The official soccer game of the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup features new "Air Play" gameplay with intuitive one-button headers, volleys, scissor kicks, juggling and showboating. New player-to-player animations allow for agressive jostling for the ball on the ground and in the air. The Tournament Mode features a seven game series beginning with round-robin play, followed by playoffs leading to the final match with a progressive story line and a rising intensity as you advance. [EA Sports]

Finally, a videogame that understands soccer really is a contact sport. RedCard 20-03's unique adrenaline-style gameplay lets you kick, score, celebrate and tackle your way through 50 international teams all vying for the Cup Championship with 11-on-11 gameplay. Includes Finals Mode, a battle through 32 qualified national teams for the Cup Championship; World Conquest Mode, Friendly Mode, and Tournament Mode, where the battle for the Cup begins. [Midway]

Place your bait, set your hook and reel in the big one! This is the quintessential Man versus Nature game. You are set up with the most up to date lures, bait, Fish finders and boating equipment available. With these advantages your mission is to catch the most wily prey known to modern fisherman. You will prowl the best fishing lakes in the world on your hunt for a championship Bass. Features 4 fishing modes including a tournament mode, real 3-D modeling, real-time scenery changes in time-day. [Xicat Interactive]

The first game based on the Women's Tennis Association license features 20 WTA players, including established stars such as Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Serena Williams, and Lindsay Davenport, and a few up-and-coming players, each with unique AI and modelling.

Participate in four of the most prestigious tennis tournaments (Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, and the "Tournoi de Paris") as one of the top-ranked players in the world, including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Patrick Rafter, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles and Anna Kournikova.

Join the new cast of characters who come to tee off on the greens and on each other with trash-talking quips. The new swing Meter will test your skills with a variety of interfaces depending on the lie of the ball, whether it is in the fairway, rough, treeline, dirt or sand trap. Earn "Hot Shot Points" for superb performances, great shots and remarkable putts to use towards enhanced golf equipment and insane golf gadgets. [SCEA]

New player animations bring the hitting, pitching and fielding to life with signature styles and stances. 3D-scanned faces put your favorite star players in the game. Play in every major league ballpark and experience the detail and beauty of a big-league setting. Hear commentary from broadcasters Bob Costas and Harold Reynolds. Four different game modes include Home Run Derby for those who live by the long ball. Other extras include Create-A-Player, Fantasy Draft, and widescreen TV support. [Electronic Arts]

Play as any of 21 current and historical greats, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Felix Trinidad. 10 different venues let you fight for the championship belt in a variety of settings. Create your own fighter, train hard to learn new skills, and climb the ranks to earn a shot at the title. [Electronic Arts]

New features include Expansion Play, which allows baseball fanatics to choose a city, stadium, and team logo and integrate that team into Major League Baseball, after which they'll draft from a pool of unprotected players in an expansion draft of free agents and Minor League players to build a team from scratch. 10 game modes include Season, Career, Franchise (with 20 consecutive seasons), All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, and Batting Practice. [Acclaim]

Blow by defenders and drive through the lane by utilizing ESPN NBA 2Night's new turbo function. The game features new rim-shattering dunks and championship defense including backboard pins, blocked jump shots and steals in the open court. Includes commentary from Brent Musberger, ESPN's Stuart Scott, and 76ers point guard Eric Snow.

New TrueSwing Total Precision Swing lets you drive in true, slice it or add a draw, giving you more control over your shots. Compete as or against 12 PGA TOUR professionals including Tiger, Jesper Parnevik, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, and Notah Begay. Brand new course lineup includes such amazing layouts as Pebble Beach Golf Links, TPC at Sawgrass, Royal Birkdale in England, and more! [EA Sports]

Known as "This is Football 2002" for its European release, WTS 2002 features more than 300 teams from throughout the world including national teams from USA, England, Brazil, France and Japan and international clubs like Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. Complete Team Management functions let you switch on the fly and take advantage of any opening. [SCEA]

In addition to dabbling in B.P., Home Run Derby, Exhibition and All-Star games, HH 2003 features a Season mode with custom lengths, inactive players on each team, unsigned players, a fantasy draft, and intriguing A.I. trade acceptance decisions. A stand-alone Playoff system allows up to 8 players to play for the series title individually. There are options galore for the hot stove league fanatic.

New Impact Player option allows the gamer to edit the route/assignment of their Impact player in any play in the team's playbook on the fly. More than 1500 brand new, high-flying catches, game breaking runs and earth-shattering sticks including some animations motion captured with professional stuntmen swinging from rigging wires. Utilize with the tried and true NFL Blitz point-n-pass system or icon passing. [Midway]

Fetaures 16 countries and six events (Men's Alpine Skiing Downhill, Ladies' Alpine Skiing Slalom, Men's Snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom, Women's Freestyle Skiing Aerials, Men's Ski Jumping K120 Individual, and Men's Two-man Bobsleigh ), authentic Olympic environments and competitive multi-player modes with fluid real-time animation and TV-style camera presentation creating an ultra-realistic and challenging sports gaming experience. [Eidos Interactive]

No Wheels, No Waves, No Snow, means NO LIMITS! Features an awesome mission-based Story Mode, unbelievable tricks and stunts, and even a Party-Play mode for up to 8 players. Experience the extreme physics of AirBladeTM and find out just how much fun you've never had! [Namco]

Features 10 events including Downhill Alpine Skiing, Freestyle Mogul Skiing, Speed Skating, Bobsledding, and the fan-favorite, Curling, all with that ESPN twist.

Ride on 30 new courses with big kickers and twisted rails for intense arcade action. Learn new tricks and build your charisma points in order to get noticed by sponsors. Fly the world for competitions, film shoots and heli-boarding trips in your quest to compete at the X Games. Ride as one of 13 real pro riders including X Games medal winners Peter Line, Tina Basich and Danny Kass. Extra DVD features include over 35 minutes of snowboarding films and killer music. [Konami]

New features include a revamped low post game (exploit the defender with lightning quick drop step moves, back him down for a rim-rattling dunk, or shoot a sweet fadeaway jumper), new playbooks, and new street courts including Oakland's legendary Mosswood Park, Philly's Hank Gathers Rec Center, and Houston's Ronde Rec Center. [Sega]

Get scouting tips from coaches like Florida's Billy Donovan, Kansas' Roy Williams, and UCLA's Steve Lavin; New Emotion Meter lets big plays and crowd energy affect how you perform; New courts include fieldhouse and stadiums; Use one of over 130 real teams or create your own. [EA Sports]

Show off your new school skiing tricks in Slopestyle mode and unlock Big Mountain mode to star in a ski movie! Then get heli-dropped onto a mountaintop, and pull insane grabs off snow-capped cottages, trains and more. Even use the Alaskan pipeline as a half-pipe. [3DO]

With its exhibition, season, tournament, training camp, and general manager modes, GameDay 2002 is improved in all areas and allows the player to customize individual AI components.

Manage your team for up to 15 seasons as Chris Berman and Tom Jackson go "Inside the Numbers" to breakdown your games. Create free agents or edit existing players with an in-depth Player Editor. The game includes updated 2001 season rosters for all 31 NFL teams.

Chief O?Leary has mysteriously closed the summit of Mt. Garrick to all boarders and is trying desperately to drive them away. As the young and rebellious Naya, players will shred, jib and stomp sick tricks in the first ever mission-based snowboarding game. Free ride this vast mountain and unlock restricted areas on your way to the summit. But be prepared, Chief O?Leary will not go down without a fight. [THQ]

The Sega Sports NFL franchise makes its PS2 debut with such new features as its intelligent passing/catching system providing for greater accuracy in pass play timing and execution, and advanced in-game effects such as natural outdoor lighting that casts real-time stadium shadows onto the field.

Ride the mountain as six-time X-Games gold medalist Shaun Palmer or 9 other top pros in real-to-life racing competitions and freestyle snowboarding. Pull off hundreds of trick combos in real-life locations like Kirkwood and Donner Ski Ranch. [Activision]

Features more than 300 Division I-A teams from 31 national conferences; improved Touch Shooting Controls and an all new Backdown move for maneuvering in the inside game; Team-specific playbooks of offensive and defensive strategies; and Play-by-Play commentary from Eddie Doucette and Billy Packer on color. [SCEA]

Victorious Boxers uses a state-of-the art graphics engine to get you as close to the ring as you'll ever want to get. Progress through the amateur and Pro ranks with the help of your personal trainer. Listen to him, study your opponents fighting tactics and strategies and head into the ring to see if you can out swing and out think him. [Empire Interactive]

Second-generation rider physics provide more in-air and on-snow user control. Compete in the World Circuit, go head-to-head in the unique Showoff (trick) versions of nine courses on the World Circuit, or just kick it in Free Ride. New Garibaldi and Alaska courses let you get more vertical and catch more air, while all the original courses have some new surprises. [Electronic Arts]

With all-new "open passing," you have more control and precision than ever before. Find a breaking forward with a perfect 40-yard ball into open space, embarrass the tightest defense with cunning one-twos, or fool any keeper with deep swerving crosses. [Electronic Arts]

Challenge up to four friends in online competitions over a LAN or the Internet. Take them on in both Trick Attack and Graffiti modes. [Activision]

Low-post controls let you move, shoot and dunk with more versatility than ever before. Franchise mode allows you to build the next great NBA dynasty over several seasons. New cut scenes focus on player-to-player and player-to-referee interaction. Legendary players bring their skills to today's NBA for some classic matchups. [EA Sports]

Drop-in on a gnarly Fiddlesticks 30-foot wave of have fun sessions with Sandy Beach?s 3-4 foot sets as one of 9 world-class surfers. Packed with ultra-realistic moves, players will be stoked as they pull off round-house cutbacks, lippers, floaters, and catch unreal barrel rides. [Ubi Soft]

A unique skateboarding/adventure game that pits you against "Gawoo," mysterious alien creatures. Comes with a "fingerboard" controller, a special analog controller attachment. Unlock different parts of the City ("New San Francisco") using eight wacky characters. [KOEI]

Dynamic camera action, realistic fish behavior and beautiful graphics immerse players in "hawg" heaven. Experience intense tournament action as you strive to qualify as one of 50 anglers competing for the title of world champion. [THQ]

The PlayStation 2 version features include Career Mode, allowing you to compete for the Stanley Cup for 10 consecutive years and build a true hockey dynasty. Also included are Quick Game, Season, Playoffs, Shootout, and Tournament modes. [EA Sports]

Extreme, arcade-style 3-on-3 hockey action featuring "on fire" pucks, players, and teams, "big" player models, fantasy stadiums, along with exhibition, championship, and franchise modes.

The only football game with NFL Quarterback Challenge Mode, which features four head-to-head events: Speed and Mobility, Accuracy, Long Distance Throw, and Read & Recognition. Play as an active QB or as a retired great such as Elway, Marino, Young, Kelly, and Simms.

Rearing its head for the first time on the PS2, the latest incarnation of DMFB features eight levels ("4x bigger than before") in vert, dirt, street, and park riding, with ten multiplayer games and a roster of pros including the usual suspects: Ryan, Rick, and Dave himself.

Following up "Gallop Racer" for the PSX, GR 2001 players can manage and assemble their own stable or simply bet on the races themselves. Players can assume the role of the breeder, the jockey, or a spectator in the stands. [Tecmo].

The industry football standard returns featuring the Houston Texans, new player face and body technology, the ability to create your own team with custom helmets, uniforms, and stadiums, and a new training mode that let's you learn from Madden, the master himself.

Drop into the vert ramp or dabble in the street in X Games Mode, but with "Tony Hawk 3" just around the corner, will Konami's ESPN license be enough to tide you over?

Gamers can select from any of 117 Division 1-A or 27 Division 1-AA teams. Play-by-play and color commentary are provided by ESPN's Brad Nessler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit. Brand-new team-specific playbooks emulate actual college plays run by 117 Division 1-A teams. [EA Sports]

Includes an excellent tutorial mode and over 600 players in all that can all participate in the World Championship. Other tournaments featured are the Tri-Nations, 6 Nations and Friendly matches. [EA Sports]

Publisher Hot B ports to America this arcade soccer title (which plays much more like a sim) from Japanese developer Taito featuring 35 unlicensed international teams and six outdoor stadiums.

With an "SSX"-like trick system and the rejuvenation of the blocked shot, it seems that EA's reinvention of "NBA Jam"-style hoops should do for basketball what the Tony Hawk series did for skateboarding.

The fifth game in the Cool Boarders series, and the 3rd snowbaording game on the PS2, features 10 professional riders including Todd Richards, Michele Taggart, Kevin Jones, and Tara Dakides and includes the Quick Run and a Career Mode.

Developed and retrofitted with the ESPN-MLS license, commentary, and music from Japan's award-winning "Winning Eleven 5," Konami brings its International Superstar Soccer franchise to America do battle with EA's finest.

The 2001 PS2 game for baseball purists who prefer a realistic simulation to eye-popping graphics.

Konami's first NHL game for the PS2 includes exhibition, season, playoffs and create-a-player modes with a full statistical package.

This latest rendition sticks to the basic things that have made the series great, making it worthwhile even for those who aren't fans of the older games.

With a winning history on PCs and other consoles, Triple Play Baseball now signs up to another big league gaming platform on the PlayStation 2. The move gives Triple Play another leap in realism, from the ultra-sharp graphics with real player faces and stadiums to the advanced AI that enables more realistic and flexible gameplay. The DUALSHOCK 2 controller's analog features are now a key element of the batting, pitching, and fielding control for a truer sports gaming experience. To get the game right, EA once again turned to the pros--American League MVP Jason Giambi of the Oakland A's and National League Manager of the Year Dusty Baker of the S.F. Giants lent their expertise on how to play hardball in the majors. Of course, in baseball, what it all boils down to is the showdown at the plate--the pitcher facing off against the batter for all the money. Triple Play Baseball again refines the game with a power zone/contact zone batting cursor--power hitters may have a tiny cursor, but it's all power zone, while more dependable sluggers will have a larger cursor but may have a smaller sweet spot. Batters are going to need all that control if they're hoping to tee off the pitching this year, which is also improved in control to give them every trick in the books. Players' skills are accurately based on player stats from last season, so if you see Mark McGwire at the plate or Randy Johnson on the mound, expect some bad things to go down.

Swing into action with the first-ever PS2 golf game from Electronic Arts in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001. In all, six pro golfers take to the green on three real-life courses including SpyGlass Hill, Pebble Beach, and Poppy Hills as they swing and putt their way through exact replicas of all 18 holes. The varied modes of play are now supported by two new entries, Challenge and Play-Now, in addition to such returning staples as Match, Skins, and Stroke. Making use of the PS2's additional graphical capacity over its PS1 counterpart, the game also boasts fully-rendered 3D environments and players, as well as an enhanced analog control system that makes use of the PlayStation's Dual Shock 2 enhancements.

NBA Showtime fans may enjoy Hoopz, but the game would have benefited from an honest-to-goodness arcade mode and a speed setting, if not faster overall gameplay.

Fast, furious, authentic NBA action! 989 Sports' long-running b-baller makes its debut on the PlayStation 2 with live presentation unmatched on the system. The players sport thousands of motion-captured moves, and over a hundred hours of play-by-play were logged in the production. Everything in the stadium is modeled as closely as possible, from the detailed players to the real coaches on the sidelines to the people in the stands. ShootOut also brings back the Create Dunk feature, and refines the game's Touch Shooting and Passing control. As always, your choice is going to be a tough one between LIVE and ShootOut, and in the 2k1 basketball season, each has taken a shot at the game of basketball from a different angle. Check which fits your style. Authentic players, animations, and arenas make this game so realistic you'll need high tops and wrist bands to play. It's got a new and improved game engine, redesigned player controls, and a TV-style presentation that has been edited to include more camera angles, close-ups, zooms, and cut-aways. Team-specific playbooks have more than 450 plays designed with the NBA elite. With the enhancements made to the Match-Up & Deny, Read & React A.I., no artificial intelligence has ever been more savvy. This year the road to the NBA Finals begins and ends with an NBA ShootOut.

EA Sports' Live series isn't the only game in town anymore. Konami and ESPN have teamed up to deliver ESPN NBA 2Night. The ESPN license is being tapped for more than just a name. The game will feature authentic camera angles and the wry humor of SportsCenter's Stuart Scott and Brent Musberger. Konami claims it will have the full NBA roster and that its detailed graphics engine means you'll have no problem distinguishing your favorite player. From the superhuman dunking ability of Kevin...

All the egomaniacal, violent splendor of heavyweight boxing comes to the PlayStation 2 in Knockout Kings 2001 by EA Sports. This title employs EA's new CyberScan technology, which allows the boxers faces to be accurately reproduced in full polygonal glory. In addition to the graphical overhaul, the game features new modes of play and simplified control. Choose your champion from a stable of boxing's greatest, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Lennox Lewis. A new career mode allows you to play through several weight classes and to box at famous arenas all around the world.

Without a mouthpiece, you will lose a tooth! Lace up your skates and get physical in NHL Face Off 2001. Choose from 30 different NHL teams, including the new Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, and battle for the Stanley Cup. Play as or against 13 retired NHL legends including Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Phil Esposito, Marcel Dionne and more. Four new play modes including Tournament, ShootOut, Practice and Draft combined with fast, fluid game play make FaceOff 2001 the hockey game for PlayStation2.

The dominant hoops franchise returns live, delivering high-flyin', fast-paced NBA action plus a whole lot more. With all-new player reactions and bench sequences, redesigned commentary, and crowd animations, NBA Live 2001 comes alive, bringing more emotion and atmosphere to the court than ever before. [EA Sports]

The only college basketball game on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system in 2001, and the only basketball game to bring you real, live, 3D rendered cheerleaders! Take that to the bank, with your pressure D and jive-talking inside moves -- this game is calling those who say they're "keeping it real," phony chumps. Some of the new features in the game include reworked player models, 3D backgrounds and animated crowds, a plethora of options, updated controls, enhanced artificial intelligence and all-new play-by-play commentary by announcer Quinn Buckner. In addition, the game engine is closely related to 989's other b-ball title, NBA Shootout. And of course, college hoops fans can play through an entire stat-filled season or head straight to the big tournament in hopes of winning the championship.

This game is streamlined and built for speed. With its combination of award-winning gameplay and 2001 updates, NCAA GameBreaker is the best college football game available. The first college football game on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, NCAA GameBreaker 2001 uses the power of this new system to put together the most menacing offensive line ever to take the college field. With every one of the 115 Division I-A teams and stadiums, your gridiron alma mater should be well represented if they're blue chip material. Mr. Keith Jackson is calling the action all the way in one of the most realistic football audio presentations that includes over 30 college fight songs and trash talk from coaches. And speaking of realism, no game of college ball has come close to the incredible details on the field of this game--look closely at the high-resolution graphics, and you'll see mouthpieces, flexing pads, eye grease, and even mesh holes in the jerseys!

For those Americans who can't play "ISS Pro Evolution 2," or for those who absolutely must play as the San Jose Earthquakes, the L.A. Galaxy, or even Arsenal or Liverpool, we have EA's entry into the world of next generation footy.

When the original PlayStation launched without a Madden title, SCEA seized the opportunity to successfully launch the GameDay series. Madden returned fire the next year, and the healthy competition between the two football series has made both better. Now 989 Sports brings its popular football franchise to PlayStation 2 with NFL GameDay 2001. Obviously, the biggest change from past games in the series lies in the graphics, which have been greatly improved. The game features 1,100 position-specific tackles, jukes, spins, and stiff arms motion-captured from 13 pro NFL players. Grass and mud stains grace the players' jerseys, and photorealistic stadiums help to make for a more lifelike atmosphere.

Remember when snowboard sims used to suck? The times have truly changed with the monster speed, detailed tracks and super-fast frame rates of EA's first extreme sports game for the PS2.

Surrounded in beautiful scenery, you must master hardcore surfing techniques to handle epic waves. As real as you can get...without getting wet. Before the present 128-bit days, surfing was limited to crude, two-dimensional mock-ups of the real thing. Because of the complex nature of water, a powerful system is needed to accurately render the oceanic environs. With the powerful capabilities of the PlayStation 2, Take 2's Surfing H30 ups the level of surfing games with its visual splendor and water physics. With six different locales full of sun and surf, 11 characters to ride the waves (all with their separate strengths and weaknesses), and a custom X-Board controller to more accurately reproduce the action with your Dual Shock 2, Surfing H30 aims to be the closest thing to surfing short of waxing up your own board and hitting the beach.

EA's first hockey game to grace a next-gen system features all 30 NHL teams (including the Wild & Blue Jackets) and emphasizes speed, with the "big hit," "deke" and "speed burst" buttons making their return along with such precise adjustable factors as pass speed, shot accuracy, puck elasticity, and puck friction (?!?).

Swing Away Golf is a game whose features and execution could barely be explained by a book, let alone by a review.

Compete against the greatest athletes on earth in ESPN International Track & Field. Compete as or against top Olympic athletes in over 10 real world events. ESPN International Track and Field features over 750 motion-captured animations and true-to-life graphics and sounds that capture the spirit of international track and field competition.

ESPN X Games-Snowboarding challenges players to test their skills in a variety of events and courses. The game captures the realism of the sport with authentic ESPN graphics and stats of the biggest names in the sport.

EA Sports steps up to the challenge of Sega's "NFL2k1" with mind-blowing graphics and innovative "Madden Cards" -- Upper Deck creations purchased with tokens earned by completing in-game challenges which can be used as power-ups during the game. Match up all current NFL teams as well as great teams from the past in Season, Franchise, or Practice modes.

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing - Round 2 will include a variety of uniquely different, animated thugs that will punch their way up the ladder of the Ready 2 Rumble boxing world. The game will also feature two new celebrity boxers: the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and Los Angeles Lakers superstar, Shaquille O'Neal.