Games You Should Be Weary Of:

• Anything 989 Sports : Ever since 1998 or 1999, anything 989 Sports has put out has been sub-par and painful to play.

Basketball

• NBA 2K3 (PS2, Xbox, Gamecube) - If you want a realistic basketball game, look no further than NBA 2K3 from Sega. The great franchise mode and incredible AI makes this a hoops game for the ages. (buy from amazon)
• NBA Live 2003 (EA Sports for PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, PC) - It may not be the sim that NBA 2K3 is, but it is addictive and fun to play. This is a "pick up and play" game has tons of great moves and improved control. (buy from amazon)

  Hockey
  

• NHL 2K3 (Sega for PS2, Xbox) - If you are tired of pinball-style hockey, Sega has the answer. This game has it all - realistic checking, pucks frozen against the boards, and fantastic presentation. (buy from amazon)

  Football
  

• NCAA 2003 (EA Sports for PS2, Xbox, Gamecube) - The latest edition of this franchise has improved AI. What was already a pretty good football game got better. The game boasts an excellent running game; complete with the triple option makes for addictive play. (buy from amazon)
• NFL 2K3 (Sega for PS2, Xbox, Gamecube) - For professional football, Sega shows it's a major contender. Sure, Madden may be the sales king, but you're missing out on one great football game if you don't pick this one up. The AI is superb and the franchise mode is on par with Madden. (buy from amazon)

  Racing
  

• Need for Speed 2 (EA for PS2, skip the Xbox and Gamecube versions) - EA devoted plenty of development time to the PS2 version of the game and it shows. This beautiful arcade racer will take hours to complete and is completely entertaining in the process. (buy from amazon)
• NASCAR Dirt to Daytona (Infogrames for PS2 and Gamecube) - If you are looking for the most realistic NASCAR console sim, Infogrames will fit the bill. Dirt to Daytona extends last year's excellent NASCAR Heat 2002 with even more tracks and classes of racing. (buy from amazon)

  Other
  

• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar for PS2) - Sure it's a sports game. There's marksmanship involved (that's an Olympic event), running, and racing. Plus it's loads of fun. There's too much to say about this game. Just get it. (buy from amazon)

• NBA 2K2 - Last year it was considered the best basketball game ever, and it held that lofty title until the new version came out a few weeks ago. Aside from a few minor game tweaks and the addition of online play (which is another $40 you must spend for the Network Adapter, along with the costs of monthly internet service), the game is more or less the same. The 2k series is the most realistic game of basketball on the consoles and if you own a Sharkport, you can download updated rosters. The 2002 version of Sega Sports' successful basketball series was recently anointed as one of Sony's "Greatest Hits" and retails for $19.99. I would suggest saving $30 and buying this classic at a bargain price. (buy from amazon)
• NBA Street - This game, like 2k2 was recently added to Sony's "Greatest Hits" list, so the game retails for $19.99. Although a sequel is planned for spring of 2003, I believe Street still has some good months left. Street has the best gameplay on the market. The game plays as a 3-on-3 NBA Jam, but I have owned the game for a year and a half and I still play it with friends. The single player experience when compared to other games on the market is only above average, but the multi-player experience is incredible. If you live in a college dorm or have the guys over on a regular basis, this is the premier basketball game. The slick dribbling moves and fast-paced action provide an entertaining gaming experience that all ages can enjoy. The game is a pure arcade and will not be enjoyed by pure sim fans. (buy from amazon)
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 - I just picked this game up for $10 at a Toys 'R' Us and I am sure you could find it for a bargain price anywhere with the new game out. Although it lacks the pizzazz of THPS4, there is enough in the game to wet the appetite of most action gamers. I made the leap from THPS2 on the PSX to the PS2 version and the graphics alone make the investment well worth it. (buy from amazon)
• Hot Shots Golf 3 - You can pick up this game for around $40 and I believe this is the best golf game on the market. On the outside, by looking at its kiddy graphics, the game would play as a little arcadey, but the ball physics and golf elements are as strong as any game on the PS2. The replay value is deep, as you can compete in single player tournaments or compete against a number of CPU opponents in match-play. There are also national tournaments that you enter with a code found off the Internet, but they are marred from GameShark cheating. Nonetheless, aside from NCAA Football 2003, I have logged the most hours playing this golf game. (buy from amazon)

• Nascar Racing 2002 Season (PC) : Nascar Racing offers excellent graphics and gameplay. The settings you choose in the menu allow you to make the cars as tame as your family mini-van or as realistic as a racecar. Racing three-wide at oval tracks like Daytona is a real blast and you get a feel for what it's like every Sunday for you favorite Nascar driver. (buy from amazon)

• F1 2002 (PC): F1 2002 is a little less tame, as most of the tracks are road courses and the cars are faster. Again, you can make the cars easy to drive or set them to imitate a real Formula One racecar. The graphics are also excellent. (buy from amazon)

  Both games are the latest titles available and have lots of free add-ons available online. Expect to pay about $45 for Nascar Racing 2002 Season and about $20 for F1 2002.

Kids:
For the kids (or less serious drivers), I recommend Midtown Madness 2 or Monster Truck Madness 2, both by Microsoft. They are older titles, but are still easy to find and quite inexpensive. Both offer online racing and all-world driving (which means you can drive anywhere and don't have to stay on the track). Kids can explore the countryside and find little hidden places. Monster Truck Madness 2 is the older of the two games but has hundreds of free tracks available on line. Midtown Madness 2 Allows you to drive in either San Francisco or London. There are plenty of scenarios you can run, a regular race; go for the gold; and training modes. If you have two computers at home, Mom and Dad can race with the kids or just play tag. Kids can go over jumps, sometimes several hundred feet, in both games. They'll show you how to make a jump in San Francisco and land on top of buildings, and they'll also find all the little hidden areas Mom or Dad will never find.

• Tiger Woods 2003 (PC) & (Xbox) - A game that moves the golfing simulation genre to the next level. Has all of the bells and whistles you'd want in a golf game plus one of the deepest and most interesting career modes available. The Xbox version is much more of an arcade game, but is still the best golf product available on a console. (buy from amazon)
• Out of the Park Baseball 4 - A game that is extremely addictive and one of the finest text-based computer games ever made. It plays great as a single player game but don't try it as a multiplayer game if you want a life. OOTP4 is the answer to online league commissioner's prayers. (buy from amazon)
• Madden 2003 (PC) - I prefer the PC version because of the higher resolution graphics and the downloadable roster updates. But all of the cross-platform versions are very good football games. (buy from amazon)
• F1 2002 (PC) - The best modern open wheel racing simulation on the market. There are a few glitches here and there, but the game is still worth every penny. (buy from amazon)
• NASCAR Racing 2002 Season - This series introduced me to racing sims. This is the NASCAR game of NASCAR games. Realistic physics, a driving school, and good online play make this a "must buy" for any racing simulation fan. (buy from amazon)
• Championship Manager 01/02 - The King of Kings. CM is the finest sports management game available on any platform. The soccer sim's depth and accuracy are things of sports gaming legend, but unfortunately is hard to purchase in the United States.
• Total Club Manager 2003 - Imagine a game a little less accurate than Championship Manager, but with FIFA 2002's graphics. This is what Total Club Manager 2003 is and it does a very nice job providing some visual excitement, wrapped in a deep management simulation. Alas, this game is also hard to purchase from the United States.

• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (PS2, Xbox, GC) THPS4 deserves a spot near the top of every wish list for its deep, addictive gameplay and robust options. What's more, the PS2 version offers online play, while the Xbox version supports system link. (buy from amazon)
• Aggressive Inline (PS2, Xbox, GC) This surprise hit from Dave Mirra developer Z-Axis rivals the latest Tony Hawk game and makes inline skating fun for everyone. Plus, its innovative and the enjoyable Career mode has helped set a new standard for action-sports games. (buy from amazon)
• MX Superfly (PS2, GC, Xbox) Blending racing with extreme stunts, MX Superfly is perfect for those who prefer a moto-cross game with a mix of realism and outrageousness. The game features several professional riders, real and fictitious tracks, sick tricks, and plentiful options. (buy from amazon)
• Freekstyle (PS2, GC) Essentially SSX on dirt, Freekstyle has all the right ingredients to form an exhilarating racing game. Fantastical courses, insane speed and tricks, and riders with plenty of attitude make this extreme moto-cross racer stand out. (buy from amazon)
• TransWorld Snowboarding (Xbox) If you enjoy snowboarding games, TransWorld Snowboarding will likely interest you with its solid gameplay, unique controls, and beautiful graphics. It may not top Amped in every area, but it's a fun game with sim and arcade characteristics. (buy from amazon)
• Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer (PS2, Xbox, GC) Pro Surfer is one of the more entertaining and accessible surfing games available, largely due to its Tony Hawk-like feel. The game includes a tight lineup of pros, tasty waves, and wild tricks, as well as competitive multiplayer modes. (buy from amazon)
• Splashdown (Xbox) An exciting Jet Ski racer, Splashdown combines lap-based racing with wicked stunts and has a nice selection of courses and racers. While it debuted on the PS2 last year, the more recent Xbox version boasts extra courses, sharper graphics, and Dolby Digital surround sound. (buy from amazon)
• BMX XXX (PS2, Xbox, GC) BMX XXX is pure madness, thanks to its M-rated antics, which include foul language, naughty humor, and female nudity (of the human and polygonal variety). Beneath all this, however, is a very playable BMX game from the creators of the Dave Mirra series--though you won't find Dave or any of his chums here. (buy from amazon)
• Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 (PS2, Xbox, GC) Although Hoffman 2 is a step behind the latest action-sports game due to its archaic and repetitive Career mode, it is the most realistic BMX game released this year. Professional riders, varied environments, and a great assortment of tricks make this one worth owning if BMX XXX is too mature. (buy from amazon)