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In India, cricket is worshipped and is played in various ways to make do with the small spaces available. From the conventional game played on a cricket pitch to the very popular ‘underarm’ game played in a building compound – both forms are completely satisfying. So have video games done justice by providing a proper simulation of the game? Here’s listing of the top 3 cricket games ever made:
Cricket ’97
Cricket ’97 was the first game to feature in-game commentary by the greats Ritchie Benaud and Ian Botham. It was a welcome change from the DOS-based cricket games and had good looking graphics (for 1997). The game had a kick ass soundtrack too.
Also it was the first cricket game to have multiplayer, which was one of its best features. Two players could play on a single screen (using the keyboard and mouse) or over the network. Another fun feature of the game was the “Appeal system”, where the player had to appeal for his wicket, else the umpire would call it ‘not out’. It was an absolute fun package for cricket lovers.
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005/2007
I know it’s not fair to list four games in “the top 3 cricket games” list. But it was really difficult to choose one over the other, since both games revolutionized cricket simulation.
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005 (BLIC 05) introduced us to a very realistic simulation of cricket. The New and improved batting, bowling and fielding mechanism made the game a must have for all cricket lovers.
The major reason for me to include BLIC 2005 in the list is for its challenge mode. What’s more fun than re-writing the history of cricket and having your favorite team win the event? Great game play and good looking graphics were its USP, but the game still had some bugs and issues.
BLIC 05 was followed up with Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 (BLIC 07). It was mostly a rehash of its predecessor, but with a few welcome changes.
It improved on its game play and a few bugs and issues, which made BLIC 05 infuriating. But BLIC 07 didn’t come with the challenge mode. Instead it came with one ultimate feature for any avid cricket fan — online play.
Ashes 2009
Codemasters finally nailed it with Ashes 2009. Along with the superior game play, the game also boasts good graphics and good audio. Intricate details given to batting and bowling make this game kick ass. The new batting system gives you a feel of how satisfying it would be to execute a shot in an actual game of cricket.
Bowling is just as good, though on higher difficulty levels it’s really difficult to get wickets, but it’s fun nonetheless. It has a mini challenge feature in the form of Legend Challenges. The customization mode gives the game longevity and the Confidence system contributes in making the game more lifelike and it also has online play. All in all, Ashes 2009 is a complete package.
