000 people to watch even after it was already done. There are a lot of eyes on the esports community. So because of that, I’m doing a lot of work with GEF, which is the Global Esports Federation. One of my biggest goals is to get esports into the Olympics.
That is absolutely amazing! I’d love to hear about your origin story with video games.
AP: It is actually crazy. I started as a young girl, playing Nintendo 64. One of the first people I saw playing was a woman. It was my mother. She played GoldenEye 007. That was obviously normal for me. As I grew up, my mom stopped, but I just kept gaming. I was playing a game with my brother. My dad came in and was like: “What the heck! You guys never get along and now you are quiet and cool with each other.” He realized we were playing Call of Duty. So then my brother taught him how to play. The next day, he came in with two more consoles and two more headsets. We were all playing in this small house, driving my mom crazy. It took off from there.
I brought my console with me everywhere, whether it was in the states or overseas. Even when I was in China, no one played the games that I was playing. I’d asked my translator how I could get the games that they played on my iPad as a way to connect. Sometimes, like if we were in the airport, I would just sit by them and watch them play. They loved that I was there with them.
Then, when I learned about Twitch, I learned how massive it was. I didn’t think people would watch me play video games. But I started and fell in love with it and it was a way to connect with my fans. I can’t sleep so I might as well stream. [Laughs] I first launched my channel to connect with my fans beyond my on-court performances. But then it just grew from there as people started to realize: “Yo, AP loves to stream. She loves to play.”
I’d love to hear more about your audience. How has the reception been to this chapter of your life?
AP: I put it on my social media accounts so everyone knows when I’m gaming. People used to look at gamers as nerds but I think people are realizing that it is for everyone. It has become its own community where people are looking forward to my streaming.
Last season, before the bubble, I was heavy into Apex Legends. I met someone who watched me on Twitch who made a customized shirt that was half me and half Apex. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen. He had a front-row seat so I walked up to him and asked what made him want to do that. He said he loved my stuff on Twitch and he said he could see my passion on the court and off of it as well.
What is the breakdown of your gaming consumption? What is getting the most rotation?
https://youtu.be/px8nff76BbA
AP: I had been playing a lot of Apex Legends but lately, I’m playing a lot more Call of Duty. It is because I kept getting into tournaments. I am extremely competitive and I didn’t like how I was doing in them so I’ve been grinding, trying to get better. I also play a lot of NBA 2K because I’m a basketball player. My fans love to see me play basketball on Twitch.
When you were younger, the WNBA was not included in video games. How surreal is it to not only see women in the game but to see yourself?
AP: It is crazy. I grew up wanting to be a WNBA player and I accomplished that dream. But I also played video games consistently. I played all of the time. All of a sudden, I’m in an actual game. I could tell my friends: “When you play in 2K, go ahead, pick me. Get buckets with me.” I’ve come home to my dad playing as me in 2K, scoring 60 points, not passing to anyone else. [Laughs]
I played as myself a good amount but my jump shot looks nothing like my actual shot. If my shooting form was a little better, I’d probably play a little more. Mostly, I play in the park. But I like ProAm the best because 5v5 is the most realistic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5uWQAVuJ68
What are some of the observations you’ve had about women in the NBA 2K community?
AP: I’ve talked to a lot of women who play 2K and they say that they mute their mic or that they will disguise their voice. They feel a lot of times, they’ll get flak during the game as a woman. Or if they are pretty good, it no longer becomes about their skill level. People just say: “Oh, you’re a girl that plays?” And it’s all about their gender. We don’t like that at all. If you’re good, sometimes you just want to be known as good, not as good for a girl. We have a voice. But we just have to speak and fight that fight.
What would you tell someone who is trying to get more involved in the gaming space?
AP: If you’re passionate about something or even if you like it but you are a little nervous about potential cyberbullying as a female on the sticks, who cares what other people think? If it makes you happy, do it. If you’re trying to be competitive and maybe you feel a little nervous about the pressure, it’s okay!
I always tell people, whether it’s basketball or esports, confidence comes from preparation. I really believe in that. If you prepare for that moment, you don’t have to be afraid. If you’re trying to get into it, try it. When you look at yourself in the mirror, you may be more upset if you don’t try.
“It was an honor!” Pokimane yelled after being killed by Rep. Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez in the Twitch stream.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Representative Ilhan Omar took part in a Twitch stream on Tuesday night.
While this is a sentence that would not have made much sense to me a few years ago, I can tell you now that Ocasio-Cortez and Omar’s stream broke Twitch streaming records, with hundreds of thousands of people tuning in to watch the two play the game Among Us.
To understand what’s about to happen, and why the moment was so great, you need to understand a little bit about Among Us. Among Us is an online multiplayer game that has puzzles and such, but the main point is that there is a group of characters on a spaceship, and two of the characters are “imposters.” They try to sabotage the spaceship, or actually kill the other characters.
The twist to the game is that no one knows who the imposters are, and over the course of an individual game you have to try and figure it out.
So, that sets up this moment with Ocasio-Cortez. She was playing with Rep. Omar and several popular Twitch streamers, and AOC was (in this round) the imposter.
She found herself alone with the Twitch streamer Pokimane, and despite her hesitation … she did it. She killed Poki.
AOC in Among Us: "I can't kill Poki, she's so nice. I can't do that … okay, I think I have to do it." pic.twitter.com/RgzTaVOjvA
The best-of-three playoffs came and went in the blink of an eye, though, with Chiggs of 300 and Equozo making quick work of their opponents, both only needing two games to reach the finals.
For Chiggs of 300, his continued success with the Baltimore Ravens’ defense made it difficult for the opponent’s offense to produce any game-changing momentum, which was not accidental or lucky but instead a result of pregame study. “I knew exactly what my opponent was going to run on offense,” he explained to For The Win, “and I was able to prepare for it before the games.”
That preparation only heightened an offensive attack—one that he had mentioned would have a few additional wrinkles in the game plan—and he closed out the semifinals 20-10 and 30-16.
Equozo’s Madden 20 talents didn’t disappoint, either. He had been dominating on defense during the tournament, using a Kansas City Chiefs team that surrendered an average of two touchdowns per game. In contrast, the offense—as we’ve all come to expect—had torched other teams with nearly five TDs a game.
Although both games were not completely fitting of those metrics—21-7 and 23-20, respectively—the outcomes captured the Al Davis-approved ethos: Just win, baby!
From there, the best-of-three final showdown was set. It was two players capable of outshining the other, on both sides of the ball. Chiggs of 300’s overall thoughts echoed what we’ve heard in moments like these: “Even though I was happy to be in the final, I knew that the job wasn’t finished.”
And then, kickoff!
…Game 1: 38-21
…Game 2: 17-10
And just like that, a champion’s work was completed. Game. Set. Madden.
Courtesy of Super League
“I didn’t make any major changes after the semifinal,” Chiggs of 300 told For The Win after earning the top nod. He had dabbled with a possible defensive shift to counter his opponent’s offensive attack, but that never happened. In the end, it was his day in the sun—or really: day in the comfort of his own home.
What’s the feeling like, I asked.
“It’s an honor to be the first USA Today Madden tournament champion,” he said, before shifting focus to the overall enjoyment. “The experience was great, everyone involved did an amazing job. It was awesome to be able to compete for a share of $10,000 in a free-entry tournament, all from home.”
The tournament’s success leaves open the idea that repeats could surely happen down the road—in football and beyond.
As for the inaugural Madden champ? There’s always a first for for everything, especially in the sports cosmos where records are kept, discussed, and then replayed in conversations. It’s part of the fun. And now, there’s a small slice of esports history that will go hand-in-hand (or controller) with one Madden gamer and his Ravens squad…
EA Sports ha compartido que Kylian Mbappé será el rostro del nuevo FIFA 21, el cual se podrá jugar en tres formatos: estándar, champions y ultimate. EL futbolista francés reaccionó emocionado ante la noticia, revelando que estar en la portada ha …
EA Sports ha compartido que Kylian Mbappé será el rostro del nuevo FIFA 21, el cual se podrá jugar en tres formatos: estándar, champions y ultimate.
EL futbolista francés reaccionó emocionado ante la noticia, revelando que estar en la portada ha sido uno de sus sueños hecho realidad. “No puedo esperar a jugarlo. Orgulloso de ser la estrella de la portada de FIFA 21, un sueño hecho realidad”, dijo.
En las últimas semanas el Real Madrid había mostrado interés por fichar a Mbappé. Sin embargo, el francés reveló que está comprometido con el PSG y será con este equipo con el que participe en la Champions League, por lo que parece ya imposible que se vaya con el Madrid.
The USA Today Sports Madden 20 $10K Open Powered by Super League heads into the next round, with 38 players battling for a playoff spot and a chance at winning part of the $10,000 prize pool!
After 142 games, 38 participants remain—each looking ahead to the next round, the chance for ultimate bragging rights, and a possible slice of the $10,000 prize pool!
And if the head-to-head matchups this coming week are anything like the first few rounds, then look out!
The Madden 20 gamers still in the running have put on a gridiron display, with some of their highlights even hitting social media, like this passing clinic put together by Jamir:
JR Slay prides himself on defense and controlling the game—and it has shown
With the New England Patriots under his schematic control, opposing offenses found practically zero success.
What’s working?
“My keys on defense have been not allowing my opponent to run the football,” he told For the Win. “Running the ball in Madden 20 is extremely effective—a lot of people rely on the running game to move the ball—and I feel that if I am able to force my opponent into passing downs/situations, I can be successful.”
So far, it’s worked. No team has scored more than 14 points on JR. And the dominance has helped his offense, too, winning the critical battle of field position. That is, when the McCourty brothers or Stephon Gilmore—”the best corner in Madden 20,” Slay explained—aren’t taking it to the house on a pick-6.
As for the next round, seeing the Pats on the sidelines for JR Slay isn’t a lock. “If I feel like I need more offensive firepower versus someone using a team like the Chiefs, then I may change teams to the (Houston) Texans!”
Earlybird4k kept his cool under pressure
Speaking of the Houston Texans, they faced a true nail-biter under the helm of Earlybird4k last round, but he wasn’t phased by a little pressure, ultimately leading the team to a 10-7 win.
When asked about the close victory, he reminded fans—especially in the Houston area—of a quarterback-wideout combo in Madden 20 that many wish would be around for many Madden iterations to come: Deshaun Watson to DeAndre Hopkins.
“The run game and ball control, with ‘D Watson to D Hop’ thrown in there, keeps me in ball games for the most part,” he told For the Win.
Another player who looks to command the game’s tempo, Earlybird4k explained that we should expect a controlled effort in the next round “with a run game and strong defense.”
And he’s sticking with the team that’s got him to this point, not switching allegiances to his actual squad, the Denver Broncos.
“I will again be running with Deshaun Watson and the crew.”
He scored how many points?
I Make Those might be one of the most fitting names in the Madden 20 10K Open.
During the last game—led by the trio of Dalvin Cook, Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen—his Minnesota Vikings offense scored 62 points!
“Everything on the field for me was clicking,” he explained to For the Win, “with Kirk Cousins having a day and throwing 7 TDs, and Dalvin having over 200 yards on the ground.”
It was easy work for the NFC North crew, aided by a quick defensive stop that allowed the Vikes to take a control and never relinquish it.
But I Make Those understands that as the playing field decreases, the competition increases.
“Heading into (the) next game, I’m going to try to keep the offense rolling, but I’m going to have to be ready to adjust because of how different some players are when playing Madden.”
Arguably, there are also 62 reasons why the opponent should be the one preparing to adjust, but we’ll have to wait and see how the in-game chess match unfolds.
The same goes for the other remaining Madden 20 10K Open matchups, as the players continue to battle for a playoff spot and a chance at cold, hard cash!
Courtesy of Super League
This tournament is not affiliated with or sponsored by Electronic Arts Inc. or its licensors.
Estamos a poco más de un mes del lanzamiento de EA Sports’ Madden NFL 21. Esto significa, que es ese momento del año en el que los jugadores de la NFL se quejan de sus ratings virtuales en Twitter. Conforme se acerca la fecha de lanzamiento, EA …
Estamos a poco más de un mes del lanzamiento de EA Sports’ Madden NFL 21. Esto significa, que es ese momento del año en el que los jugadores de la NFL se quejan de sus ratings virtuales en Twitter.
Conforme se acerca la fecha de lanzamiento, EA Sports ha ido revelando lentamente las clasificaciones de los jugadores por posición. Y no es sorpresa para nadie que la súperestrella de los Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, sea el mejor quarterback en el juego. El MVP 2018 y Super Bowl LIV MVP tiene una merecida calificación global de 99. Mahomes es el quinto quarterback en unirse al club Madden 99, tras Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees y Aaron Rodgers.
Dak Prescott (que subió de 81en Madden 20) y Carson Went (antes 84) son los únicos jugadores nuevos en el Top 10. Aquí la lista de los 10 mejores:
Cuando la revelación de la portada de NBA 2K21 mostró a Damian Lillard de los Portland Trail Blazers y a Zion Williamson de los New Orleans Pelicans como dos de las tres estrellas que aparecerían en la portada de los videojuegos, prácticamente todo …
Este jueves, 2K reveló que era Kobe Bryant, un tributo a la estrella de Los Angeles Lakers, quien murió trágicamente a inicios de este año, y el arte de la portada del 2K21 es absolutamente hermoso.
Echa un vistado al video de la ilustración de Bryant portando sus dos números 8 y 24.
2️⃣4️⃣ Legend. Leader. Champion. We honor Kobe Bryant as our Cover Athlete for the Next Gen Mamba Forever Edition 💜💛 #NBA2K21pic.twitter.com/OOONVibhvX
8️⃣ Relentless. Driven. A true competitor. We celebrate Kobe Bryant as our Cover Athlete for the Current Gen Mamba Forever Edition 🐍 #NBA2K21pic.twitter.com/1wfH4kTPPN
Plus, registered participants in the Madden 20 10K Open will not only have the chance to win part of the $10,000 prize pool, but they’ll also have opportunities to be included in the tournament’s coverage by USA TODAY Sports and For The Win.
Both companies will also showcase exciting highlights across their social media channels, some of which will be player-submitted, so bragging rights will be at full strength!
Your time is now, Madden 20 gamers — sign up today!
