Best Sports Management Games That Are Not Football Manager
[ad_1]
Highlights
- Football Manager isn’t the only sports management sim game out there, and these are the best alternatives.
- Eastside Hockey Manager offers realistic mechanics, multiplayer, and in-depth gameplay for hockey fans.
- Legend Bowl provides old-school American football vibes with customizable teams, realistic weather, and gameplay similar to its retro predecessor.
It’s hard to think of a sports management game without thinking of Football Manager. If people aren’t thinking of that series, they’re thinking of its predecessor Championship Manager, where players also picked a soccer team and tried to get them to the top of the league table.
They’ve inspired a series of urban legends and tales that have entertained fans, be it about athletes who were better in the game than in real life, or ones that never actually existed, to begin with. But soccer isn’t the only sport, and Football Manager isn’t the only sports management sim game around. There’s a wealth of management sims based on other sports, and these are the best of the bunch.
Updated October 19, 2023 by David Heath: Sports management sims aren’t the most exciting games on the surface, but those in the know have experienced the virtual joy they can bring. Like when a player’s plan just manages to be the clincher that sees them become the best in the world. They might even aid real-life sports management, with some soccer managers alleged to have used Football Manager to help their plays.
That said, there are more sims out there than just Football Manager and more sports than soccer. As such, this list has been updated with a few new details here and there. That’s not to mention the new entries covering sports that rarely, if ever, get the sim treatment. So, here are more of the best sports management sims that aren’t Football Manager.
20 Eastside Hockey Manager
Like Football Manager, Eastside Hockey Manager began life as a side project that was made by Risto Remes and his team. But they came a decade or so after FM and made the first game as freeware for PC and Mac. The original 2001 game gave players 3,000 players and staff from the NHL to create their teams, and a near-infinite number of seasons to take them to the top.
The game caught the eye of Sports Interactive, who helped create every subsequent game in the series. It also got officially licensed by the NHL up to NHL Eastside Hockey Manager 2007, which had 3,000 teams and 20 different leagues. But the series went on hiatus until 2015’s Eastside Hockey Manager, which lost the official NHL license (outside fan mods) but gained more in-depth mechanics, extra options, multiplayer, realistic physics, and AI.
19 Rugby League Team Manager 3
Many great game developers have long since gone defunct. Core Design, the company behind the original Tomb Raider games, is no more. Sensible Software, who made the almighty Sensible World of Soccer, is also gone. Yet Alternative Software Ltd, who started off making maligned budget games based on British kids’ shows like Count Duckula and Postman Pat, are still around today.
They’ve even made some better-received games over the decades, with the Ruby League Team Manager series getting plaudits. The best entry, RLTM3, brought in a new in-game engine that brought in new seasons, leagues, tactical options, ways to negotiate player sales, and more. There are a lot of players too: 7,000 all across the world. If anyone wanted to dive into the deep end of the NFL’s European predecessor, RLTM3 is as deep as it gets.
18 Legend Bowl
But what if rugby just doesn’t have the same appeal as American Football? It lacks the helmets, pageantry, and nostalgia that the gridiron games have. After all, the NES had Tecmo Bowl, not Tecmo Rugby. Luckily, Super Pixel Games has those fans covered with Legend Bowl. It’s akin to its rival Retro Bowl in that both replicate their old-school predecessors with their 16-bit-like graphics.
However, Legend Bowl also offers a Franchise Mode that allows players to pick their team, players, and coaches, and infinite seasons to take them to the titular Legend Bowl. They’ll have to keep on top of the in-game news, player traits, training, events, and more to get the most out of their team. Players can also customize their team’s look and play in realistic weather conditions too. It’s a PC exclusive, so unlike Retro Bowl, fans will have to grab it on Steam.
17 WBSC eBaseball Power Pros
It may be a little too soon to say this will be one of the all-time greats, especially as it’s not strictly about management. Available for the PS4 and Switch, WBSC eBaseball Power Pros is essentially a taster for the West for the kind of baseball gameplay that Konami has been providing Japan and the rest of Asia with for nearly 30 years. The visuals are old-school, resembling a cleaned-up N64 game, and there are no licensed teams.
What it does have is an extensive customizable team editor option to build the perfect team, along with adjustable controls. The game can be either as simple as an arcade game or as complex as the MLB games with just a few options. There’s a decent tutorial for newbies, along with plenty of offline, online, and multiplayer options. Best of all, it only costs $1! It’s a good deal for casual and hardcore baseball fans alike.
16 Mario Superstar Baseball
There has been talk that Nintendo has a new Mario-themed baseball game for the Switch in the works for a while now. The Italian plumber and his friends haven’t picked up a bat since Super Mario Sluggers on the Wii in 2008. That game was fair, albeit a bit of a wagglefest with the motion controls. So, fans might prefer its Gamecube predecessor Mario Superstar Baseball, which came with a few, light management options.
It’s aimed at a casual crowd with its power-ups, Bob-ombs, and party-style mini-games. However, it does have a Chemistry mechanic. Teammates will play differently depending on whether they’re partnered up with someone they like, dislike, or are neutral about. So, players have to be careful who they pick, or they might put themselves at a disadvantage.
While eBaseball and Mario Superstar Baseball focus more on the sport than the management, the Football Mogul games are all management. They’re probably the closest fans can get to an NFL Manager game, as the series has allowed players to be the owner, head coach, or general manager of an NFL team since the original 1999 game. Created by Sports Mogul, the game uses text boxes, diagrams, and pictures to simulate the management experience.
Players can handle everything from free-agent signings and draft picks to editing playbooks and making play calls. The latest entry, Football Mogul 23, even had the complete roster for the 2022-2023 season, including 100+ projected college roster picks. That’s alongside getting to play historical seasons as far back as 1951. Whether players want to rewrite sports history or create a new future, Football Mogul 23 has it all.
14 Out Of The Park Baseball Series
The Out of the Park Baseball series has been the premier baseball management sim since its first installment in 1999. The 2007 edition even managed to beat the legendary Orange Box on Metacritic. Then it had a brief stint under Football Manager creators Sports Interactive but has since been published by developers Out of the Park Developments directly.
The series has received official licensing from both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball since OOTP 2016, so fans can now pick out their favorite players to make their team the best in the world. Each game has been well received by fans, with each new entry being an improvement over the last to one degree or another. So, it’s a good time to grab Out of the Park Baseball 23 on Steam and get playing.
13 Tennis Elbow Manager 2
If swinging for the fences isn’t a player’s thing, maybe helping a future ace master their lobs and backhands will be more to their liking. In Tennis Elbow Manager 2, players can train up to 9 athletes, build up their skills, gain sponsors, and more as they try to produce the world’s #1 player.
They can stick to the traditional text-based action, or watch their players’ matches in real-time 3D. That, or play as them directly if they don’t trust the AI. Though it’s solid enough as developers Mana Games got real tennis players in to help get things just right. The game’s available on Steam and is considered to be one of the best tennis sims around if not the best overall.
12 Retro Bowl
If anyone saw Football Manager and wasn’t happy about the lack of touchdowns and shoulder pads, Retro Bowl has their back. New Star Games’ tribute to Tecmo Bowl gives players a simple but extensive take on American Football. Players can only control the offensive team, but they can manage defensive players among other options. They can draft, trade, and cut players, sign any tempting-looking free agents, and boost morale to make their team the best around.
It was originally a mobile game on iOS and Android, so there are extra perks if players cough up an additional $1. For example, players can edit their uniforms, logos, etc., to resemble their favorite teams. That, or create completely new ones if those NFL teams feel old hat. The game is also available on the Nintendo Switch if players would rather pick up a Joycon than their smartphone.
11 F1 Manager 2022 & 2023
There are many racing games based on Formula 1, but there aren’t many management games based on it. EA Sports and Intelligent Games tried one out in 1999 with F1 Manager to middling reviews. They didn’t try again for 23 years when Frontier Developments gave it another shot with F1 Manager 2022. It essentially builds on the My Career option from F1 2020.
Players can customize their cars, get new parts, and work with engineers based on real F1 staff to organize their pacing and pit stops to stay in pole position per race. The sequel, F1 Manager 2023, has all the same features, with some new tracks like the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, and a race replay for players to see their favorite moments from the season. Both games are available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and the PC via Steam.
10 Motorsport Manager
F1 Manager 2022 is one of the stronger motorsport management games, but Frontier Developments sadly stopped supporting the game within 2 months of its release. Players now have its sequel, which has retained support up to this writing. But it took fan backlash to keep the updates coming for its predecessor. Luckily, things were smoother for Motorsport Manager, available on iOS, Android, PC, macOS, Linux, and the Nintendo Switch.
What Motorsport Manager lacks in licenses it makes up for in support. The game has received consistent updates and a range of DLC since its original release in 2017. Playsport Games’ product lets players develop their cars, and appoint drivers and engineers to get ahead. However, they have to be careful, as it’ll throw in the odd curveball to test players’ skills and in-game reputation. Each port is solid, but the PC and Switch versions are arguably the best with their extra tracks and exclusive circuits.
9 Pro Cycling Manager 2022
Racing in a car can be impressive, though why get horsepower from an engine when a pair of virtual legs can do the trick? Cyanide has been making Cycling Manager games since 2001, with the intent of replicating what goes into preparing for a professional cycling race, including the world-famous Tour de France, where cyclists pass through the Pyrenees and Alps to reach the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
The latest game is Pro Cycling Manager 2023, though the best is arguably Pro Cycling Manager 2022. It brought in a new scouting system for the player to build up their team, which would improve the further they went into the game. The new riders would also develop more dynamically through training, with more varied tracks and stats making a bigger impact on play. It’s a PC exclusive, and available via Steam.
8 Teamfight Manager
Here’s a meta entry: a game where the player manages a team of other video game players. Created by Team Samoyed, Teamfight Manager has players create their own eSport team for matches in a 16-bit take on DOTA. They can pick or ban champions to produce the best combo, then use Training Points to boost one stat or another to make them play better.
They can also upgrade their training center facilities, change their gear, and provide new equipment to keep them strong and happy. Then they can take on the AI or fight their friends in 1v1 battles or 10-player scrums. So, it’s not a bad choice to pep up one’s collection on PC, macOS, and the Nintendo Switch.
7 Astonishing Basketball Manager
Basketball fans have a few more options with Studio Zero Inc.’s Astonishing Basketball Manager. They can play it on PC, Android, and iOS. It certainly sounds astonishing too, as the game gives the player a life outside of working out tactics, picking players, and switching up strategies. They might have to figure out how to feed their team if the cook gets sick, deal with their players’ concerns in real time via their messages, and take on a rival manager.
The game wants players to create their own life story on the way to winning the Legend Cup. They can still swap out tired players, arrange time-outs, check the rankings and fan reactions, and do everything a basketball coach does. There are just extra story options for flavor, like helping smaller, local teams, becoming a rock star, and finding romance. Odd as it is, it’s a step up from the infamous Livin’ Da Dream mode in NBA 2K16.
6 Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball 2023
Wolverine Studios’ Draft Day Sports franchise has covered all sorts of sports from Pro and College Football to Pro Golf. But their best-rated game was Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball 2023. It doesn’t have the background story options seen in Astonishing Basketball Manager, as the only story that needs telling is the one on the court.
The player picks their favorite team and then tries to reach the top of the league by drafting and trading teammates, hiring the best free agents, and plotting out the team’s strategy for their next game. On top of winning games, DDS: PB23 lets digital GMs run press conferences, play fantasy basketball, and get rewards for good decision-making. As humble as it looks, its 2D gameplay arguably offers the best basketball management game around on PC.
5 Total Extreme Wrestling 2020
The WWE games have had one GM Mode or another based on running their flagship shows since the PS2 days. Still, they’re a little too polished to resemble what the world of professional wrestling is like. Where are the TV deal and sponsorship negotiations? Are the prima donna wrestlers unhappy with their co-grapplers? The referees and other staff that promoters need to keep things running? Total Extreme Wrestling has had all that and more.
Since its original incarnation as Extreme Warfare in 1995, the series has received intermittent new releases. The latest entry, Total Extreme Wrestling 2020, is regarded as the best of the bunch. The action is told all through text and stats but offers plenty of options to keep people on their toes. Players can book their storylines, assign gimmicks to their wrestlers, and work out their foibles in the name of TV ratings. Available for the PC, the game can be downloaded from Steam or developer Grey Dog Software’s website.
4 World Of Mixed Martial Arts 5
Grey Dog Software also has MMA fans covered with their World of Mixed Martial Arts series, with the latest and biggest entry being World of Mixed Martial Arts 5. Like the Total Extreme Wrestling games, players have to get into the nitty-gritty of running an MMA organization, from negotiating TV deals, handling promotional work, and alternating between massaging and puncturing fighter egos to get them ready for their scheduled fights.
Since gimmicks and storylines aren’t a factor, players have to scout out their fighters through the extensive fighting network, work out their contracts, and use the new Attributes system to build up their stats. Then, once fight night arrives, players will get an extensive blow-by-blow report on their fighters’ performances. The game is exclusive to PC but has to be downloaded directly from Grey Dog Software’s website. Steam only has its predecessor WMMA3.
3 LEATHER: Tactical Boxing Management
MMA can be very technical, but it can lack the charm and history of the sweet science. Why make the next Conor McGregor when players can make the next Muhammad Ali? Except there aren’t many boxing management sims out there. World Championship Boxing Manager was popular back in the day, but it was considered quite simplistic even on its 1990 release. So, it’s a little surprising that it has a more intricate rival on iOS and Android smartphones.
LEATHER: Tactical Boxing Management lets players pick promising rookies, established fighters, or retired veterans looking for one more bout. From there, they have to look into their boxer’s strengths and weaknesses and work out a solid game plan to get them on the path to the world championship. Just be careful, as age and injuries will take their toll on the boxers. The road to the top is steep and slippery, but not impossible.
2 Hattrick
Football Manager is now the biggest name in soccer management sims, but it’s not the only one. Hattrick started life as a Swedish-only, browser-based MMO sim in 1997, but gradually supported 52 other languages including English as it expanded with each update. It currently supports over 200,000+ players, each with their team aiming to get to the top of their league table.
Players can do the usual buying/selling of players, as well as set their team to one template or another, plotting out their training regime and formations to become the best around. They can move up the divisions, and even take part in national competitions. The game is still free to play today, but those who pay extra to become HT Supporters can take part in the Hattrick International to take on teams from all over the world.
1 Sensible World Of Soccer
At the end of the day, if a fan wants an alternative soccer sim, there’s this old-school classic. Originally made for the Commodore Amiga, Sensible Software’s Sensible World of Soccer did what no other soccer management had done up to that point. It included every significant soccer team worldwide, be they the UK’s Manchester United or Ghana’s Asante Kotoko. 1,500 teams and 27,000 players in total.
Players can buy, trade, and cut players to perfect their side and take them to the top. Or at least try. If they’re unlucky, they can be fired by the chairman, or sent to a lower-league team to try again. As simple as it looks now, it was cited as one of the world’s most important games alongside Doom, Tetris, and Super Mario Bros 3 by Stanford University in 2007. The game is available on PC via GOG.com, or MS-DOS and Amiga emulators, with active online leagues and decades’ worth of mods and updates to tweak the game to one’s liking.
Source link
