The best sports game on Android in 2022

Sports betting often gets a bad wrap, thanks to the abusive revenue generation used by companies like Electronic Arts and 2K. Today’s roundup gives up the obvious money grips on mobile to offer something a little different. We’ve selected the best Android games that are actually worth playing, with a hand-picked list of sports titles offering fair prices and gameplay built for fun. So if you love sports games but are tired of the annual rosters after dropping tons of money on your digital teams, Android Police has the perfect summary for you. Dig in and enjoy!

I was thinking why not start today’s list with a bang and so Football Manager 2022 is here to get things started with its excellent football management gameplay. Unlike other football games, this is more of a business sim, where you build your team from scratch to see if you can take first place. This game offers simulation-like gameplay that requires strategy and planning. Keep in mind that this is the mobile version of the game, so it’s somewhat stripped down compared to the console and PC releases.

This premium game typically sells for $ 10, though some in-app purchases are included. Fortunately, these IAPs only go so high where procurement exists primarily for convenience items. When you see that Football Manager 2022 Mobile is a single player game, what you choose to use will not affect others. More or less, this is a game with deep mechanics, fair revenue generation and entertaining gameplay. Best of all, it controls the phone well.

If you prefer something a little more old-fashioned or just want to relive your days with the Tecmo Bowl, you should definitely check out the Retro Bowl. This game offers similar 8-bit graphics, but what sets it apart is strategic gameplay and team management that offer more depth than its inspiration.

The game is free, with a credit system in play. You upgrade certain features, such as your stadium or training facilities, and in-app purchases are included with a $ 0.99 unlock for unlimited gameplay. There are also optional credit packages for those who want to move on quickly. Still, since this is a single player game, what players use will not affect others. So when it comes to reasonably priced mobile football games, the Retro Bowl is easily a top contender thanks to its deceptively deep gameplay and fair pricing model.

Believe it or not, Virtua Tennis Challenge dates back to 2012 as a mobile release and was brought back to life as a Sega Forever game in 2017. You may not know it, but Sega used to make quality tennis games back then. Virtua Tennis Challenge is the culmination of this effort as it is the last match in the series. So you can expect a polished gameplay, and even though the game is old, the graphics are good enough.

Now Virtua Tennis Challenge offers touch controls and they work fine in a pinch. However, the game definitely shines when you play with a controller, so that’s the way to go if you have one at hand. Like all Sega Forever titles, you can play the entire game for free with ads. If you would like to remove the ads, you can do so for $ 2. For a full-fledged tennis game that offers several modes to play through, ranging from singles to doubles, you can not go wrong with this one.

Great mountain adventure

I’ve been drumming over Grand Mountain Adventure for years now. Since the game was recently released on consoles and PC, mobile is still a perfectly viable platform to play the game if you have not yet checked it out. It is amazing in small eruptions, thanks to its short challenges. In addition, controller support means you sit down for longer sessions, just like a proper console game. The graphics are on point, there is a wealth of content to explore spread across several mountains and you can even play with friends locally across devices.

The first mountain is free, and if you like what you see, you can unlock the full title for $ 10.99, including all the extra mountains previously added as DLC. Since the game sells on PC and consoles for $ 20, you still get a great deal on mobile, especially when controller support is packaged.

OK Golf

There are tons of golf games on Android, ranging from Hot Shots knock-offs filled with awful revenue generation to minimal games that are hard as nails. OK Golf is located somewhere in the middle and offers arcade-like gameplay spread across a wide variety of low-poly courses. This is not putt-putt; these are full-fledged courses with simple controls that almost anyone can pick up within a few minutes. Basically, it’s a stylish game built for fun instead of maximum profit, and that’s how it easily stands out in the crowd.

OK Golf is a premium release that sells for $ 2.99 and there are no in-app purchases or commercials. Thanks to the simple graphics, almost any device can run it, and with simple controls, almost anyone can play it. It is an available title that fits well with the mobile. If you’ve big on golfing, it’s definitely a must-play.

The bottom of the 9th

When you think of board games, one of the last genres you would think of would be sports. Still, Bottom of the 9th is not only a well-publicized physical board game dating back to 2015, but it’s also a digital mobile game that goes by the same name. This interpretation is easily one of the better baseball games in the Play Store, thanks to fair prices and time-tested gameplay. And don’t let the fact that this was originally a board game scare you away; the mechanics are taught through a Spring Training tutorial for batting and pitching so that all bases are covered.

The good thing is that you do not have to jump into multiplayer right away. The game has a solo game mode that you can familiarize yourself with before taking on live opponents. The gameplay is limited to two players if you want to fight against your friends, so this is less of a party game and more something two people can enjoy together. Best of all, this is a premium release that costs $ 1, which is cheap enough for almost anyone to afford. Pair that prize with available gameplay and you have a winner.

Rapala fishing

Even fishing games are not free from the greedy grips of endless revenue generation. Although there are endless fishing games to choose from if you are looking for something with depth that is not a skewed arcade game, your choice is slim. Fortunately, Rapala Fishing is a quality challenger that offers a variety of fishing spots along with all kinds of fish to catch. The 3D graphics are comfortable, the controls are intuitive, and the gameplay is not limited, even if you are a free player.

Of course, Rapala Fishing is a free game, so it includes in-app purchases, even if it’s only used to buy in-game currency. You can use this currency to speed up your advancement, but it is optional. The game can be easily enjoyed for free, though there will be more of a grind. Still, fishing is all about the peaceful laugh, so this one can be easily enjoyed in your downtime when you relax.

Hoop League tactics

Sports management games are top notch, thanks to the wild success of the Sega Football Manager series. If football is not your bag, then maybe basketball is. Hoop League Tactics offers a mix of genres with SRPG’s tactical gameplay and mechanics in a management sim. Not to mention the gameplay in a typical basketball game. It has it all, honey, with simple graphics that can run on just about any phone, making it a very accessible basketball game that should appeal to a wide audience.

There is a seasonal state as well as a career state. With seasonal mode, you run the entire team, while career mode is more of a personal journey for a single player. You can play for free, but if you want full team customization along with importing and exporting custom leagues, then you can lower $ 4 for premium mode. Premium also removes the game’s ads. Think of this release as a mix of chess and basketball, and you approach, with the option to go premium, if you like what you see.

This is the end of Android Police’s sports game roundup. We chose an eclectic mix of titles to suit everyone’s needs, all while ensuring that the games offer lots of fun without being designed to suck money in, so if you know of any sports games that would suit such a list, so sound off in the comments as we will update this listing with new listings to expand the selection for everyone.


Pixel 6 Pro review (3)

New Google Pixel 6 error rejects some calls without even calling the phone

Read Next


About the author