11 Best Sports Games on Xbox Game Pass Ranked based on Metacritic Score (March 2023)

Xbox Game Pass is one of the top gaming subscription services currently available, but what are the best sports games currently available to download or stream on console?
Whether you’re a fan of driving, simulation, football, baseball, extreme sports or mixed martial arts, Game Pass has you covered.
Here are our picks for the 11 best sports games on Xbox Game Pass ranked based on their Metacritic scores in March 2023.
Read More: Xbox Game Pass RPG January 2022: Top 5 Games to Play Right Now
GIVEMESPORT VIDEO OF THE DAY
11 Shredders
(Image: © FoamPunch)
Metacritic – 66%
First up is the snowboarding title Shredders, which in our opinion, is pretty unfairly rated on Metacritic across the average.
This is a fun indie snowboarding title that deserves a bit more love, as it’s a decent cross between SSX and the skate series in terms of gameplay and vibe.
The top user review on Metacritic echos our sentiments, saying:
“Great snowboarding game. Requires a minimum effort at first, but you will quickly feel like a natural born rider. Congrats to the developers and thank you Microsoft for adding this gem to the game pass.”
10 Madden NFL 23 (via EA Play)
Metacritic – 70%
Despite only having an average Metacritic score of 70%, Madden NFL 23 is still the most definitive American football simulation on Game Pass.
You’ll have to be a member of the Game Pass Ultimate tier to play this title on your Xbox console, as it is technically part of EA Play, one of the many add-on services that Microsoft offers as part of the monthly subscription.
The biggest issues that players overall have with the title is bugs and glitches, with one of the 0/10 User Reviews on Metacritic stating:
“Madden continues to take a downward spiral every year. This time around the bugs are so extensive that it makes you question if they even tested the game at all.”
Still, for an NFL game on Game Pass? This is the one to go for.
9 FIFA 22
Metacritic – 78%
It’s FIFA, what can we really say that hasn’t already been said at this point?
Although it can feel like the improvements from year to year are slight, having the ability to play a fairly recent iteration of the game as part of Game Pass, which still has an active Ultimate Team community, isn’t half bad.
Beyond FUT, you’ll also get access to the full suite of game modes in FIFA 22, including one of the best versions of Career Mode that we’ve seen in quite some time.
8 GRID
Metacritic – 79%
GRID is an Xbox One title that is still finding a player base on the Xbox Series X and S, giving gamers the ability to race in GT through Touring and Muscle to Stock and Super Modified vehicles.
Xbox Tavern gave the game a massive vote of confidence when they initially reviewed it back in 2019, saying:
“Is GRID the perfect racer? I have to say it comes close. It definitely checks off a lot of the boxes that I look for in a game. There may be a few features from other titles that I would have loved for Codemasters to have borrowed from but that’s a moot point.”
Metacritic – 80%
If you’re used to playing football management titles on PC or Mac, then it’s always going to feel weird loading up a sim on your console, but Football Manager 2023 Console is no slouch when it comes to quality.
Despite missing some of the elements that the PC game has, there were a number of great additions to the game for the 2023 iteration, including Team Talks and UEFA Champions League/Europa League branding.
If you fancy yourself as the next Will Still, you’ll have a great time with this.
6 The Show ‘22
Metacritic – 80%
Well, Mr Burns had done it, the power plant had won it…but we’re not talking softball, we’re talking baseball.
One of the huge benefits that fans of the sport and Xbox owners had is that this was a Day 1 release on Game Pass, meaning that it was part of your Game Pass subscription from the moment it was released to general retail. Considering it would’ve cost you £60 on other consoles, that’s one heck of a deal.
The Show ‘22 gives you the ability to collect your own fantasy card collect to bring to life on the diamond, as well as the new additions like the Mini Seasons mode. There’s also the Road to the Show Baseball ‘RPG experience,’ adding to the overall package that absolutely makes this the definitive baseball title on Game Pass right now.
5 Skate 3 (via EA Play)
Metacritic – 80%
When it comes to skateboarding simulation games, there is arguably nothing right now that even comes close to touching the Skate series, and Skate 3 is still the best skating sim around despite the fact that it was originally released on Xbox 360.
Not only is Skate 3 the definitive version of the greatest skating sim franchise ever, but you can play it as part of Game Pass!
Wired gave the title a favourable review back during the initial release in 2010, noting that it:
“Doesn’t take gamers anywhere as exotic or over-the-top. And that’s its charm. The realistic setting and complex control scheme make for an engaging single-player experience, but it’s the wide range of online multiplayer options that make Skate gleam the cube.”
Considering that we’re over a decade after the game’s release and there is STILL an active online community, that speaks volumes about the quality of this skate sim.
4 F1 22 (via EA Play)
Metacritic – 81%
This Xbox One title is by far the best racing experience that you can currently get on Xbox Game Pass, and it’s likely to stay that way until F1 23 comes to the service, which will be quite some time.
Trusted Reviews raved about the racing sim when it was first released back in June 2022, noting that:
“There’s definitely a lot to love about F1 2022, whether it’s the revamped physics engine and clever AI, or the incredible levels of detail on tracks and in the cockpit.”
The F1 Life social hub in the game was an interesting addition to the series, as it gives an arcade-esque dynamic to what is usually a purely simulation-based title.
If you’re an F1 fan, there is nothing better than F1 22 right now, even beyond Game Pass!
3 SSX
Image Copyright: EA Sports
Metacritic – 82%
This Xbox 360 snowboarding classic is just as fun now as it was when it was originally released back in 2012.
SSX had been a defining series on the PlayStation 2, with SSX Tricky and SSX 3 being among the best games released during the consoles’ lifespan.
SSX in 2012 was a reboot for the series, and it brought new online features that catapulted it to the next level.
Still great fun to play in 2023 and well worth your time if you’re a fan of extreme sports titles.
2 UFC 4
Metacritic – 82%
Fundamentally, UFC 4 is the best MMA gaming experience that you can currently get on console, and it’s on Game Pass, so it’s a win-win.
There isn’t really any competition when it comes to this EA title, but that doesn’t mean that the company rested on their laurels when it came to creating the definitive mixed martial arts sim.
A deep gameplay system that allows you to perfect Muay Thai, Wrestling, Boxing, Kickboxing and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu means that you’ll get hours of fun using a fantastic roster of current UFC fighters and legends, trying to find your ideal ‘build’ and how to take advantage in the octagon your own way.
Until UFC 5 comes out at some point, this will be the go-to when it comes to MMA gaming.
1 Fight Night Champion (via EA Play)
Image Copyright: EA Sports
Metacritic – 86%
And finally, the best sports game that is currently available on Xbox Game Pass: EA’s Fight Night Champion on the Xbox 360.
One of the biggest attractions of this title for boxing fans was the fantastic story mode, which added a layer of entertainment beyond the standard career mode that you’d expect in a title like this.
Until we see something Undisputed come out of early access and make its way to consoles, this will likely be the best option for fans of the pugilistic endeavour on Xbox Game Pass so some time.
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