Sports entertainment has a lot to thank the smartphone boom for. After all, before the first iPhone rolled off the production line back in 2007, sports fans were in a significantly more impoverished world. With the exception of a few niche devices, access to web browsing on mobile was extremely limited, not to mention slow.
With the arrival of improved data connections, and sophisticated mobile platforms like Android, sports fans have been able to connect with their favorite teams, games and athletes in ways previously impossible.
From having easy access to the latest free bet offers on sporting events provided by bookmakers such as bet365 to reputable mobile-optimized online comparison platforms, to being able to stream matches live from anywhere following the arrival of dedicated apps like ESPN+ and DAZN, mobile sports fans have never had it so good.
Another area where the arrival of the modern smartphone has signaled a major boon to sports fans is thanks to the huge catalogue of games available on both iOS and Android. Among these one can find dozens of fantastic sports titles, ranging from hyper-casual minigames to in-depth sims.
What’s more, some of the biggest publishers in the world, from EA Sports to 2K Games, have created mobile optimized versions of some of their biggest franchises to enjoy. In light of this, below we’re going to take a look at some of the greatest sports games available on smartphones in 2022.
eFootball 2022
eFootball is the successor to Konami’s wildly popular FIFA rival, Pro Evolution Soccer. This transition comes at a noteworthy time for the brand, as it occurs just as EA have lost the FIFA license, opening up the possibility for Konami to compete on a more level playing field with respect to acquiring rights for teams, athletes and tournaments from around the globe.
eFootball also eschews a distinction between mobile and console versions, instead running both off the same engine. This means you’ll get a comparable experience playing on mobile as you can expect on PC and console. Of course, to get the most out of it it’s still best to attach a physical controller.
eFootball also marks a shift from a pay-up-front to free-2-play format for the series, following industry trends and making this title immediately accessible to soccer fans everywhere.
Madden NFL 22 Mobile
The mobile version of EA Sports crown jewel, Madden NFL 22 serves up a surprisingly comprehensive mobile optimized spin-off of its mainline grid-iron namesake. This year’s version introduces an all new player ranking system to help you both maximize and customize your squad’s skillset.
What’s more, a reimagined trade system gives you greater flexibility and choice when it comes to building out your all-star team. Get ready to dive in with console quality graphics that push the limits of mobile hardware in 2022 as this is one of the finest looking games out there today.
NBA2K Mobile Basketball
2K are the powerhouse studio behind the NBA’s officially licensed console games, and as such you know they know how to deliver great looking and silky-smooth basketball gameplay.
Operating on a free-2-play model, the game has just entered its fourth season which brings with it a host of new courts, jerseys and players to unlock or acquire through microtransactions.
With daily objectives this game has great replay value, and thanks to its comprehensive online multiplayer you’re always able to find someone to go toe-to-toe with.
Football Manager 2022
SEGA’s Football Manager series is one of the longest running franchises in gaming history. Beginning life as Championship Manager back in 1992, this soccer management sim has racked up over 8 million sales over those intervening years and is now back for 2022 with over 60 leagues from over 25 nations to explore.
Football Manager continues its commitment to letting you run your club in whatever way you see fit, and with intuitive features ranging from tactical templates to transfer suggestions, even novice managers can dive in and grasp the fundamentals quickly.
Though naturally, as the premier sports sim in the world, FM22 rewards the natural soccer logician with the ability to tune their squad and overarching strategy to a granular level of detail.
