We already published the list of best PS1 games of all time, now it’s time to discover the best PS1 sports games of all time.
With amazing titles available, the PS1 definitely has a great library of sports games.
So, if you’re a fan of both the PS1 and sports games, there’s a chance you’ll like this list.
And some of you may already know some of the games mentioned in this list.
#25. NHL Rock the Rink
- Release Data: EA Canada/Electronic Arts, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Arcade
NHL Rock the Rink is a pleasantly surprising “extreme” sports game.
It doesn’t get muddled down with too much stat tracking or too many gameplay options.
In short, it’s a basic, bare-bones game that lets you jump right in and score some goals.
#24. NCAA Football 2001
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Despite the bugs and the lack of any serious innovation, NCAA Football 2001 is still a great game.
If you’ve never experienced NCAA Football and you’re in the market for a college football simulation, this bad boy should be your obvious choice.
#23. NBA Live 2001
- Release Data: NuFX/Electronic Arts, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
This title gives you tons of modes to play, guaranteed to satisfy your basketball cravings.
You can play through an entire season of basketball with realistic settings, or score huge dunks and shooting flaming basketballs in arcade mode.
NBA Live 2001 does a great job replicating real athletes and their play styles, resulting in an excellent playable version of the sport.
#22. NCAA Football 99
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
If college football is a hobby of yours, you’ll love this simulation game that’s packed with content.
This title features every NCAA team from 1999; over 110 of them!
You can recruit your own team of players and participate in a number of championships, including the Rose Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, and many more.
#21. Hot Shots Golf 2
- Release Data: Clap Hanz/SCEE, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Golf » Arcade
Like the previous game, Hot Shots Golf 2 is simple to learn.
You can compete in a full tournament, enjoy some head-to-head action, and even brush up on the basics in training.
The mixture of basic controls and colorful visuals makes it easy to hop in and play, but golfing experts will find plenty of reasons to keep playing.
#20. Madden NFL 99
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Madden NFL 99 is a well-rounded and comprehensive football package, great for any fan of 2000’s era football.
This Madden introduced Franchise mode, which lets you pick a team and simulate 15 year-seasons of football.
Combined with an impressive multiplayer suite, this is a football game that any sports fan will enjoy.
#19. NCAA Football 2000
- Release Data: EA Sports, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
You can take your favorite college team through a full season, play exhibition matches, or dive into the lengthy dynasty mode.
The 3D graphics are an improvement over previous years, including a variety in physique type for players.
Overall, this is a great sequel and a fun college football title.
#18. NHL 2000
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Sim
This entry in the franchise has a good collection of modes, some new and some old.
Each mode will have you competing in realistic hockey matches.
You can enjoy a full season mode, with features like player trading, retirement, and more.
You can also check out the tournament mode, which sees 16 different teams in a round-robin tournament.
#17. NHL 2001
- Release Data: Page 44 Studios/Electronic Arts, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Sim
This hockey game has everything a fan would want, with extensive modes and customization.
As the final NHL game on the PlayStation, NHL 2001 delivers the ultimate package.
The gameplay remains easy to learn and fun to play, with tight controls and a great sense of speed.
#16. WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role
- Release Data: Yuke’s/THQ, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Combat » Wrestling
This sequel to the original WWF Smackdown! game builds on the foundation of its successor while adding new features.
There are now a great selection of “Create-A” modes.
These let you create your own moveset, wrestler, manager, and more.
This, combined with a great season mode and some awesome athletes makes this game a must-have.
#15. NBA Live 2000
- Release Data: NuFX/Electronic Arts Victor, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
This version of NBA Live is the first to feature NBA all-star Michael Jordan, and also contains a handful of other historic athletes.
You can play against these timeless legends in one-on-one or five-on-five competitions.
Using facial scan technology, you can also attach any face to a virtual player, allowing you to make endless teams of fantasy players!
#14. Madden NFL 2002
- Release Data: BudCat/EA Sports, 2001
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Like always, Madden offers a great football game with exciting gameplay and plenty of options.
It’s the additional modes, like collectible Madden cards and Classic Madden that make this game stand out.
In Classic Madden mode, the whole look and feel of the game transforms into a retro 16-bit style, giving you a nostalgic perspective of play.
#13. FIFA 2001: Major League Soccer
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Soccer » Sim
Although the actual gameplay of FIFA stayed relatively unchanged, this entry introduced a new physics engines.
Athletes look better than ever, sporting custom clothes and appearances.
There are also some minor upgrades, such as power bars that indicate shot strength, and the ability to intentionally foul.
#12. NFL Blitz 2000
- Release Data: Midway, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Arcade
In this surprisingly violent football game, you control a slew of licensed NFL teams in hard-hitting matches.
New features like the play editor and four-player modes flesh out an already awesome experience.
If you perform well, you can even catch on fire, giving you infinite turbo and a hearty boost in strength.
#11. Madden NFL 2000
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Truthfully told, the mechanics behind the Madden series don’t radically change each year, but Madden NFL 2000 did enough to warrant its spot on this list.
The franchise mode received a significant overhaul.
It now allows for multiple team owners to compete at the same time; a feature previously unavailable.
#10. WWF SmackDown!
- Release Data: Yuke’s/THQ, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Combat » Wrestling
The game contains a handful of modes, but the biggest focus is the three-part story mode.
Progressing through this mode unlocks new outfits, moves, and generally strengthens your custom fighter.
There are also some fun match types, such as Steel Cage matches, Single Elimination, Tag Team, and more!
#9. NFL GameDay 99
- Release Data: Red Line Studios/989 Sports, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
The GameDay franchise is well known for its solid football gameplay.
GameDay 99 stands out thanks to improved graphics, better animations, and a great visual flow.
Every NFL team from the 1999 season are available to choose from, and there are multiple difficulty options to select.
If Madden NFL isn’t quite your speed, give this football simulator a try.
#8. FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Soccer » Sim
Besides the expected modes and teams, FIFA 2000 brings in some cool features to spice things up.
For the first time, you can play over the course of multiple seasons, eventually being promoted to higher ranks.
The United States Major Soccer League was also included for the first time in the franchises’ history.
#7. Triple Play 2000
- Release Data: Treyarch/EA Sports, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
Baseball fans will love this simulation game, which contains the full Major League Baseball roster from the 1998-1999 season.
There are multiple modes to choose from, including play-offs, full season, exhibition match, or the beloved Home Run Derby.
The controls offer precise baseball gameplay, both offensively and defensively.
#6. FIFA 99
- Release Data: EA Canada/Electronic Arts, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Soccer » Sim
Like other FIFA titles, this soccer simulator is packed with customization options and modes of play.
This version features the European Dream League mode, which sees 20 of the world’s best teams competing against each other.
FIFA fans and soccer fans alike will be heads over heels for this great iteration.
#5. NBA Live 99
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts Victor, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
For the first time in NBA Live history, you can now engage in multi-season careers!
Shape up your skills in Practice Mode, or form your own team in Dynasty mode.
This basketball simulator also amps up the realism, with improved player models and graphics.
#4. Madden NFL 2001
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This Madden title franchise is all about customization, allowing players to tweak everything to their liking.
You can create your own athlete, create plays, start your own franchise, and more.
There are “Madden Cards” you can collect, which allow your players to perform special moves during the game.
Also, this Madden contains dozens of stadiums and over 50 different licensed teams.
#3. NFL Blitz
- Release Data: Midway, 1998
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Arcade
This game was a smash hit in arcades, and makes the jump to the PlayStation with ease.
Players can choose from a selection of NFL teams, and face off in football matches with easy-to-learn controls.
This is a great game for casual football fans who want to throw the ball and tackle, without all the complexities.
#2. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
- Release Data: Neversoft Entertainment/Success, 1999
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Skate / Skateboard
This game is every skateboarder’s dream.
In it, you get to thrash through multiple levels that are based on real locations.
You can shred railings in a school, skate big ramps in downtown cities, and much more.
There are also extra objectives to complete, bonus characters to unlock, and even some super secret levels to find!
#1. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
- Release Data: Neversoft Entertainment/Success, 2000
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Skate / Skateboard
In addition to the wild tricks, customizable characters, and awesome courses, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 brings even more to the table.
For the first time, you can build your own skatepark to shred in.
The story mode is also deeper, containing more objectives and courses to enjoy.
There are also multiple modes that make multiplayer sessions even more fun!
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See also: Best Gaming Chairs & Best PS2 Games
Are your favorite games on the list?
Deciding which PS1 sports game is the best is no doubt a never ending topic, but it’s fun to do!
