Eight Sports Gaming Superstars
Nov 12, 2008
Video games and sports figures go together like hot dogs and beer. They can't all be John Madden, but even the players without a franchise to call their own can make a mark on the marketplace. Here are eight heavyweights.
Shaun White
He's the new kid on the block, but the Olympic medalist is likely just beginning. White is a multi-talented athlete, and while Shaun White Snowboarding is a solid start, there's reason to think he could branch out into other genres. It's no secret that the Tony Hawk franchise is aging badly, and while EA's Skate was a great alternative, it could use a mascot. Not that White is ready to apply for the job, but if he made his own realistic skating game? Jackpot.
John Madden
What's left to say? Madden has been the namesake of one of gaming's biggest franchises for 20 years. Two decades in the spotlight haven't even relegated the man to mere figurehead; he's steadily been a big part of the game. Whether it's as a classic player, a play advisor or, thanks to the Madden IQ system, a full-on digital football demigod, Madden defines console football.
See Madden 09 Video Page >>Tiger Woods
Who else would you put on the cover of a golf game? Tiger Woods isn't just a champion; he's a superstar, and the perfect pillar upon which to balance a major franchise. And while other series in EA's lineup continue to include plenty of arcade play, the Woods series has become a respectable and entertaining simulation, guided by the likeness of a player who essentially redefined the game as his own.
See Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 Game Page >>Tony Hawk
The legendary skater's outrageous success in video games is second only to John Madden's. And since Tony Hawk's game franchise was a major factor in skateboarding's rise to prominence, he's arguably a more important figure in his sport. Without Hawk, kids might never have been inspired to ollie by watching as he and the stars that followed in his wake developed their style across multiple console generations.
See Tony Hawk's Proving Ground Game Page >>Maria Sharapova
Unlike other genres that rely on one huge, marketable name time and again, tennis games cycle through cover athletes and in-game stars like mean game developers go through interns. But the smashing Maria Sharapova has managed to land on multiple covers of the Top Spin series as well as appear in each game as a playable character. How about including her name in the title one of these days?
See Top Spin 3 Game Page >>Nolan Ryan
Baseball has never had a marquee name attached to a franchise. Mark that down to the more democratic team-based nature of the game, or just to the fact that in the wake of Madden's success, it's cheaper to cycle through cover athletes rather than creating a long-term contract. But Nolan Ryan, the masterful pitcher from Texas, actually had his own namesake game on the SNES. That it wasn't great -- well, even a strikeout king can whiff at the plate.
Mike Tyson
One of the first console gaming sports heroes was also the most famous boxer of the '80s. Though Nintendo is re-launching the great Punch-Out!! on the Wii, it just won't be the same without Tyson. Granted, including him in there now would require ear-biting, scary tattoos and all sorts of details we can't print. There's precedent for Punch-Out!! without Tyson, anyway: after Nintendo's contract with Tyson ran out in 1990, the company re-issued the original title minus his name and likeness.
Shaquille O' Neal
For incontrovertible proof that sports stars should just stick to sports, one need look only to Shaquille O'Neal. In 1994, Shaq tried to put one over on Genesis and SNES owners with Shaq-Fu, a kung-fu fighting game that featured some of the most absurd hit detection of all time. Shaq-Fu was as close to unplayable as it comes. Just try to find the reviewer tough enough to tell Shaq to his face. Uh, he doesn't read Yahoo!, right?
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