Some gamers don’t want to slog through an action title, or indie twaddle. Instead, they much prefer the beautiful art of sport… digitally.
This year saw the usual contenders out and about. Annual iterations returned in 2015, updated, overhauled, or improved (or all three) to keep long-time fans pleased, and new ones enthralled. They were all rather good, yet one brand new title swooped in to knock sports fan’s socks right off…
Rocket League
Somebody asked the impossible question, “can football be fun if played with rocket powered cars?”. On paper, it seems utterly ridiculous, and almost impossible to even imagine such a premise holding any sort of promise, or even being remotely successful. How could a car ever control the ball? How could such a game ever hope to be any good?
To this day, I still don’t know how they did it, but Psyonix put together a magical title, that even non-sports fans are finding the time to enjoy. We at Lazygamer alone, every single one of us, adore the game, and think it’s something special.
How could it not be? There’s flipping to be had, tricks to be done, and lots of rocket jumping to perfect. All of this, while attempting to put a giant ball away into the goal.
Not only that, Rocket League has received a ton of additional content, both paid and free (new cosmetics, new arenas, etc), that has kept fans coming back for a game or twenty. Psyonix have handled in such a way that there is no split player base whatsoever – everybody gets something, whether they have a credit card or not.
Rocket League is without a doubt, our favourite sports game of the year!
Honourable Mentions
Rocket League may have taken the prize, but there were many other great sports titles this year that definitely should not be overlooked:
- Fifa 16
- NBA 2K16
- WWE 2K16
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2016
And there you have it! What was your favourite sport game this year?
Last Updated: December 14, 2015
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:32
Car-Soccer game winning.
Not a single motorsport game. Pretty sad.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
December 14, 2015 at 11:08
Agreed, Project Cars should have gotten a mention…
Francois Knoetze
December 14, 2015 at 11:33
Question but doesn’t motorsport/car games fall under Racing and not Sport in video game land? So technically there should be a section/award for this? I know Rocket league won but its technically not a racer.
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 11:34
Hopefully so. Because there were some good racing games this year.
Francois Knoetze
December 14, 2015 at 11:40
agreed! there has been sold entries…now all I need is split screen racing with a friend dammit!!
Pieter Kruger
December 14, 2015 at 10:34
My favourite sports game for 2015 is every sports game that came with EA Vault……????
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:35
My favourite team of 2015 is CHOOOOB, even though they are nooooobs
Ottokie
December 14, 2015 at 11:12
The goal was to beat the Lagz staff not the tournament… Challenge Complete!
Sageville
December 14, 2015 at 10:35
100 % correct.
Rocket League, best sports game ever made to date.
HairyEwok
December 14, 2015 at 10:40
I bet you, the guys that made rocket league watched a lot of Top Gear.
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/12-14-2015/IkYSux.gif
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:43
xD
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:42
Is there going to be a best F2P game award also?
Prepare for the Warframe brigade!
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
We’re here! But it wasn’t released this year. 😛
SW Battlefront is probably the top contender. 😉
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
But that is not F2P, more like ‘Free to pay what EA wants’
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
That was the joke. 😛
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:46
LOOOOOL
Anything EA can gitfs
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
http://i.imgur.com/FJqoqpS.gif
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:49
Is that the PS4 boot-up screen?
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:50
I thought it was the Origin online store.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 14, 2015 at 10:50
I thought it was a Destiny error msg.
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:53
I pulled it from the crafting screen because I didn’t want to spend real money.
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:52
No, it was me reading another Wiki page for Warframe
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:52
Brave. Very brave.
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:57
They should call it Wikiframe
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:58
LOL
I don’t play it, so I’m enjoying this quite a bit more than Admiral is 😀
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 14, 2015 at 11:04
Wiki, Wiki, Wait, Waitframe. By Will Smith.
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 11:05
I can dig it.
RinceThis
December 14, 2015 at 11:08
0_O
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 14, 2015 at 11:11
Use your words.
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 11:05
Warfarm
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:53
Small words, start with that first dude.
http://images.radiotimes.com/namedimage/Spot_the_Dog_creator_Eric_Hill_dies_aged_86.jpg?quality=85&mode=crop&width=620&height=374&404=tv&url=/uploads/images/original/51369.jpg
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:54
Seems more applicable to Battlefront
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:56
SPOT
RinceThis
December 14, 2015 at 11:08
On
Ottokie
December 14, 2015 at 11:21
Somehow this book has a misleading title about how my year went xD
http://www.sarie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/otto_se_pretjaar_200w.jpg
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 11:21
Yea man. I hear you.
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 11:22
Shame Otto
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:52
Hahaha I got a Gavin upvote woooooot!
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:42
Does Project Cars fall into this category?
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:43
It should
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:43
I was playing it on the weekend. Dam that frame rate is sweet.
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:44
I’m a bit surprised there’s not a single racing game here (decent racing not NFS kak).
There were quite a few awesome ones this year.
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
Maybe another category (racing game)
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
So eSports is a sport, but racing isn’t?
What year is it?!
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:57
BWAHAHA
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:46
Along with Forza and NFS
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:48
But NFS is a movie with parts of interaction where you hold in the throttle button and the rest is done for you. Doesn’t count.
Hammersteyn
December 14, 2015 at 10:49
XD
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:47
Then there will be too many categories. From JRPGs to WRPGs, Sports is fine.
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:45
60fps/1080p was very hard to achieve but alas the 3rd party devs did it. Project Cars is the best driving game that I have played since Project Gotham. It beats GT 5
The F1 driving even beats F1 2015.
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:47
PGR was a brilliant title.
The new DiRT Rally is also good. They really went back to their roots. And for pc there’s Assetto Corsa (which I think came out of Early Access this year)
HvR
December 14, 2015 at 11:08
What did you expect whole year on Lagz was one overpriced organic meals smothered in Sriracha sauce after another; they all probably ride around on retro bicycles and think cars are evil and too mainstream.
The Grand Admiral Chief
December 14, 2015 at 11:14
Mmmmm sriracha!
RinceThis
December 14, 2015 at 11:08
How many games are you buying recently!? 0-O
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 11:11
Project Cars came out before The Witcher 3. I play it from time to time. WHEN I FEEL THE NEED, THE NEED FOR SPEED. Have you played Until Dawn yet?
oVg
December 14, 2015 at 10:54
ITS NOT A SPORT
RUNS
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 10:54
What, soccer?
Agreed.
*runs faster*
Ottokie
December 14, 2015 at 11:15
Can’t run as fast…
*fakes injury
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 11:15
LOL
RinceThis
December 14, 2015 at 11:09
Need to get some time in with this game. Sounds like addictive fun.
Aries
December 14, 2015 at 11:13
But Fifa 16 broken and still is
HairyEwok
December 14, 2015 at 11:31
Fifa faked a injury.
DragonSpirit009
December 14, 2015 at 11:13
I loved watching the video’s for this game! It looked like a lot of fun!
Ottokie
December 14, 2015 at 11:18
We came, we saw, we “almost” conquered
The Sten
December 14, 2015 at 11:19
I tried this at my friends house, but i just dont get it.
Its like a game of soccer with 5 year olds where they are basically just running after the ball trying to get a touch on it. No structure at all…
Ottokie
December 14, 2015 at 11:19
Grab a team of 3, get on skype and try again 😛
The Sten
December 14, 2015 at 11:22
But you cant pass or anything, like…..where is the teamwork and stuff?
I guess your either a Fifa person or Rocket league person with a huge wall in the middle of the two.
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 11:22
Or neither.
The Sten
December 14, 2015 at 11:26
Ah I see…..one of these then? 😛
Captain JJ 4x
December 14, 2015 at 11:27
Haven’t played Rocket League, so honestly can’t actually say about that one.
Ottokie
December 14, 2015 at 11:25
In the beginning you just flail about trying to get a touch on the ball, as soon as you move onto the higher ranks. Formation, team communication, passing and centering the ball becomes a nesessaty to win
The Sten
December 14, 2015 at 11:28
Ah ok, I’ll take your word for it.
I’ll stick to the wasteland for now…
HairyEwok
December 14, 2015 at 11:35
There is order, in a 3v3 you usually have your chaser, goalie and mid fielder. If your chaser gets the ball to their side the midfielder waits for the ball to centre and try to get a goal. If they fail to get a goal and the ball goes back to your side the goalie can quickly change role as a defender while the mid fielder switches to be the goalie.
The game can have order if you actually play with people you know XD.