Sports gamers unite! It’s time to vote in IGN's Best Sports Video Games Showdown Contest! We’ve created a seeded, elimination tournament featuring the 32 greatest sports video games of all-time across four ultra-competitive regions: Traditional Sports; Arcade Sports; Racing/Fighting; and Wildcard. Only 16 games remain and it’s up to you to decide which ones will stay in the running.

Fan Voting: March 29th 10am PT to April 13th 12am PT

Want a chance to win a $100 to the digital games store of your choice? Visit https://bestsportsgame.ign.com/ between March 29th 10am PT – April 13th 12am PT and make your predictions on which sports video game will win each bracket matchup. Ten (10) people who enter will win a $100 gift card to the digital games store of their choice. Visit https://bestsportsgame.ign.com/ for sweepstakes details.

Relevant Dates:

Giveaway Entry Period: March 29th 10am PT – April 13th 12am PTRound 1 "Round of 32" Fan Voting: Completed Round 2 “Sweet 16” Fan Voting: March 31st 10am PT to April 1st 10am PT Round 3 “Elite 8” Fan Voting: April 5th 10am PT to April 6th 10am PTRound 4 “Final 4” Fan Voting: April 10th 10am PT to April 11th 10am PTRound 5 “Championship” Fan Voting: April 12th 10am PT to April 13th 10am PT Winner Revealed: April 15th at 11:59pm PT

Now onto the regions…

REGION 1: TRADITIONAL SPORTS GAME

Region 1 pits traditional sports titles against one another. These simulation-style games aim to replicate their real-life counterparts, and tend to target hardcore sports fans.

Madden 2005 (2004)

Franchise’s Lifespan: 1988-Present

IGN Score: 9.5

IGN Review Blurb: “The defensive improvements alone are worth the price of admission."

FIFA Soccer 12 (2011)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1993-Present

IGN Score: 9.5

IGN Review Blurb: “Matches unfold with a more authentic tempo, taking it much closer to the real thing."

NBA 2K14 (2013)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1999-Present

IGN Score: 9.3

IGN Review Blurb: “A smooth-flowing piece of pro basketball simulation."

MLB The Show ’21 (2021)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2006-Present

IGN Score: 8.0

IGN Review Blurb: “The best baseball sim you can play on any platform.“

REGION 2: ARCADE SPORTS GAME

Region 2 is comprised of arcade-style games that tend to put a spin on real sports. They boast a pick-up-and-play style unlike their more traditional counterparts.

NHL ’94 (1993)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1991-Present

IGN Score: N/A

Mario Golf World Tour (2014)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1999-2021

IGN Score: 8.6

IGN Review Blurb: “Mario Golf strikes an excellent balance of risk and reward.”

NBA Street Vol. 2 (2003)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2001-2007

IGN Score: 9.4

IGN Review Blurb: “More dunks, more players, more moves, more music and a lot more street."

NFL Blitz: The League II (2008)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2008-2012

IGN Score: 5.5

IGN Review Blurb: “The League II brings many of the same conventions as the first with Clash and Unleashed moves becoming available for positive yardage and good plays on defense."

REGION 3: RACING/FIGHTING SPORTS GAME

Region 3 features racing and fighting games. These eight boast white-knuckle, high-octane action on the road or fierce fisticuffs in the ring.

Forza Horizon 5 (2021)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2012-2021

IGN Score: 10

IGN Review Blurb: “A deep and nuanced car nirvana for revheads and auto geeks.”

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1997-Present

IGN Score: 9.8

IGN Review Blurb: “The finest racing, the best cars and the highest-quality automotive audio-visual feast available on any gaming system anywhere."

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2010- Present

IGN Score: 9.0

IGN Review Blurb: “It completely embraces that spirit of adolescent madness and just runs with it."

Fight Night Round 4 (2009)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2004-2011

IGN Score: 8.8

IGN Review Blurb: “The champ has returned to reclaim the title."

REGION 4: EXTREME SPORTS / WILDCARD GAME

Region 4 is loaded with games beyond simple categorization. It’s a high-adrenaline grab bag of extreme sports, management sims, and more.

Mario Kart 8 (2014)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1992-Present

IGN Score: 9.3

IGN Review Blurb: “The best kart racing game Nintendo has made in a long time."

Rocket League (2015)

Franchise's Lifespan: 2015-Present

IGN Score: 8.0

IGN Review Blurb: “A rare example where the execution of a simple, absurd idea is so strong and so engaging that it doesn’t need a ton of extra features around it.”

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2000)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1999-2020

IGN Score: 9.3

IGN Review Blurb: “One of the best games to ever grace this or any console.”

WWF No Mercy (2000)

Franchise's Lifespan: 1999-2012

IGN Score: 9.0

IGN Review Blurb: “A terrific game from top to bottom."

Adverstisement by The U.S. ARMY