PlanetDreamcast | Games | Best Dreamcast Games | Sports

Best DC Games - [Intro] [Fighting] [Platform] [RPG] [Sports] [FPS] [Racing] [Puzzle] [Shooter] [Adventure] [Misc.] Best DC Sports Games It's no secret that sports games can make or break a system in the US, so it's a good thing that the Dreamcast sports lineup is as good as it is. With new major contenders in most every sport, Dreamcast exclusives show that there's more to life than rehashes of last year's games. Virtua Tennis Virtua Tennis raises the bar for all future tennis games. While it initially looked like just another Naomi arcade conversion (not a bad thing in itself, mind you), it quickly became apparent that Virtua Tennis would be something special. This is one of the most addictive sports titles of recent history, and despite a simple 2-button control system, it has an amazing amount of depth. Unlike Virtua Striker 2, another sports title in the Virtua series, this game plays very close to the real thing. Those familiar with real tennis will be immediately at home and will quickly be hitting away rallies with the computer-controlled opponents, or up to 3 other players. With repeated sessions the real magic behind the title becomes obvious, and you�ll begin to develop your own tactics, counter tactics, and court positions. Not content with just being a great multiplayer game, Virtua Tennis also features an entertaining Soul Calibur-style single player game, where the player must progress through the ranks to become the world's #1 player. It�s very enjoyable, although perhaps a little too challenging near the end. Some people even consider this title good enough to buy a Dreamcast for. Even if you don�t like tennis too much, this is still an essential game, and an example of multiplayer Dreamcast gaming at its best. NFL2K1 Play on-line and see just how good you are against the country. It's the game that had gamers turn in droves to the Dreamcast. It's the game that gave Madden a run for its money. We're of course speaking of NFL2K1, which still remains to be the best football game available. It's not just the graphics; it's not just the sounds; nor is it gimmicks like card collecting (NFL2K1 has none). It's all about gameplay. NFL2K1 has some of the most maddening AI available. Your CPU guys aren't just stumps on the field to make the game look like football -- they actually play the game of football as well. Running and passing requires skill, meaning you have to make the plays -- they're not just encoded into the game. NFL2K1 has tons of animation, and the game takes that into account for its realistic physics engine. Every play is a new play; every game is a new game. To bolster that even more, NFL2K1 is the first on-line console sports game, so you and up to three people can get in a game and trash talk to your heart's content with the keyboard. If you like football in any way, then you have no excuse to not own this game. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Even the real Tony Hawk can't combo his tricks as good as his videogame cousin. No one can deny that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is one of the most fun games on the Dreamcast. While the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater PlayStation port was nice, the sequel expands upon the original with more characters, more tricks, more secrets, larger environments, and better graphics. The team over at Treyarch wasn't content with just converting a great game to a new system -- they rediscovered it on the Dreamcast. Borrowing elements from both NiGHTS and 720, the goal of the game is to rack up as high a score as possible by performing trick after trick after trick. With the additional of manuals, you can link tricks across long distances, which really opens up each course. The level of depth is unprecedented, and the graphics and 3-D engine are superb. Incredibly fun and forever replayable, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is one of the best games around, sport or not. NBA2K1 The game looks so real, you'll think it looks real. Sega was smart to sign on Visual Concepts, the company whose amazing Dreamcast sports games made it an overnight success. NBA2K1 fixed a lot of problems with the first game's spectacular looking but somewhat odd playing game of basketball. With a new roster, new modes of play, and new outdoor street courts, NBA2K1 brings basketball to the Dreamcast in style. The game delivers with unprecedented control over the players on the court, which really puts you into the game like no other. You can now take it to the hoop on-line as well thanks to NBA2K1's modem support. Although it doesn't play as well as NFL2K1 (a slight lag, while easily adjusted to, does affect the game), NBA2K1 still lets Dreamcast players to gather from across the country and set up a game of basketball. While the game still isn't quite perfected yet, NBA2K1 stands as a testament to what the video game sport should and could be. Next: First-person shooters Have a game you think deserves to be included? Mail Feedback.