Best Sports Games 2023

Searching for new sports games but don't know where to start? We've got you covered with the best sports games on Steam and other platforms.

If you’ve been searching for the best sports games for PC and console but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place.

Whether you’re a fan of football, basketball, tennis, golf, racing, skateboarding, or something entirely different, we’ve got you covered.

In this list, we’ll highlight the best sports games on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

Make sure to check back in the future to receive even more sports game recommendations!

Related:Best Competitive Games 2023Best PC Simulation Games 2023Best Indie Games On Nintendo Switch 2023

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First up on our list of the best sports games is Undisputed, a new boxing fighting game that’s been making waves online ever since it was announced.

This is because it features true-to-life visuals and a star-studded roster of licensed boxers, in fact, more than have ever appeared in a boxing game before.

Furthermore, the game manages to stand out from arcade-inspired takes on the sport by offering robust footwork, punching, and movement mechanics.

This includes 60+ unique punches with multiple angles and directions to choose from, as well as tools for defending yourself in physics-driven bouts of strength.

Punch A Bunch is another boxing game with a surprising amount of depth and challenge despite having bright and colorful cartoony graphics.

In it, you take on the role of an up-and-coming fighter working their way through three championships against diverse boxers.

The controls for this game are insanely detailed and precise, granting full control over your fighter’s arm movements.

Additionally, each opponent has a unique gimmick that adds a level of strategy and unpredictability to fights you don’t typically get with these kinds of games.

Switching genres, Spikair Volleyball is another one of the best sports games and undeniably the best volleyball game on Steam.

The first thing you’ll notice about this game is its distinct 2.5D presentation, which sees flat pixel art characters moving around a three-dimensional court.

On the gameplay side of things, Spikeair has a lot to offer as well, with players able to recruit, train, and win tournaments with their own custom teams.

As a bonus, the game includes support for local co-op and versus modes.

Certain sports, like golf, can be hard to replicate in a video game setting without turning into a total snoozefest.

However, Golfie manages to avoid this by keeping things moving at a brisk pace with lightning-fast rounds and crazy abilities.

This is further complemented by roguelike deckbuilding mechanics that see you leveraging special shots across procedurally-generated levels.

As if that weren’t enough, the game offers daily challenges, endless/seeded runs, and an ever-increasing pool of cards and cosmetics to keep you coming back.

Forza Horizon 5 is a Microsoft first-party title that builds on the success of its predecessors, namely the arcade-inspired Forza Horizon sub-series.

Developed by Playground Games, it drops players into a loving recreation of Mexico and its assortment of deserts, towns, beaches, and even a volcano.

Throughout the open world, players can explore an assortment of activities beyond racing, including tucked-away secrets and the occasional scenic view.

Whether you’re a car buff, a diehard racing fan, or simply like to explore unique environments, you can’t go wrong with Forza Horizon 5.

Next on our list of the best sports games worth checking out is Riders Republic, which serves as a successor to Ubisoft’s snowboarding game Steep.

In it, players are released within a vast open map made up of well-known American national parks that provide different landscapes to explore.

Like Forza Horizon, the game features a wide variety of environment types that introduce unique hazards and challenges depending on your equipment.

Players can navigate the world with other people by skiing, cycling, wingsuit flying, and snowboarding throughout races, trick challenges, and free-roaming exploration.

Even diehard fans can admit that FIFA has had to go through some rough patches to get to the place it’s at today on PC and console.

While this can be attributed to EA’s mismanagement of the franchise, more recent installments like FIFA 21 and FIFA 22 prove hopeful.

The latter sees the return of fan-favorite modes like Ultimate Team, in which players check back every week to try and scoop up their favorite players.

If you’re checking back in after taking a break from the franchise, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the number of quality-of-life improvements added over the years.

Our next suggestion for the best sports games is Parkour Tag, a new kind of PvP platformer that sees two players competing in fast-paced tag.

To make keep interesting, the game introduces a wide array of parkour-inspired feats that players can pull off to either escape or zero in on their opponent.

This includes running vertically or horizontally on any wall as well as using double jumps, slides, vaults, and more until the clock runs out.

While the game’s community is still in its early stages, there’s a good selection of maps to pick from as well as some light player customization tools.

Anyone who enjoyed playing the original frisbee-meets-tennis sports phenomenon can now pick up its sequel on PC, console, or through Xbox Game Pass.

Windjammers 2 introduces a host of new features and refinements including updated visuals inspired by the original’s arcade cabinet art.

In it, players face off in intense disc-throwing bouts that require quick reflexes and allow for a wide array of special moves and tactics.

The improvements become immediately clear once you see the game in motion, with characters playing through flashy animations that really sell the on-screen action.

Created as a spiritual successor to the popular arcade game WWF WrestlingFest, RetroMania Wrestling features many familiar faces from the Golden and Attitude eras of wrestling.

This includes notable wrestlers like Tommy Dreamer, the Blue World Order, Jeff Cobb, and Nick Aldis of NWA among many others.

Despite releasing in 2021, the wrestling game has a distinctly old-school feel that’s reflected through its arcade-inspired 2D visuals, gameplay, and story mode.

Lastly, RetroMania Wrestling features over 15 arenas, three unique game modes, and supports local multiplayer for 2-8 players.

Super Mega Baseball is one of the more finely tuned baseball sims and offers convincing physics for diehard fans along with difficulty options for newcomers.

This same flexibility extends to the game’s customization options, with players able to design their own team logo, uniform, player appearance, league, and more.

While the series’ cartoony aesthetic may not seem so serious, each game has a surprising amount of depth when it comes to systems and modes.

Super Mega Baseball 3 provides the best online multiplayer experience to date and introduces a new Franchise mode spanning several years.

Skateboarding games aren’t all too common these days, so we take pride in highlighting series like OlliOlli any chance we get.

OlliOlli World is the latest installment in the bright and colorful arcade skateboarding series by Roll7 Studio.

In it, players are cast as young skaters looking to dominate Radlandia, a skate paradise teeming with colorful ramps, gaps, and grind rails begging to be shredded.

Rivaling the game’s cartoony aesthetic is a host of dazzling tricks and combos to perform while navigating vibrant 2.5D levels.

The Tony Hawk games have a rocky history littered with lackluster sequels that didn’t quite click with fans of the series.

For a long time, the franchise was put on hiatus before making a comeback in 2020 with a remake of Pro Skater 1 and 2 developed by Vicarious Visions.

The remake includes every level from both games stunningly recreated alongside reverts, spine transfers, and wall plants from later entries.

 THPS 1+2 currently stands as the fastest-selling entry in the franchise, selling 1 million copies within the first two weeks.

If cycling is more your speed, then you’re probably already aware of the fantastic downhill mountain biking game Descenders.

Available on PC, console, and Xbox Game Pass, it sees you traversing procedurally generated environments consisting of huge jumps, gaps, and dirt trails.

The game’s main selling point is its robust controls that allow for fine-tune adjustments while traveling at breakneck speeds.

Each level features different objectives to complete in a limited time window and Descenders allows you to play online with friends or practice solo.

Still finding its footing in the online multiplayer sports arena, Knockout City is a fun and fast-paced competitive dodgeball game.

Gameplay centers on catching and throwing balls with powerful effects that can knock out other players or backfire should your opponent catch them.

On top of this, the game gives you the ability to tackle enemies, roll yourself into a ball and let an ally fling you, or open up your glider for a quick escape.

All these features come together nicely throughout Knockout City’s various modes which introduce new ball types, hazards, and objectives to consider.

You can always count on Nintendo to deliver some of the best sports games with satisfying yet approachable gameplay suitable for just about any gamer. 

Mario Tennis Aces is no different, offering easy-to-learn, challenging-to-master controls and mechanics along with a variety of single and multiplayer content.

This includes standard singles and doubles matches in addition to a new Adventure mode where players can unlock new courts and characters.

As a Switch exclusive, Mario Tennis Aces supports motion controls and HD rumble for a more immersive gameplay experience.

If golf is more your speed or you simply can’t get enough Mario sports games, check out the more recent Mario Golf: Super Rush for Switch.

Serving as the sixth installment of Mario Golf, the game features an extensive roster of familiar characters as they tee off across a variety of modes.

New to Super Rush is Speed Golf, a newly introduced mode in which players race to complete courses in the fastest time, rather than the fewest strokes.

Like Mario Tennis Aces, the game supports both traditional button inputs as well as motion controls to simulate playing golf.

Along with offering crossplay support across PC and console, Rocket League has amassed a large following ever since developer Psyonix made the game free-to-play.

Best described as a cross between vehicular combat and soccer, it sees two teams competing to score the most goals before the clock runs out.

It’s a simple yet effective formula that provides hours of enjoyment for no cost aside from custom vehicle skins which are totally optional.

Despite its close proximity to esports, Rocket League can still be enjoyed casually, making it great for gamers of all ages.

The spiritual successor of the now-classic SEGA Genesis title of the same name, Mutant Football League is an over-the-top, arcade sports game.

Largely inspired by NFL Blitz, the game offers a cartoonishly violent depiction of American football further complemented by an eccentric roster of players.

Teams consist of seven players belonging to various supernatural species including zombies, orcs, demons, werewolves, and aliens, to name a few.

What makes MFL stand out most are its unique modifiers, which take the traditional American football rules and smash them into tiny, unrecognizable pieces.

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Justin Fernandez

As a fan of both indie and triple-A games, Justin finds joy in discovering and sharing hidden gems with other passionate gamers. In addition to reporting on the latest and greatest titles, he manages GamingScan’s social media channels.

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