By Brian Ekberg
Design by Marty Smith

Sports gamers are a lucky lot. Unlike fans of series such as Halo, EverQuest, and Metal Gear Solid, sports fans are guaranteed sequels to their favorite sports titles every year. Even better, sports gamers don't have to brave two-hour lines packed with profusely sweating "fans" to grab the latest sports releases. These are things that we should be grateful for, especially during this time of year, when giving thanks is the first thing on our minds.

Sure, there's a lot to complain about in some of the games in this year's lineup of sports titles, including bad game controls, less challenging play, shaky online performance, and ugly franchise modes, but the reality is that the good far outweighs the bad. Amid a few sports duds in 2004, gamers have also been treated to some releases that pushed the bar in terms of innovation, fun, and longevity. Even better, sports gaming has become decidedly less punishing on the wallet, mainly due to the heated pricing war between two of the genre's biggest players.

During this official kickoff to the holiday season, it's nice to look back and reflect on all the things we have to be appreciative of. Here, we've put together a list of eight reasons for sports gamers to be thankful in 2004, touching on everything from innovative control schemes to addictive and involving features that raise the bar for sports simulations. As you'll see, it's easy to be grateful when you're a sports gaming fan.

1. Swing season

Tiger Woods' swing has a new look, at least on the Nintendo DS.

Let's face it. The challenge level in the recent Tiger Woods PGA Tour games has taken a decisive nosedive. After just a couple of hours with the game, even a golfing novice can be smacking the ball around the game's courses like a pro. Part of the blame for this in the console versions of Tiger Woods can be laid on the game's swing mechanic. While it's an easily accessible system to newbies, which also provides a good degree of advanced control for experienced players, it's simply too easy to strike consistently accurate shots, regardless of weather conditions. This is exactly why we're so excited about the upcoming Tiger Woods game for the Nintendo DS. Accompanying the game's slick presentation and attractive graphics is an innovative stylus-based swing mechanic that just may be the next big leap for the series. Using the stylus on the DS's lower touch screen, players will trace the stylus across an onscreen arrow to swing the club. Once struck, the ball will appear in the lower screen as it flies toward the flag. By tracing the stylus over the ball in any direction, you'll be able to control the spin of the ball before it lands.

While we haven't spent a great deal of time with the DS version of Tiger Woods, we're excited to see how this swing mechanic affects the overall quality of the handheld golfing experience. For now, it's nice to know the developer behind Tiger Woods for the DS is attempting something new with the series.

2. 82 is too many

The presence of ESPN's full authority mode means you'll never again have to play out another Warriors-Clippers season matchup again.

Playing out every single game of an 82-game NBA season in a video game is akin to finishing off the rest of the Thanksgiving turkey simply because it's sitting there on the table. It takes a long time to get through, and you'll be in a lot of pain once you're finished. While most sports games have traditionally given you the ability to simulate games in a virtual season, you have so little control over the outcome of these simulated games that it's hard to keep a winning streak going. Spend too much time simulating games and you just might watch in horror as your first-place team slowly descends into the basement of its division.

With the release of two of this year's pro basketball titles, EA Sports' NBA Live 2005 and Sega's ESPN NBA 2K5, some of these sim-related pains have been relieved. With NBA Live 2005, gamers can interrupt a simulated game at any time to take control of the situation. If your team isn't performing up to snuff, you now have the option to take over and lead it on to victory. On the Sega side of things, ESPN NBA 2K5's franchise mode has an interesting simulation option known as "full authority." Instead of merely simulating the game and waiting for the results, full authority gives you the opportunity to control the outcome of the game by making key tactical maneuvers twice per game quarter. These team orders can include changes to offensive and defensive schemes, the employment of man-on-man matchups, and even a determination of the number and types of shots each player will take per quarter. Once you've made these executive decisions, you can watch the game unfold until your next turn comes along, at which point you can then adjust your game plan accordingly. All told, a full-authority game takes just a few minutes to get through, compared to the half hour or more a typical full game occupies. At the same time, it gives you a modicum of control over your team's chances.

3. Crash and Bang

Despite the mayhem, there's just something beautiful about this.

There's a certain visceral beauty to car-chase scenes in movies. Otherwise, why would Hollywood directors revel in filming them? That sense of speed and power, combined with the ever-present danger of a horrific wreck, creates an incomparable sense of excitement and thrill that's hard to top.

One of the closest things sports gamers have to this kind of knife-edge tension is the slow-motion pileups found in the excellent racer Burnout 3: Takedown. Despite having seen hundreds of these steel-ripping demolitions during our time with the game, that sense of hushed fury that is conveyed in these scenes never seems to lose its edge. That you can control the direction and outcome of your crash during these slow-motion replays by using the game's crashbreaker controls adds that much more to the experience. Never before has barrel rolling into a teeming urban intersection seemed like such a great idea.