Ranking the 10 Best Sports Games of 2015

We have to know, is anyone's wallet still breathing? Considering that video game season swept in like a gust of wind and took all of our hard-earned dollars away, no one would blame you if it wasn't.

Per usual, this has been a big year for the world of sports video games. Title after title has come out, turning productive workdays into 48-hour benders full of graphics and joysticks.

With so many games floating around, we decided to rank the top 10 releases of 2015 in order from worst to best. Start the slideshow and find out which game currently reigns supreme.

10. Rory McIlroy PGA Tour

Tiger Woods' departure from his own EA Sports golf franchise didn't leave anyone's jaw on the floor. He's struggled to find his form over the last few years, and at age 39, it was time for EA to interject a fresh face into the series.

Enter Rory McIlroy. He's the youth's answer to a dominant golfer. And as Kanye West said, "Listen to the kids, bro."

The problem is Rory McIlroy PGA Tour isn't very good. That awful transition from the Woods version was like going from "Diamond" Dallas Page holding the WCW heavyweight title to David Arquette winning the strap.

Impressive visuals and gameplay gets pushed aside with simple modes and a minuscule roster. Honestly, the best use for Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is to play with a group of friends on a Friday night. Enjoy it for a few hours and bail. The long-term replay value isn't there.

9. NBA Live 16

Improvement is the best way to describe NBA Live 16. For a video game franchise that's struggled to compete with the NBA 2K series, this recent edition of Live is actually playable.

Before Live 16, EA Sports couldn't find its way. Previous versions were always a rushed, sloppy, boring vat of slop mixed up and repackaged as a basketball game.

This year's version of Live doesn't get looped into that category. The development team behind it actually attempted to create a playable basketball game. Had you not been exposed to NBA 2K16, you would accept Live for what it is.

Adjustments to the shot meter, defense and driving to the hoop are all welcome changes. If it wasn't for a series of bland game modes, the replay value would be longer.

Maybe next year NBA Live will finally become a major contender to NBA 2K's throne.

8. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5

Let's be clear, having a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game back in our lives is important. Going back to a place of youthful comfort is a welcome distraction.

What you get when you unbox Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 are those nostalgic vibrations. The music reminds you of the early 2000s, as well as the selection menus. But a striking difference between classic THPS games and the newest version is maturation.

You'd think a console version of THPS, released 13 years after the last installment, would take a giant leap forward.

It doesn't.

The game is a rehashed version of the original series with slight improvements to graphics and fresh characters added in.

Fun isn't the issue here. If you want that old THPS feeling, this game will more than bring the ruckus. But it tends to get stale without any significant changes, not to mention it's a glitch-filled mess.

7. Pro Evolution Soccer 2016

Pro Evolution Soccer has been a worthy adversary to EA Sports' FIFA franchise for a few years now. It's not quite up to par with FIFA on certain levels—like stadium realness and sound effects—but in some ways it's just as good.

PES 16 offers up a more exaggerated style of play. Goals are frequent, passes are clean and the pace of the game is ferocious. No one will ever say that this title is dull.

The main concern for any PES game is the lack of teams. Entire leagues are missing from the finished product due to licensing deals—or lack thereof. That difference really affects the overall production despite Pro Evolution Soccer 16 being a terrific offering.

6. MLB 15: The Show

Why isn't MLB 15: The Show available on all platforms? Depriving us of the market's best baseball game is an inhumane thing to do.

PlayStation 4 is the only way to get down with The Show. It's a stalwart of the Sony regime and seems to get better with each passing season. Sticking to that tone, MLB 15: The Show is an excellent baseball game.

It features a vast array of game modes, flawless graphics and stellar online play. What else do you want from a sports video game? Countless hours of fun can be generated from this Sony-exclusive title.

5. NHL 16

Last year's NHL game from EA Sports was a grave disappointment. Game modes we all fell in love with were stripped away without an explanation as the series made its highly anticipated leap to the next-gen consoles.

The last few NHL games have been built around sophisticated online play. NHL 15 didn't have any of those luxuries. With NHL 16, however, there was a return to form. Online team play resurfaced, and it's even more ambitious than ever before.

Enhanced graphics and a smoother defensive system also allow for less arcade-style gameplay and more free-flowing hockey. You still have the usual NHL ways to score, but that doesn't hinder the game from being deemed excellent.

4. Super Mega Baseball

You don't need Major League Baseball licenses and all of that to make a great baseball game. Super Mega Baseball showed the world that.

Of all the games we've named so far, Super Mega Baseball is the most outlandish. It's not your average, run-of-the-mill baseball experience. Channeling the best parts of Wii Sports, this game provides one of the best times you'll have playing a video game.

It's easy to pick up on, has a ton of excellent in-game features and the best part is anyone can leap right in and get after it. So before you knock Super Mega Baseball for being ranked so high, do yourself a favor and try it out.

3. Madden NFL 16

Madden NFL 16 came out at a time when the franchise was slowly getting picked apart. Having the exclusive rights to make an NFL game gives EA Sports a monopoly over the grandiose pigskin landscape. 

At first glance, Madden 16 feels like any other installment of the franchise on a next-generation system. The gameplay, player motions and graphics are all in the same ballpark. But when you finally dig your way past the surface, it turns out to be quite a different experience.

Defense comes alive in Madden 16. Enhancements to coverage and rushing the quarterback provide a more balanced approach than previous games that focused strictly on offensive innovation.

Discarding the usual flaws, fresh game modes and a revamped online platform have turned Madden 16 into an engaging, well-constructed game.

2. FIFA 16

EA Sport's FIFA franchise has been the company's breadwinning endeavor for what feels like 10 years running. With the release of FIFA 16, EA tried to keep that valiant effort alive.

The results were spectacular.

At its core, FIFA 16 is an impressive display of soccer. The game flow is beautiful. Players move effortlessly around the pitch, which allows a user to create phenomenal offensive drives.

Physics are always a critical buzzword when it comes to FIFA games. In this version, EA tried to create natural movements for individuals, which removes the arcade-like feel to passing. Although incredibly frustrating at times, once you get the hang of it, everything begins to click.

The biggest improvements to FIFA 16 aren't simply gameplay decisions—it's the inclusion of the women's national teams. Getting to compete with a new crop of players is something that was surprisingly needed.

Users will get agitated with the game at first. It's not the same as seasons past. The good news is you'll fall in love with FIFA 16 once you fight your way past the controller-breaking feelings.

1. NBA 2K16

The undisputed champion of virtual basketball returns with an impactful dose of realness. NBA 2K16 could easily be the best release from the developers at 2K Sports.

IGN.com's Mike Mitchell wrote up a full-fledged review of a game he dubbed "a historic hoops sim." The game really is dazzling.

Defensively speaking, the level of fluidity that's been installed makes a world of difference. On offense, the garbage repertoire many people have used has been removed. You can't blow past defenders with unrealistic moves and hope the ball somehow winds up in the hoop. This go-around is about precision and advancing the ball through plays and motion.

Though complex with its controls, NBA 2K16 is a winner on all fronts. It's a simulation game that is built to last the entire year. And honestly, thanks to its attention to detail and graphics, 2K16 will achieve that legacy.