When it comes to the PS Vita, sports gamers are basically just out of luck. Since the Vita is basically dead in the water (which saddens me every day), Vita owners cannot expect the latest sports game releases that other consoles can. In fact, FIFA and MLB haven’t released Vita games since 2015, while Madden and NBA 2K games haven’t come out since 2013 (and NBA 2K13 was actually technically for the PSP anyways). Still, sports gamers who have Vitas still have some great options to choose from, though some of them are less well-known games. Here are the five best sport video games for the PS Vita, as of 2017.
Bodycheck
Bodycheck is the newest PS Vita exclusive which we briefly reviewed and wrote up just yesterday, but it deserves its spot on this list. Like all the games on this list, Bodycheck is not dated since it’s not part of a yearly-release franchise, but it’s also not dated since it only came out a week ago. Anyways, Bodycheck is a pulse-pounding extreme handball game that should satisfy every sports gamer’s cravings. It might not be as pretty as NBA 2K18 for the PS4 is, but that doesn’t mean you won’t play it for hours on end. Bodycheck costs $7.99 on the PlayStation store.
Download Bodycheck for PS Vita
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational is the Vita entry of the best golf franchise around. The graphics are stellar, the challenges are plenty, and the mechanics are perfect. The game is so well-rendered that you can play “true golf” mode (where you don’t have any indicators you wouldn’t have in real life) and not miss a beat, since the graphics tell the story of the course so well. Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational is one of the first physical games I bought for the Vita, and it’s still one of my most-played games by far. You can buy it for $13.49 on the PlayStation Store.
Download Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational for PS Vita
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee is technically a PSP game, but can be just as easily downloaded for the Vita. Open Tee’s graphics aren’t anywhere near World Invitational’s, but the gameplay is rock solid. Once you’ve cleared just about all of World Invitational, you can move on to Open Tee like I did. Open Tee also has a sequel (Open Tee 2, also for the PSP), so if you clear this one too you can just move on to the sequel. You can buy Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee on the PlayStation Store for $3.99.
Download Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee for PS Vita
Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip
Like Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee, Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip is also a PSP game. Hot Shots Tennis, however, came out in 2010, so it was only released a year or two before the Vita came out, which means it’s far less dated than other PSP games. Combined with the fact that there is no Hot Shots Tennis game for the Vita, Get a Grip is the go-to tennis game for PS Vita owners. The story mode is just outstanding and feels more like an RPG then any sports RPG I’ve ever played. The tennis gameplay is challenging and addicting, but retains that Hot Shots feel with great costumes you can wear. I can’t say enough about Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip, so I’ll conclude by saying you can get it for $7.49 on the PlayStation Store.
Download Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip for PS Vita
PS Vita Table Soccer
Finally, the last great sports game on the Vita is PlayStation Vita Table Soccer. Sure, it may not be as deep or as varied as the rest of these games, but it deserves a spot on this list anyways. The AR cards that came with every Vita and the free AR games available on the store served a similar purpose to Wii Sports, giving gamers something to play even if all they bought was the non-bundled console. Table Soccer was the best of the bunch, and is still one of the best sports games you can play on the Vita. You can download it for free on the PlayStation store.
Download PlayStation Vita Table Soccer for PS Vita
If you like sports games, you can’t play the newest versions of MLB: The Show, NBA 2K, Madden, or FIFA on your PS Vita, but there are still plenty of great options out there, with the above five being the best of the best. Do you have a favorite Vita sports game that’s not here? If so let me know in the comments. Not sure where to start with these games? I’d highly recommend Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip.
