Now that we're out of the growing pains phase of the new home consoles, sports games are also hitting their stride. 2015 was a good all-around year for sports titles (no matter which platform you're on), offering entirely new experiences, the improvement of old favorite franchises, and plenty of modes and types of gameplay to sate everyone.
Check out the various sports categories below, and also be sure to take a look at our overall Best Games of 2015 list as well as what you the readers picked.
Best New Feature: Air Supremacy – Madden NFL 16
Madden's new passing icons (allowing you to command receivers to catch the ball on the run, make a spectacular grab, or go for a secure catch) make a big difference in the passing game. Making the right decision can translate into big gains while the wrong one can limit a play's effectiveness or worse. The passing icons are also balanced relatively well (still a few too many spectacular catches, though), are optional, and do a great job surfacing more of this year's cool-looking animations and tackles.
Best Graphics: NBA 2K16
The player models – from the heads to the bodies themselves – are great-looking, but that's not the only work that's been done to make this title shine. The crowds (and their reactions), arenas, light reflections on the court, and bench players also lend to the game's sheen.
Best Presentation: NBA 2K16
Along with its superior graphics, NBA 2K16 also impresses with its overall presentation package. From pre- and post-game shows, stat callouts, replays, player interviews, and cutscenes, NBA 2K16's presentation puts a wrapper around the gameplay that helps bring the action to life. Kudos also to Madden this year, whose dynamic stat presentation and on-field cameras were a standout.
Best Gameplay: Rocket League
For all the sports games with byzantine control schemes and the attached marketing names, Rocket League blew us away with its simple-yet-addictive gameplay that was immediately fun yet also deep (check out this video of some GI editors going up against some pros to see what you can do in the game). The car handling works in concert with the ball physics to give you the feeling that anything's possible and this is a sport you've been playing all your life, without being cheap, unbalanced, or unrealistic. Yes, indoor soccer with cars is a totally realistic thing.
Best Online/Multiplayer: Rocket League
Rocket League's fun gameplay naturally also lends itself nicely to online competitive play with and against friends. The game supports eight-player action (with various configurations), online/offline splitscreen play, and cross-platform play between PC and PS4 gamers.
Best Fantasy Team Mode: Madden NFL 16
Madden's version of the Ultimate Team card-collecting mode has been coming along slowly the past couple years, and Madden 15 did well by overhauling its interface. This year's version adds the Draft Champions feature, which is great for quickly dropping in to draft and play a few games – including the post-release option to play with friends. On top of that, the regular Madden Ultimate Team mode continues to add to its bevy of collections and challenges, always giving you a new reason to build up towards a coin jackpot. Kudos in this category also have to go out to MLB: The Show 15's Diamond Dynasty, which lets you customize your players and sacrifice cards for a stat boost. Unfortunately, it's online performance can be a little shaky.
Keep reading for more platitudes for this year's sports titles...